Evening star., 1932-02-27
CONGESTION EVILS
SHOWN IN GOTHAM
East Side Study May Help
Other Cities Solve
Problems.

Problems of congestion and confused
types of development that arise in
metropolitan cities because of lack Of
effective coming regulations at date
early enough to direct the course of
city building are graphically illustrated
In the lower east side of Manhattan.
The East Side Chamber of Com
merce of New York has been engaged
in making a block-to-block study OF
the area, for presentation to the New
York Zoning Commission, with view
to segregate the business, industrial
and residential areas of the section.
The following description of the
problems there that have inspired this
study, which also amounts to a testi-
monial of the value of effective Zon-
ing, was carried recently in the New
York Times, quoting Daniel j. Brogan,
chairman Of the chambers zoning
committee:
Cites Poor Development.
THE lower east side has had thrust
upon it the ideal characteristics of a
residential area. Neglect Of this fact
probably accounts for the absurdly
poor development that has eliminated
in the present abominable condition
that marks many of its sections.
I'm the past no apparent attempt
has been made to segregate its busl-
ness, industrial and residential areas.
That sort of neglect has always been
pregnant with slum-like conditions.
1t is true that in times Of high immi-
grafton the lower east side has been
densely populated. but as soon as
that population reached the New York
standard of living it moved to other
parts Of the city. No population exists
to take its place, and under present
conditions no population ever will take
its place. .,,.
ton of an immensely valuable area
of this great city lies in restoring to
it, as far as possible, its character.
In a study of this deeply debated
question, several parts OF the lower
east side stand out as prime residential
areas.
"The fact of the matter is that the
lower east side, as a whole, is ideally
suited to residential purposes. 1t is
centered between financial, business
and manufacturing areas. Its trans
portation facilities are, or will be In
the very near future, the finest of
any city in the world. 1t has an en-
viable waterfront which cannot be used
for shipping purposes.
Points to Traditions.
aside from these utilitarian points
Of view, the lower east side has the
history-in fact, a tradition-of being
homelike. 1t seems to carry on into
the high stations Of public life, Of
political life, of clerical life, Of lay
life, that fundamental American feel
ing of the old home town This in
itself is a particularly valuable thought
in the regeneration of the area as resi-
Dental.
Again, there are vast number of
families living on the lower east side
today who are forced by purely eco
nomic reasons to remain there, and
it is no uncommon sight to find
street corners and building walls con-
gested there, lined with mothers,
perambulators and children, trying to
take advantage of the weak rays OF
sunlight that the narrow streets permit
to filter to the sidewalks.
"The condition of a great many Of
the block interiors is indescribable;
yards, alleys, spaces for years Uttered
with dirt and rubbish. Houses de-
signed for residences are backed up
against stables, yards, coal pockets and
ash heaps. Other houses built for the
same use have had their Easements
and store floors converted into OBJ
noxious laundries, pickle works, Sirup
manufacturing establishments and the
like.
ITO get away from all Of this, it
will be necessary practically to re-
build the entire area and, before that
rebuilding can take place, proper Zon-
ing must have come into being.
1T is illogical to suppose that II