JNIay 30, 1903.





RECORD AND   GUIDE





1079





ments will cost only about eight thousand  dollars, but it will
benefit   property  worth  sixteen millions.

Comptroller Grout is preparing for a tax sale in all of the
five boroughs of Greater New Tork, at which property will be
sold for arrears of taxes. It will be the biggest sale in the his¬
tory of the city. The total of the assessments outsanding in the
flve boroughs is $41,493,898.27. To this sum will be added the ■
arrears for 1902 and the arrears for water taxes for the year 1901,
a statement of which has yet to be made up.

The old Mapes estate in the Chester district of the Bronx is
developing rapidly, being now well built up. Over a mile more
of new sewers have just been authorized for this locality, to
extend through Adams pl, between Columbus and Rosedale avs;
Rosedale av, from the N. T., N. H. & H. Railroad to Tremont
av; West Farms rd, Rosedale av to Clason Point rd; Common¬
wealth av, West Farms rd to Merrill st; St. Lawrence av, West
Farms rd to Mansion st; Mansion st, Rosedale av to Clason
Point rd; Merrill st, Rosedale av to St. Lawrence av.

The Board of Estimate bas determined that half the cost of
opening and extending 3d av, Brooklyn, from GOth st to the
Shore road shall be borne by the city. The total estimated
cost Is about $171,000, of which $127,000 was for land. The pro¬
ceedings Involved the taking of about three hundred parcels,
including small portions of several buildings. The city will also
stand 50 per cent, of the cost of opening and extending West
230th st, from Riverdale av to Broaclway. Borougli of the Bronx,
in  addition   to   the   sum   already   assessed   against   the   city   for





acquiring certain buildings along the line ot the improvement.

The local necessity for widening 59th st Is said to be caused
principally by the narrow roadbed, which in some places is only
28 ft. 6 ins. from curb to curb; 14 ft. 3 ins. is taken up In the
center of this by the car tracks, leaving 7 ft. 3 Ins. on each side
for wagons or trucks to pass. The street cars must stop directly
when a truck or wider wagon halts to deliver goods or for any
other reason. Mr. A. WIggers, of 209 East 59th st, thinks this
trouble can be remedied by taking 2 or 3 ft. from each of the
sidewallts, as where the space for wagons and trucks on each
side of the car tracks is 8 or 9 ft. wide, the street railroad cars
can pass every truck or wagon standing there.

The plans for the Blackwell's Island Bridge, approved by the
Board of Public Improvements and by* the Board of Aldermen,
provided for taking a strip of 160 ft. in width between the East
River and Academy st. Queens, at Its intersection with Hunter
av, except that the width acquired at the anchorage pier and the
pier at the easterly side of the river was somewhat greater. It is
now recommended by the Commissioner of Bridges that the
width of tills strip be increased to 300 ft. by the addition of 70
ft. on each side. This addition is asked for on the ground that
It would be most unfortunate to have the land immediately
adjacent to the bridge occupied by structures which would shut
it In and increase the risk of damage to the bridge in case of fire.
Chief Engineer Lewis, of the Board of Estimate, has made a
favorable report. The cost of the additional land is estimated
at $67,000.







Building Operations.





The remarkable interruption of business In building trades has
many phases, one of which is observable in the offices of archi¬
tects, where work has in many places come to an end through
owners putting off contemplated operations. In a number of
cases proceedings were stopped after plans had been filed. Few
are giving or receiving estimates for construction, not caring
to take chanecs witb tbe future.





Marblenrorli in the Hall of Records.

CHAMBERS ST.-The contract for putting in marble walls and
ceilings in the new Hall of Records has been let by the Board of
Estimate and Apportionment to John Pierce for $225,000. Thomas
Dwyer, who is doing similar work In Brooklyn HaU of Records,
was one of the bidders.





For West W^ashington Place.

Horenburger & Straub, of 122 Bowery, are making plans for a
6-sty apartment house to be situated at 82-86 West Washington
place, with dimensions of 65.8x84. In every apartment there
will be rooms larger than usual, trimmed in hardwood, columnar
style. The halls will be very wide, and wainscotted in marble.
For each floor two 7-room apartments and two 5-room apart¬
ments are laid out. The facade will have a bay, and be laid up
in red brick and limestone. Samuel Mandel, 233 Henry st, is the
owner,  and  the reported cost is  $75,000.





