Planning Problems of Town, City and Region (Volume 1913); Papers and Discussions (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: New York. ? Excess condemnation constitutional amendment ready for submission to the people. Improvement in condemnation procedure in several Sbites, notably Maryland, Kansas, Missouri. OTHER ITEMS OF CITY PLANNING PROGRESS Edward M. Bassett, Esq., New York City: The spreading out of Greater New York by a comprehensive rapid transit plan will help to do away with the congestion in Manhattan Island. Although it is considered that the narrowness of Manhattan is responsible for skyscrapers, investigations of the Height of Buildings Commission show that only a small part of even the lower part of the island is used intensively. Land at comparatively low values can be purchased within two or three blocks of the tallest skyscrapers. No limitations have been placed on the height of business and factory buildings. New York has undoubtedly reached the time when some limit should be imposed under the exercise of the police powers of the city on the height of buildings in Greater New York, so that the use of the street and the advantages of natural light and air can be equitably divided among all the owners of land. Such a limitation would tend to spread out business centers and would probably not affect business injuriously. The Height of Buildings Commission was appointed by the Board of Estimate this spring to investigate this subject, and an appropriation of $15,000 was made for carrying on the work. It is hoped that by the 15th of October of this year a report on at least the fundamentals of this great subject will be made to the Board of Estimate, and that a beginning will be made in enforcing a legal limitation. Under the present charter of the city of New York, the Board of Aldermen is empowered to pass ordinances limiting the height of buildings subject to the approval o...