The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-17
FIFTH AVENUE T| BEING TAKEN UP BY RETAIL SHOPS
But Experts Declare Gen. tral Park Is Deadline
 To Halt Stores


 nue is thoroughfare with a personal ity definitely it's own. Mere men have been unable to restrain it or to gauge it's possibilities. A century ago it was country lane beginning at POtters' Field, now Washington Square, and running a distance of six modern blocks. Only fifteen years ago the limit of the shopping district was fixed at Forty-sixth street and the permanent residential district was to begin there and run the length of the avenue. To- day the Forty-eighth street section has office buildings, high grade speciality stores, a jewelry center and, in addi- tion, large department store is soon to be opened. The residential district has been pushed uptown as. the retail stores forged noEthward. M
 'Business can never go beyond Fifty ninth street on the, avenue" said Argyll R. Parsons, vice president Of, Douglas l.. Ellman & company, and lecturer at the real estate class in the West Side |. NJ. c. A. That is the, headline. Beyond that point the city and it's buy ing power are separated by the park. Hut up to Fifty-ninth street more aud more shops will be opened. These will consist of the higher-class retail stores which eater to a few instead of the department stores around Thirty fourth and Forty-second streets which necessarily, on account of the high rent, must cater to the many.
 ::'These, the largest department stores on the avenue, do not live on the local city trade. They would lgo under n few days if it were not for the transients. This makes their location between the Pennsylvania and the Grand Central terminals necessity The bulk of shopping in this part of the avenue, where the greatest number of stores is' situated, is done by out cf-town visitors and suburbanites.
 Live By Transient Trade.
 But there are many retail stores which do not go in for duplicate orders and quantity sales such as jewellers and modistes, and these can afford to go farther up the avenue. In addition, the building laws for that section are tured plants. from entering and bring ing down values, as happened at the lower end of the avenue.
 "A big problem with these exclusive shops has been the traffic condition. The law that forbids empty taxicabs cruising fer fares along the avenue has helped somewhat, but it is getting more and more difficult to cross Fifth ave. Fnue around Forty-second street. Many managers knew that they were losing their clientele by this factor. One-time ] patrons would tell them that they were trading farther north on the avenue where their cars could park long enough to allow the occupants to enter the store.
 Fifth avenue started as a Cinderella among streets and became a princess royal A hundred years ago, in Sep tember, 1924, the city fathers marked out country lane on the official mar to be known as Fifth avenue. Green lwich Village was then the fashionabI, distance from the center of the city and Houston street marked the north. ern limits of New York. Perhaps the ] spiTit of prophecy was upon one or two of those early councilmen, but surely none of them could foresee that the street which was little more than a dirt path was to become the show win dow of America.
 Shaking Of Heads.
 Fifth avenue has forged northward ceaslessly with wiseacres shaking their heads at every new move and main- taining stoutly that the city would never grow beyond Fourteenth street, then beyond Twenty-third street. It was unthinkable that business would develop as far uptown as Thirty-fourth and Forty streets a generation ago. Today business practically controls the entire length of the avenue to Fifty seventh street.
 Not half a century ago Grand and ChryEtie streets were the fashionable retail shopping districts. Thirty-first street was known as an excellent place for snipe shooting, and good fishing was to be found in any of the little streams which crossed the town.
 As late as 1859, when the Fifth ave nue hotel opened at Twenty third street, the knowing shook their heads and gave forth the dictum that no ho- tel could succeed so far uptown-it was an impossibility. The year be- fore, when the Brick Presbyterian church moved from Beekman street and Park Row to Fifth avenue, the elders had a long and serious discussion as to whether Seventh avenue was not 8 better location.
 Fifth avenue from the country lane has become the best known street in the world. Its name is synonymous with the best in wealth, fashion and beauty. Its architectural harmony and beauty l ara fouaoua Eaoh vaar nriZaa ara given by the Fifth Avenue Association for the finest and most beautiful buildings which have been completed during the preceding year..
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