Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: [v. 90, no. 2336]: December 21, 1912

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mm DECEMBER 21, 1912' KEEPING WITHIN THE BUILDING LINES City's Crusade Against Encroachments Inspires a General Alteration Movement— Improved Appearance of Many Streets—General Alterations Sometimes Wasteful. PUBLIC acquiescence has very gen¬ erally succeeded the determined op¬ position Avhich the policy of removing street encroachments encountered at the outset, although a conviction still lingers among property owners in some quarters that they have certain ancient rights to the streets in front of their homes Avhich the courts Avill yet define. To reach this stage of acquiescence has required a long period of years, the trial of many lawsuits and the hearing of mjny ap¬ peals. In Manhattan the legal steps and the succeeding constructional oper¬ ations have been taken so gradually that owners have had time to prepare, and they have very generally come to the conclusion that the times have indeed changed since the colonial aldermen gave their sanction to the Dutch-stoops that over-reached the street line. Fifth avenue has been made both a shining example and an unanswerable argument. If the Fifth avenue million¬ aires could not save their stoops and ■jorticos from the corporation axe men, what is the use of others contesting the Borough President's mandates? When it was proposed to require the removal of all encroachments from Fifth avenue, the owners there recalled the unsuccess¬ ful legal efforts of the Knickerbocker Trust Company to save its wide-spread¬ ing marble steps at the corner of 34th street and gracefully yielded to the de¬ cision of the Court ot Appeals, that never had property owners possessed any real rights beyond the building line. After the encroachments had been re¬ moved from that part of Fifth avenue be¬ tween 2Sth and 47th streets, the im- pr(3ved appearance of the street and its heightened advantage for business was conceded. The hopelessness of longer trying to save the avenue south of the Plaza for a residential abiding place dates from that time. Last year the treatment of Fifth avenue was extended northwardly to Central Park. Profitable Changes, A similar plan was next adopted by Borough President McAneny for the most important cross streets and for a number of the do-wntOAvn business streets. In some the sidewalks were very narrow and instances occurred Avhere the rental value of the basement was likely to be reduced by the removal of steps leading to them. In this crisis many owners found it advantageous to make more extensive alterations than were actually demanded, in order to remove encroachments. By so doing they not only improved the desirability of their premises but also in cases they A\cre able to lease them to better advantage. It is admitted by property owners. Borough President McAneny has saiJ, that houses and store fronts rent more readily without stoops, railings and cel¬ lar steps. Mostly it has been business property which has so far been treated in Manhattan, and private dwellings 'jnly in a few neighborhoods, as on Fifth ave¬ nue and in 34th street. Forty Manhat¬ tan streets have so far contributed to ■ the movement during the two or more years it has been going on, and the work will be continued next year. For the most part the work has been done under the direction of owners, but the city workmen have not hesitated at times before placing them on the market, for the reason that the average New York investor is not up to remodeling an old- style house on his own account. He would rather pay the price of not do¬ ing it. Alterations Sometimes "Wasteful. But an alteration is sometimes an ex¬ pensive and wasteful method of im¬ provement, as a new building Avould be cheaper from every standpoint. Mr. A FIFTH AVENUE SIDEWALK CLEAR OF ENCKOACHMENTS. to detach projections where owners were unheeding. In many instances the alter¬ ations were extensive and costly, as great stone pillars and porticos, subway kiosks and solid walls, all have had to go, as well as the little stoops of made- over dwellings. A Campaign of Alteration 'Work. The removal of encroachments alone has given rise to a great amount of small work for mechanics and seems to have inspired a voluntary campaign of alterations in neighborhoods not affected by the anti-encroachment crusade. All told, over twelve million dollars' worth of alterations were planned in 1911 and ten million dollars' worth this year. The cost of the Avork ordered last year on account of encroachments was estimated by the authorities at between four and five million dollars. Many owners have anticipated the time when the city will require them to clear their sidewalks and they have either altered old dwellings for business purposes, or else have remodeled dwell¬ ings into very artistic apartments from whi(Ji a greatly increased rental is be- ing derived. Far-sighted owners are also realizing the wisdom of spending a little money in improving old dwellings Douglas Elliman of Pease & Elliman, 340 Madison avenue, recently related an instance of this where two old private dwellings occupying a fifty-foot plot were leased by a company who thought that they could be remodeled for busi¬ ness uses. Plans and specifications were prepared accordingly but after the work had been started it was found that the alterations would exceed the cost of a new building. The alterations were therefore discontinued, the building de¬ molished altogether and a new building is now in course of construction. "Where a section is not fully develop¬ ed, however," added Mr. Elliman, "a new building will often be erected ahead of the demand and remain idle for a considerable period; whereas an alter¬ ation of the existing old buildings might act as a small income producer until the neighborhood has developed. But gen¬ erally speaking, I am of the opinion that a new building is mu'ch cheaper and more satisfactory in the long run, from both the owners' and tenants' standpoint." Streets Which Have been Improved. At the end of the year 1911 ordinances had been adopted for the removal of sidewalk encroachments from the fol¬ lowing named streets in the Borough ot