Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: v. 85, no. 2202: May 28, 1910

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May 28, 1910 RECORD AND GUIDE 1141 where discretion has been wisely used. It would doubtless be more pleasant for the Commissioner now that the discussion is opened to give the Commissioner either SPECIAL discretionary powers or a Board of Appeal, But he can do quite well on many matters If he only follows his honest judgment without fear of the gradually established CUSTOM of his department. In this connection Messrs. Mulliken & Moeller. architects for a tenement on southwest corner of Central Park and SOth st, state that tbey submitted plans in evident confiict witb Article IV., Sec. 57, Par. 3, and the Commissioner wisely used discre¬ tion in accepting them. (See illustration.) The wall dotted in g 0 is legally needed but obviously would be detrimental to the ven¬ tilation. Again it is pointed out that the arrangement in the second illustration is. similarly in violation of the provisions of secton 58, Article IV. The "offset" being deeper than It is wide is illegal, but by introducing the dotted wall the offset becomes a shaft and is legal. Discretion is obviously needed to assist this situation. Again in the Vanderbilt tenement, illustrated in former issues of the Record and Guide, the stairs are open. This is contrary to law, and violation No. 4 stated that the stairs needed tbe open space filled in to prevent confiict with Article III., Sec. 22, Paragraph 2. Discretion saved this calamity. The discretion used by the Tenement House Department is already considerable, necessarily. It should be granted more or .given a Board of Appeal so that a designer of a new project is assured of intelligent reception, otherwise the city is a de¬ cided loser. HENRY ATTERBURY SMITH. Mav 25. 1910. THE GILLENDER BUILDING SOUND. The steelwork of several of tlie topmost stories of the tall Gillender Building at Wall and Nassau sts haa now been dis¬ jointed and brought down. During demolition it was carefully examined to see what the tooth of time had been able to do to it. The building was erected twelve years ago, in 1898, and ranked as a good example of modern steel-skeleton con¬ struction. It was faced with granite and limestone, and to some extent with ornamental tferra cotta. To protect traffic in the streets below, heavy steel netting, overlaid by a shed, stretches over both sidewalks and roadways. The contractors for clearing the site, the Volk Construction Company, report the steel members without a sign of corrosion, except in the case of a few slightly rusted for some reason not apparent. In the view of the contractors, steel construction has proved its Indestructibility by ordinary wear. However, the steel work is not all down yet and opportunity remains for further examina¬ tion. Obituary Note. Mr. George Hayes, a manufacturer and dealer in metal sky¬ lights, metal lath, fireproof (wire glass) windows and other sheet-metalworlc used in building construction, is dead, at the age of 'TO. Death occurred at his residence, 61 Claremont av. Mount Vernon, on Monday, and the funez-al service was on Wedne'sday evening. Mr. Hayes was widely known and of high standing in the building trades, and had been in business on bis own account since 1868. He was a member of tbe Building Trades Employers' Association, past president of the Roofers' Association and a member of the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen. The year Mr. Hayes started in business was the same in which the Record and Guide was founded, forty-two years ago. and during all that long period his business advertisement has regularly appeared in its pages. His substantial business, at Sl Tth av, wiil be carried on by tbe George Hayes Company, a corporation which ho organized some years ago. He leaves a widow, three daughters and om; son. Mr. Hayes was prominent In the Masonic fraternity and was a past treasurer of the Grand Lodge of this State. His birthplace was at Gloucester, Mass. NEW BUILDING FOR BOOKSELLERS IN 45th ST. Work on the foundation for the new l(>-sty business building for tbe Brevoort Construction Co., of 6-8 West 18th st, at Nos. 2-4-6 West 45th st, is now completed and it is announced that the structure will be ready for occupancy by December 1, this year, A special feature of the plan ia the large 30-ff. spans used in the fioor construction, only five columns showing on the entire .fioor. giving an unbroken floor area. Tbe plot has dimen¬ sions of TSxlOO ft. The upper flve stories will be divided Into offices and the lower stories for lofts. There will be toilet ac¬ commodations provided for men and women on each fioor, three high-speed passenger elevators, also a steam heating and elec¬ tric lighting system and janitor's quarters on the roof. The entire sidewalk will be vaulted. The exterior will consist of G. P. PUTNAM & SONS BUILDING. SCHWARTZ & GROSS, Architects. granite, limestone and copper for the four lower stories, above that of brick and polyehrone terra cotta and limestone. The building will adjoin the Fifth av corner and will have excep¬ tionally good light to the east from the yards of the avenue buildings, and above the sixth story on the west and rear, be¬ cause of tbe low buildings surrounding. The basement, first and second stories have already been leased to G. P. Putnam & Sons, booksellers, now at No. 27 West 23d st. Messrs. Schwartz & Gross, 347 5th av, are the architects. —Mayor Gaynor has approved of the resolution passed hy the Board of Aldermen establishing the position of Deputy Chief of Engineer in tbe Department of Bridges at a salary of $7,500. for one incumbent. HIGH PRESSURE TUNNELS.—The plan of the Board of Water Supply to distribute the water from the new Catskill source in the various boroughs by means of high pressure tunnels has been ap¬ proved by the committee of expert engineers appointed by tbe Board of Estimate to pass on the scheme. The committee, which consists of Clemens Herschel. Francis L. Pruyn and J. Edmund Woodman, has reported that the proposed tunnel system would cost only $26,000,000 to huild, as against $47,000,000 which it has been estimated it would cost to build a system of pipe lines. The report says; "Whether viewed from the point of first cost, maintenance or future cost our opinion is that the city of New York will do well to direct the immediate construction of the proposed Manhattan pressure tunnel for purposes of distributing the Catskill water sup¬ ply in the five boroughs." A committee of the Board of Estimate will hold a public hearing on the matter in the City Hall on May 31 at 8 p. m.