Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: v. 84, no. 2160: August 7, 1909

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August 7, 1969 RECORD AND GUIDE 259 MUNICIPAL CONSTRUCTION PLANS Large Appropriations Just Made for New Buildings and Various Public Improvements^Two Millions for New Water Mains MAYOR McCLELLAN has approved a number of appropria¬ tions for construction woriv passed by the Board of Alder¬ men at its last regular meeting previous fo adjournment for the summer vacation. The appropriations were made upon the recommendation of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, after due consideration and after hearing reports from the board's engineers in each case. Tlie authorities have been more liberal than at any time since the panic. A number of new buildings will be erected with the money now set aside, to be located at various institutions. The sum of two million and over goes for buying and laying water pipe in Manhattan and the Bronx, which will put a great many laboring men at work. The Board of Health has received an appropriation of $500,- 000, of which $230,000 is for the construction of four pavilions, necessary administration building, power plants, sewage dis¬ posal plant, etc., on property owned by the Department of Health in the Borough of Queens, and known as the "Haacke" Farm, to accommodate 240 patients; $110,000 for the construc¬ tion of four pavilions on North Brother Island; $00,600 for the construction of two pavilions on the grounds of the Willard Parker and Reception Hospitals, foot of East lOtli st, Manhat¬ tan; and $10,000 for extensions and alterations to buildings at Otisville, An appropriation of $180,000 has been made for the extensiorr of two tuberculosis infirmaries al Metropolitan Hospital on Blackwell's Island, and $35,000 for the construction of a hospi¬ tal pavilion at the City Home on Biacliwell's Island, The Board of Health has also received authority to advertise for bids and award the contract for labor and materials re¬ quired to erect a vaccine stable and laboratory, antitoxin bleed¬ ing room and laboratory, and for additions and alterations to stable for antitoxin horses at the sanatorium for the care and treatment of persons living in the City of New York suffering wilh tuberculosis, located at Otisville, Orange County, N. T., al a cost not to exceed $15,000. The Commissioner of Parks in the Bronx has received an ap¬ propriation of $143,000, the proceeds of which are to be applied in part as follows during the current year: Additional green¬ houses for propagating purposes, Bronx Park, $1S,OCO; filling, draining and improving the lowlands east of the music pavilion, Bronx Park, $15,000; construction of granite steps to replace wooden steps, St. Mary's Park, $8,000; fireproofing vaults, office buiiding, Claremont Park, $5,000; erection of a drinking foun¬ tain ahd improvement of surrounding grounds, in addition to $3,000 now available, Macomb's Dam Park, $3,000; granite steps and walks from Jerome av to Ogden av, Macomb's Dam Park, $7,000; comfort station and additional bath houses at Orchard Beach, Pelham Bay Park, $25,000; raising and improving Co¬ lonial Garden, including replanting. Van Cortlandt Park, $20,- 000; providing steps at Webster av bridge. Mosholu Parkway, $7,000; railing around small parks and along walks and drives in other parks. $10,000; construction of manure pits adjacent to Bronx Park stations, $20,000; drinking fountains in various Bronx parks, $5,000. Allen N. Spooner, Commissioner of Docks, has received au¬ thority to advertise and award a contract for building the pro¬ posed viaduct al the St. George terminal of the Staten Island Ferry at an estimated cost of $52,000. The structure will con¬ sist of a viaduct to connect the present ferry service with the new viaduct structure being built by the officials of the Bor¬ ough of Richmond in South st. It is to be a post and girder viaduct to accommodate three tracks and a 10-fl, sidewalk east side. The length wil! be about 370 ft. It will have seven bents and seven bays, the ends to rest on abutments. There will be fifteen columns, two columns in each of the six bents from the Jay st approach towards the terminal and three posts at the terminal end. ■ 1 e vsi\ ^ Forty thousand dollars has been appropriated by the city for the construction of a concrete arch bridge, SO ft. in width and having a span of 55 ft. over the Bronx River at ISOth st, at a cost not to exceed $40,000. Ten thousand dollars for improvements to the Administration Building in Bronx Park and $12,500 for a comfort station in the same park, ^ =S'-'^]TI\ The sum of $2,020,100 for furnishing and laying water mains in Manhattan and the Bronx. The sum of $500,000 to continue the construction