l-t-0 COMMISSION UN BUILDING DISTRICTS 



give us light, air and safety should be welcomed and supported. There is 

 no question that the regulations suggested by the Commission are absolutely 

 necessary to public safety and health, and the proposed restrictions should 

 he adopted at an early date, subject to some slight modifications. 



The Borough of Manhattan has been seriously injured by the promis- 

 cuous erection of buildings. Buildings equal to four or five times the height 

 suited to the width of the street have been built, stealing from the adjoin- 

 ing owners light and air. and, at the same time, destroying the light and 

 air of that owner. It is quite apparent now that if the high building in 

 Manhattan had been prevented several years ago, our acreage of compara- 

 tivel) unproductive property would have been built upon, the congestion 

 along certain lines would have been prevented and travel distributed over 

 broad areas, instead of concentrated into narrow ones. The plan your Com- 

 mission has adopted will prevent in the future this result, and large sections 

 will be saved from the destroying elements that have existed in the past, but 

 the Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens must be saved now from the calami- 

 ties which are apparent in Manhattan. 



Residing as I do in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, and owning other 

 property than my own residence, 1 am, therefore, vitally interested in the 

 proper restricting of that most beautiful section of Greater New York. Con- 

 sequently I will take up, as briefly as possible, requests for amendments to 

 the plans of the Commission strengthening the restrictions in certain locali- 

 ties where I do not think they are made strong enough. 



My residence is on the south side of Beverly road, within two hundred 

 feet of a station from which within two years I shall be able to reach the 

 centre of Manhattan in fifteen minutes for 5c, and from which 1 can reach 

 the ocean front in fifteen minutes for 5c. I not only want my neighbors 

 restricted from destroying my home, but I want to be restricted from de- 

 stroying theirs. In front of me to the north is a section, Prospect Park 

 South, that is an example of what, restricted for homes, a section can be 

 made. Filled with beautiful detached houses, surrounded by gardens, it is 

 unique in its close proximity to the business places of the owners. Few 

 cities can boast of such garden spots so near to, and yet so completely de- 

 tached from, the noise and turmoil of a great city. This section is re- 

 stricted against apartment houses, of no matter what quality, for nine more 

 years. Is it not utterly unreasonable that I, directly across the street, by 

 having my property unrestricted, can erect tenements, or cliff dwellings, as 

 I call them, facing this beautiful location; and why should 1, having pur- 

 chased for the purpose of maintaining a private individual house, be men- 

 aced by the possibility of those on either side of. or behind, me putting up 

 tenements. 



1 would recommend that the "E" district area limits be increased 

 slightly so that the building above the first story shall not exceed 40 per 

 cent (instead of 30 per cent) of the area of the lot and 60 per cent on 

 corners. 



Exploitation of private home sections 



The idea seems to exist that great pecuniary gains can be made by the 

 owners of property by abandoning their homes and erecting apartments. I 

 think this is not only a mistake but a most selfish one. My personal opinion 

 is that lots located within fifteen minutes' travel from the centre of .Man- 

 hattan will be in great demand for many, many years; that if the present 

 houses are inadequate for the land values they can be replaced on the " .1'. " 



