ox Till-: rsK OF sionk in cniKS 285 



time is nol far distaiU when tli(' whole of this part of the 

 city will he coxn^rccl with these tall and massive structures, 

 de\'otetl to business })ur[)oses. 



In what nia\' be termed the general business district, 

 north of Chambers street, the work of reconstruction is 

 o-oin^- on more slowK' than it is down town. 



'Idle mercantile and factor)- buildings, the lari^c hotels 

 and the church edifices west of the l)ower\' and 1 hird a\'enue 

 are (^eneralh' either all stone or stone fronts. On the (^ast 

 side, in the poorer tenement (piarters, brick, trimmed with 

 stone, are the pre\ailinL;- buildiuL;' materials. 'Idle [)ri\ate 

 dwellinor-houses remainim'- below^ Eiohth street, on the west 

 side of the cit\'. are, in most cases, of brick with stone trim- 

 mings, as are man\' of the stores on the streets near the 

 river. Connecticut brownstone has been used ahnost exclu- 

 sivel)' for fronts in all of the cross streets above Eiohth 

 street, and has given theni a monotonous aspect, owing to 

 the long lines and blocks of houses in the sanie unvar\-ing 

 style of construction. Many of these brownstone fronts 

 are being replaced by large business buildings, either all 

 stonc!, or brick trimmed with stone. A notable change is 

 taking place on bifth a\enue between Fourteenth and 

 Thirty-third streets, and the brownstone is disappearing be- 

 fore the tide of granite, sandstone and limestone coming in 

 with the advance of Ijusiness up town. In the cross streets, 

 excepting Fourteenth and TwentN'-third streets, there is 

 less chancre noticeable. On Broadway there is a mixed 

 character in the styles as well as ii"i the nature of the 

 materials used ; and there is not probabh' iii the world a 

 street where there is greater variet\' in buildin*^ material. 

 Iron fronts, brick, marble, granite, and all kinds of stone are 

 seen, sometimes within the compass of two or three blocks. 

 There appears to be an increasing use of stone in the con- 

 structive work on this street. The avenues west of bdfth 

 are occupied with large apartmentdiouses and stores. Brown- 

 stone fronts and l)rick. with brownstone trinimings, pre\'ail. 

 This division of the city is notable for its many large and 