The  Vanderbilt  Porte-Co chere.

5TH AV., n. w. cor. SIST ST.—President Cantor has ordered
the removal of the porte-cochere, now in course of construction at
the George W. Vanderbilt house, 640 Sth av, northwest corner of
51st St. The builders and Mr. Vanderbilt's counsel objected to
this decree on the ground that the plans of Hunt & Hunt for ex¬
tensive alterations to the premises, including the addition of tht
porte-cochfere, had been approved by the Building Department.
However, President Cantor declares the porte-cochere is'a vio¬
lation of the building ordinances and must come down. The
matter Is now before the  Bureau of Incumbrances.





New  Pelota   Court.

110th ST.—V. Hugo Koehler, architect, 11 Broadway, has
completed the plans for a pelota court building to be built on
the north side of llOth st, 20O ft west of 7th av, a plot
250x171.10. The new structure will be devoted to the Spanish
game of ball. It will be 70 ft high, contain two galleries and
have a seating capacity of 7,000. It is to be of brick, skeleton
steel framework and thoroughly fireproof. The following build¬
ers have been asked to submit estimates: Thompson-Starrett
Co., Geo. A. Puller Co., Remington Construction Co., Wells
Bros. Co., and John McKeefrey. Antonio Andujar. 13S Front
st, is the owner.    The cost will probably exceed $350,000.

For plans filed see pages 1098 and X.





Lexington Av. Churcli.

LEXINGTON AV.-John G. Michel and P. Brandner, 49
Liherty st, the successful competitors for the new St. Peter's
German Evangelical Lutheran Church, will have plans and
specifications ready for estimates about June S. The edifice will
be on the southeast corner of Lexington av and 5ith st. It will
be 56x80 ft, Gothic style, with exterior walls of limestone. Tbe
basement will be ■'ub-dlvlded by rolling partitions for Sunday
school use. The main,auditorium will be S ft. above street
level and have a seating capacity of 650, including the g^allery.
There will be a steel skeleton frame supporting the walls of
clerestory and transept. A corner tower of stone will rise to a
height of 95 ft. and from there an octagonal shaped steel skeleton
spire will extend to a height of 140 ft. above grade level. Tbe
interior woodwork will be of quartered oak and gas and electric
fixtures of bronze.    The cost will amount to over $90,000.





Seminary  for the  R.  C. Diocese  of  Long  Island.

The Right Rev. Bishop Charles B. McDonnell, of the R. C, Dio¬
cese of Long Island, last week finally acquired legal possession of
the Conklin estate, consisting of eleven hundred acres in the
■'Half Way Hollow Hills" district in the townships of Babylon
and Huntington L. I, The Bishop will now carry out his long
cherished plans for establishing several colleges and seminaries
throughout his diocese. The Conklin estate, in size and natural
beauty, is wefl adapted to this purpose. A large portion of
the property is still unimproved, but many miles of fine and in¬
teresting drives may be laid out with but little work. Bishop
McDonnell intends to establish the diocesan seminary here, and
it will be on the general plan of Dinwoddie. No architect has
as yet been selected, though it is hoped to begin work in the
near future. One feature of special Interest during the Bishop's
recent silver jubilee was the presentation to him of a purse con¬
taining $100,000 with whicb to erect the new seminary. To this
amount will be added $200,000, making the total cost of the
building and  equipment $300,000.

Erie   Railroad's   Improvements.

Many reports have been seen regarding the Erie Railroad's im¬
provements at West and Chambers sts. Inquiry seems to prove
that these are either premature or exaggerated. The company
has in preparation plans for an office building to be located on
this site, and for a bridge across West st connecting it with a
new ferry house. This bridge plan has been approved by the
Local Board of Improvements, and will come before the Board
of Estimate and Apportionment in the near future. The plans
for the office building are still immature, the company not as yet
having acquired the site. We are informed that in the architec¬
tural and engineering departments of the company the work is
still In an undetermined state. Doubtless, if the scheme Is car¬
ried through it will relieve conditions at the foot of Chambers st.

Plans are now being prepared for a new ferry-bouse fo tak«