of the new Bellevue Hospital. Fifty thousand dollars for the construction of approaches to and footwalk-s on the bridge crossing the Harlem River and the Putnam Railroad at ISSth st. Fifteen thousand for a bridge, over Garretson's Creek, Brooklyn. Seventy-five thousand for making surveys and plans for the Jamaica Bay improvement, and $10,000 for surveys and plans for improving the shore of Riverside Park, between 72d and 129th "sts; for completing Colonial Park, $110,000; for an aiJ- dUional supply of water for the Borough of Brooklyn, $623,- 3o6.70; for various improvements at the New Tork Botanical Gardens, $25,000; for pipe rail fences at Mt. Morris Park $15,000. RIVERSIDE PARK EXTENSION. Ten thousand dollars has been appropriated by the City to pay for plans to be prepared by a, competent engineer or land¬ scape architect for the improvement of the lands lying west of the tracks of the New York Central Railroad, between 72d and I29lh sts, by filling them in and adding them to Riverside Park, It is believed that this improvement can be made at a comparatively small cost and that if made it , will greatly increase the value and natural advantages of Riverside Park for public use. Title to the lands was obtained by the Cily in 1897, but no action has been taken until now for lis improvement. The pro¬ ceedings are in order now in view of the fact that the Robert Fulton Memorial Association are inviting plans for the con¬ struction of the beautiful water-gate at or near llOtb sl. The attractions of the park wguld be multiplied if there were public access to tbe waterfront, and especially if the plans in con- lemplation should provide for suitable landing places for motor boats. NEW SUBWAY STATION AUTHORIZED. The detailed estimate by the city engineers of the cost of the proposed new subway station at 190th st and St. Nicholas av amounts lo $376,915. This includes two elevators, with the machinery for operating them. The work will be done as an extra under the contract of John B. McDonald. The owners of the property on which the elevators will be placed are pre¬ pared to give the cily title to the land required for the ele¬ vator shafts arid their approaches, they retaining an easement perniitling the construction of buildings over them. There is now no station between ISlst sl and Dyckman st a distance of about 4,800 feet. The proposed station is approxi¬ mately midway between these two. As to the necessity for an additional station there is no doubt, a great number of buildingi, now being under construction in this locality, and a large pro¬ portion of them being 6-sty elevator apartments which wiil ac¬ commodate an enormous population. TO COMPLETE COLONIAL PARK. The Commissioner of Parks has received authority to adver¬ tize for bids and award contracts for the construction of Co¬ lonial Park, 145th to 155th st, Bradhurst lo Edgecombe av. Man¬ hattan. Chief Engineer Chandler Witbinglon says the work is now about half completed, the upper portions, extending from 155th st down to 150th st having been laid out and im¬ proved during the years 1907 and 1908. The lower half of tho park site, extending from 150th st down to 145th st, is now a vacant, barren hillside. Edgecombe av, overlooking this por¬ tion of the proposed park from tbe west, is rapidly being im¬ proved wilh large apartment houses, and Bradhurst av, on the east, is well built up. The property which has been acquired for park purposes is now unsightly and useless. The appro¬ priation which has just been made for the construction worlf amounts to $110,000. NEW BRIDGE FOR THE BRONX. Commissioner Stevenson, of the Department of Bridges, has decided on the kind of bridge to replace the present Eastchester Bridge over the Hutchinson River, at Boston Post road, in the Borough of the Bronx. The Commissioner has selected a double leaf bascule bridge of the design of the Scherzor Rolling Lift Bridge Company. The department has built" and now has in use six bridges of this type. These have proved satisfactory, being economical in construction and quickly operated. The Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge Company will receive the sum of $6,000 for designs, plans and supervision of the construction of the superstructure, and the patent rights to construct, use and operate. Tliis sum is specified in the bidding sheet, and the contractor must include it in his bid. The available ap¬ propriation for the construction of the bridge is $200,000, and the Commissioner has received authority to advertise for bids and proceed with the -work. A SUCCESSFUL man must know his business. He must apply this knowledge—he must work, and he must work to the best advantage. And to work to the best advantage he must work with system.—John H. Converse,,