42





RECORD  AND  GUIDE





January 4, 1908





William R. H. Martin's New Building.

(With Illustration.)

THE new "Marbridge" Building now nearing completion at
6th av, northeast corner of 3ith st, on the site of which
was formerly the old Broadway Tabernacle, is regarded by
many as the most valuable location in the new midtown shop¬
ping district. Mr. William R, H. Martin, of Rogers, Peet &.
Co., and owner of the Hotel Martinique, purchased this magni¬
ficent church property in February, 3906, It covers not only
the Tabernacle site itself, fronting 9S.9 feet on Broadway and 150
feet on 34th st, but also the three abutting numbers, 68, 70
and 72 West SSth st, a plot 53x98.9 feet. No authoritative an¬
nouncement as to the price paid for the property was made,
but it is said that the figure was in the neighborhood ot
$2,500,000—making the project one of the largest single trans¬
actions in the city's history.

When   the  Broadway  Tabernacle   decided   to  sell   its  property
and erect its new edifice at Broadway and 5Gth st, it received





Nos. 126U and 126S Broadway, to cost in the neighborhood of
$800,000 from plans by Henry J, Hardenbergh. The proposed
addition to that hotel will mark the completion of Mr, Martin's
original plans for that structure. The present hotel, a 16-sty
building, occupies the plot fronting 67.10 feet at Nos. 54 to 58
West 33d st, having a depth of half the block, or 98.9 feet, with
the "L" in Broadway, 39,2 feet, having a depth of 71,2 feet.
The proposed improvement of the southeast corner of Broad¬
way and 33d st, 118.6 feet on Broadway and 97.4 feet on the
street, with the 20-sty hotel which Geo. B. Wilson, of Phila¬
delphia, Pa,, is to erect, will complete the block, making this the
largest hotel district in Manhattan. This structure is being
planned by Architect R. E. White, of Philadelphia, Pa., and is
estimated to cost $2,000,000. Other contracts which it will
also carry forth in 1908 are the new residence for Morris
Schinasi, at Riverside drive, northeast corner 107th st, W, B,
Tuthill, architect, to cost $180,000; residence for Edward S.
Harkness, northeast corner 5th av and 75th st, Hale & Rogers,
architects, cost $500,000,







ON THE OLD TABERNACLE SITE—MARBRIDGE
C. T, Wills, Inc., Builder.

$1,300,000 for the site, which it had bought in 1857 for $78,000,
The new structure, which is sixteen stories in height, was
started last spring. The first, second and third stories will be
occupied by Rogers, Peet & Co., who wil! move from Broadway,
the northeast corner 32d st, on which corner Mr. Martin is
about to erect the Martinique Hotel annex. The new Mar¬
bridge Building is ot the best improved fireproof construction,
having facades of light limestone, light face brick and terra
cotta. The enlarged plans brought the total of steel up to
about 4,500 tons, for which Messrs. Post & McCord. of 44 West
23d st, had the contract. The Standard Plunger Elevator Com¬
pany, No. 1 Broadway, have the contract to equip the building
with fourteen elevators, of which nine are of the Standard
Plunger passenger type, one combination plunger, one freight,
two sidewalk ancl one dumb waiter elevators.

The general contract was awarded last March to Charles T.
Wills, Inc., of No, 150th 5th av. C. T. Wills. Inc., also has the
general contract to erect the 16-sty annex to the "Martinique,"





BUILDING, COR. 34TH   STREET   AND   OTH   AVENUE.

Townsend, Steinle & Haskell, Archts.

Mr. Wills is also building the Cold-Morgan extension to the
Wadsworth Atheneum at Hartford, the main portion of which
is to be given by Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan as a memorial to his
father, Mr. Junius S. Morgan, who started his and his family's
successful career as a merchant in Hartford. Mr. Wills a few
years ago incorporated his business with a cash capital of
$500,000, taking in as a part of the corporation superintendents
who had served him satisfactorily for from five to twenty-five
years.





Attorney James C, Danzilo, manager of the Abruzzi Realty
Co., 20 Court st, declared that among his clientele, the Italians
of Brooklyn, the panic had no effect, "The Italians," said he,
'■are a people who patronize the savings banks rather than the
more pretentious institutions. Accordingly, it was comparatively
easy for them to make investments, on certified time checks,
when opportunities presented."