Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: [v. 101, no. 2599: Articles]: January 5, 1918

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REAL ESTATE AND (Copyright. 1917. by The Record and Guide Co.) NEW Y. RK JANUARY 5, 1918 THE CONDITIONS OF THE COURT HOUSE PROBLEM Situation Review and Suggestions Made Which Might Prove of Value to the New Administration SINCE my retirement from the Court House Board, I have refrained from interfering in any way with the efforts of the Board to solve the Court House problem, which, however, have not been productive of any other result than continued wastefulness in carrying charges and useless expenses. The new administration faces a so¬ lution of this difficult problem, con¬ vinced at the outset that the law should be repealed and the Board abolished; and it is inclined to drop the project al¬ together. I have taken the liberty to point out to them that the effect of re¬ pealing the Court House Acts will be to take away the broad powers con¬ ferred by the law. which are required by the city to solve the problem. I have suggested that, in place of a paid Board, certain city and county officials concerned should be appointed Commissioners, by reason of their offfce, thus effecting a considerable sav¬ ing, and assuring the carrying out of a policy which un¬ doubtedly the ad¬ ministration will be led to adopt. The problem is far too important to be solved by the easy method of abandonment. Real property interests in the section of the city affected, and consequently the city's financial in¬ terests, which have been very seriously damaged, must be protected, its values restored and en¬ hanced. A court house ' must ultimately be erected at one or another location, and it behooves real estate interests that this undertaking once initiated, be carried on properly and economically. There has been a general misunder¬ standing and misconception of the con¬ ditions of the problem, which should not be permitted to mislead the incom¬ ing administration. I have, therefore, outlined for its guid¬ ance the conditions of the Court House problem, which should he of the very greatest concern to all interested in real estate. In 1910, the then Court House Board accepted my advice against selecting any of the new sites suggested, on the ground that the city could not afford to acquire any of them, the cost being estimated By ALANSON T. BRIGGS, Former Executive Secretary Court House Board sirable to permit the Court House to be surrounded by Chinatown, second¬ hand metal and machine shops, an old c'othes market and rag warehouses. These conditions of the neighborhood at between $15,000,000 and $25,000,000. The Board, acting upon my recommen¬ dation, selected the present site of the old court house at City Hall park. Against the protest of Mayor Gaynor, the Board of Estimate refused to ap¬ prove that selection. It caused a law to be enacted giving to it alone, for a six mont.^s' period, the power to select a site. When that period had about elapsed, and almost over night, the Col¬ lect Pond site was selected. dssqr GENERAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN SHOW^ING DIAGONAL STREET. IM¬ PROVED STREET CONDITIONS. PLOTS AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT AND ULTIMATE ARRANGEMENT OF CITY HALL PARK. PLOT 1. COUNTY COURT HOUSE OR BUILDING ERECTED TO' GROUND FLOOR; OR. BUILDING ERECTED TO SECOND STORY ; OR PUBLIC PARK. PLOT NO. 2, FEDERAL COURT HOUSE; OR. TO BE SOLD FOR PRIVATE DEVELOP¬ MENT. PLOT 3. STATE OFFICE BUILDING; OR. TO BE SOLD FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT. constituted an important element in the error of original selection of the Collect Pond site, which remains to be cor¬ rected. ., A comprehensive plan was prepared by me, after consultation with the mbst experif^nced professional authorities, which made ade¬ quate provision for t h e ultimate im¬ provement of the area bounded ^by the Municipal Build¬ ing on the south, Canal street on fihe north, lying between Broadway and the East River. This plan was necessary to encoUr- age the erection of large office build¬ ings and commercial structures in prox¬ imity to the public buildings proposed ultimately to be erect ed, and to thereby change the character of the entire section. It was intended to create such public improvements a s would materially increase the value of land in this sec¬ tion, and stimulate private capital t o erect large buildings thereon, thus estab- h'^~.hing a great new business centre in the city. A vast re¬ turn would thereby accrue to the city, by increased assess¬ ments and taxes thereon, produced by the enhanced value of the land, and the added in¬ crement of value of costly new buildings thereon. It was conceived that only in this way could the error of original After a careful study of the topo¬ graphical conditions of the site, and af¬ ter consultation with the most compe¬ tent engineering advisers, I showed that the location was not practicable as a building site for the proposed Court House. Consequently, additional land to the east was acfjuired at considerable cost. As it was necessary to make com¬ pensation for street and park area taken for the improvement, it was found that the greater part of lhe entire site would be required for approaches, parkinf^: and streets. Certain minor parcels of land would remain to be utilized for ot' er ■public buildings, or could be sold, with restrictions, for private development. It was considered to be highly unde- selection of the Collect Pond site be remedied, and the city saved from great financial loss. The public improvements, proposed to be ultimately carried out by this plan, were as follows : (1) The County Court House. (0 A Federal Court House, for w'.ich land on Columbus Park and ea*^t thereof may be acquired by the Federal Government, the necessity of which has been urged in Con¬ gress for vears. (^) A S:ate Office Building, for which a remaining parcel of the Court House site is available and ap¬ propriate, which may i)C acquired from the ci'v hv ihe S'ate govern- R£:cuuD A\D glide: is i.\ its kii riirni yioau of co.\ti\lols (Continued on page 6) rt'uucATio.x*