36 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY 



gave a brief history of the treaty entered into 

 by the United States and Canada, limiting the 

 number of cubic feet of water per second that 

 could be diverted for power purposes. On 

 motion of Mr. Greenleaf, it was moved: "That 

 the Board of Trustees of the American Society 

 of Landscape Architects, Inc., be urged to 

 prepare and publish a resolution or statement 

 expressing the opinion of the society that no 

 more water should be withdrawn from Niagara 

 Falls for power purposes than is permitted 

 under fixed government limitations in the 

 present treaty." 



Following the dinner the toastmaster intro- 

 duced the principal speaker of the evening, 

 Mr. Edward M. Bassett, ex-Public Service 

 Commissioner and Chairman of Commission 

 on Heights of Buildings of the City of New 

 York, who told of the working out of the 

 zoning system of cities as applied to New York 

 City. He contrasted the condition of the cities 

 with inadequate sewers, poor street improve- 

 ments, and the consequent dissatisfied condi- 

 tion of the population, to the present well 

 planned and governed city which was like a 

 transition to the realm of the beautiful. Mr. 

 Bassett outlined the movement in New Y'ork 

 City regulating the future policy of building, 

 particularly the heights of buildings. He said 

 three and a half years ago the movement was 

 brought about and he had become interested 

 because of the economic needs. In putting 

 these rules into force it became evident to the 

 committee that they were not solving the 

 problem for one five-hundredth part of New 

 York City. There were other interests suffer- 

 ing for lack of control or regulation. Garage 

 buildings were being erected in residential 

 sections and other establishments were lo- 

 cating in fashionable shopping districts, caus- 

 ing a decline in real estate values that became 

 alarming. A law was framed and passed as 

 an amendment, giving all the powers of the 

 state of New York to a duly appointed com- 

 mission to regulate not only the height, but the 

 size, location and use of buildings. Mr. Bas- 

 sett said such a commission was appointed and 

 worked two years districting or zoning the 

 city. By this time it had become evident to 

 students of the problem that the outer districts 

 were capable also of development along pre- 

 established lines, therefore, a plan for the en- 

 tire city of New York was prepared, accom- 

 panied by the commissioner's report. This 

 report met with favor. The early opposition 

 had disappeared and all classes now favored 

 the zoning for reasons of self-protection. Ac- 



cording to the zoning map the city is divided: 

 1. As to heights of new buildings. 2. The per 

 cent, of area of the lot covered by the new 

 building. 3. As to the use of new building, or 

 use of old building. He said that the most 

 useful regulation was that of the per cent, of 

 lot covered because it aflfects the amount of 

 light and air. In warehouse districts or along 

 the railroads and waterfronts, one hundred per 

 cent, of the land can be covered. Next would 

 come the high buildings where ninety per cent, 

 of the area above the store portion or the first 

 story, can be covered. Every one of the five 

 boroughs, said Mr. Bassett, has a map show- 

 ing the regulated heights, another the use, 

 etc. The results accomplished, he said, have 

 helped the business localities, also the resi- 

 dential section. He referred particularly to 

 public garages. These had been allowed in all 

 sections and when located in a residential sec- 

 tion proved an annoyance to the public. Now 

 they are not permitted, except in industrial lo- 

 calities. In conclusion, Mr. Bassett gave an 

 outline of the legal side or workings of the 

 law. He said the Board of Estimates could 

 alter any district by a majority vote. He 

 stated also that the greatest danger is in the 

 courts but up to the present time no case has 

 been decided against the zoning. The law is 

 backed by the police power of the state of 

 New York but the courts never have defined 

 police powers in the state. For New York 

 City, the zoning plan is depending largely up- 

 on the safety, health and morals of its people 

 for its success. 



The next speaker was Mr. Ackerman of 

 Trowbridge and Ackerman, architects, who 

 spoke on the question of .collaboration in de- 

 sign. Referring to the development of a coun- 

 try estate, Mr. Ackerman said: To the average 

 person such a problem presents itself as com- 

 posed of several distinct and separate phases 

 grouped under three major divisions — the 

 work of the architect, the landscape architect 

 and the interior decorator; and it is not un- 

 usual — in fact it is the general rule — to find the 

 problem approached by the independent em- 

 ployment of three individuals engaged in these 

 pursuits. Sometimes — oftentimes — the three 

 are engaged almost simultaneously, with no 

 very definite concept of which should initiate 

 or formulate the general outline of the scheme 

 or solution. By chance, it is the architect, 

 perhaps the landscape architect, or sometimes 

 the decorator who initiates the work. Gen- 

 erally there is an assumption that the three 

 shall work in collaboration, but rarely is there 



