some other part of the borough. It is unlikely that the county court will continue both its civil and criminal terms indefinitely. The tendency in all large cities is to separate civil and criminal trials both as to judges and location.

The new court house in this location would be near the Hall of Records, a comparatively new, sound and dignified building. Both judges and trial lawyers are accommodated by having the real estate, surrogate's and county clerk's records and books near at hand. Part of the large space under the new court house could be used for moisture proof vaults for the storage of obsolete papers that are already crowding the county clerk's office.

The great advantages of this site to the borough are apparent. It holds the court business of the borough in the locality which has for generations become adapted to it. It preserves and improves the present office center. It is the most convenient spot in the city for judges, litigants, lawyers and jurors, and is also the most accessible from the court, municipal and financial centers of Manhattan. The new rapid transit lines will make it more accessible from every part of Greater New York.

The present location of the Polytechnic Institute is not well adapted for educational purposes. Its future growth is circumscribed and probably it is only a question of a few years when another location must be found for this growing institution.

The site for the municipal building on Washington Street, opposite the Post Office, would have an area of approximately 52,000 square feet—being an irregular plot 380 feet by 150 feet. It would be a moderately high office structure and would fit an irregular plot of ground better than the more monumental court house. It would also be adjustable to the site bounded by office buildings with the height of which it would harmonize. The distance of the new municipal building from Borough Hall would be 800 feet. In Manhattan the distance between City Hall and the new municipal building is 640 feet. A station of the new Interborough subway will be near the corner of Fulton and Clark streets. This will be the great Manhattan west side subway, running south from Times Square through Seventh Avenue, Park Place and William Street, thence under the East River at Old Slip, thence through Clark and Fulton streets to the junction with the two tracks under Borough Hall, not now used, but which when used will make Brooklyn's four track subway to Flatbush Avenue, Long Island station, Park Plaza and Eastern Parkway.

Not only will the placing of the municipal building on the Washington Street site allow the much needed widening of that street without extra cost, but the erection of the court house on the present site as provided in this plan will admit of the widening of the streets by which it is bounded, viz., Livingston, Court and Joralemon streets. This consideration is important in view of the concentration of street cars and other traffic at this center of street circulation.

No other plan presents equally good sites for the new court house and the new municipal building. This plan has the further merit that it harmonizes the four factors, i.e., court house, municipal building, bridge plaza and re-location of tracks, in a manner where each factor brings additional benefit to every other factor. The removal of the elevated tracks without opening up the bridge approach would be only a partial improvement. Placing the court house on the Clinton Street site or Flatbush Avenue Extension site would have no relation whatever to the other three factors. This plan logically, harmoniously, and at comparatively small expense paves the way for the improvement of the entire area between Brooklyn Bridge and the Hall of Records and furnishes frontages that will attract the construction of substantial and handsome business buildings.

For these reasons we recommend:

1. The removal of the elevated railroad tracks from Borough Hall Park and lower Fulton Street, pursuant to the permissive legislation passed by the last session of the legislature as an amendment to the Rapid Transit Act.

2. The acquirement by the city of the land not now owned by the city between Fulton Street and Liberty Street on the west and Washington Street on the east, also three lots in the small block opposite Clark Street.

3. The widening of Washington Street to 110 feet, which is the same width as the throat between the Mechanics' Bank Building and Myrtle Avenue.

4. The location of the new municipal building between Fulton and Washington streets approximately opposite the Post Office.

5. The location of the new court house on the present site of the old court house, such site to include the land intended for the new municipal building, and also the rest of the land in that block on Court and Livingston streets, all court rooms to front on a large interior court.

Frederic B. Pratt
Edward M. Bassett
Frank M. Brooks
Alexander McKinny
Frank C. Munson
James H. Post
Charles A. Schieren
Alfred T. White
Howard O. Wood
Edward C. Blum

Dated, June 21st, 1913

ADDITIONAL REPORT

BY A MINORITY OF THE COMMITTEE

We, the undersigned, while agreeing with Recommendation No. 2 of the foregoing report, believe that all of the three blocks between Fulton Street on the west and Liberty Street on the east, should be acquired by the City and not only the three lots opposite Clark Street. Our reasons for this belief stated briefly are, that the buildings erected upon these blocks are of poor construction and unsightly and their condition will not be improved by the bridge approach, nor will a better class of buildings be erected in their stead. They stand as a menace to the improvement of Fulton Street north of Clark and if not removed will carry upon their rear walls billboards and signs which will mar the effect of the new bridge approach. If they are not removed the traveler, approaching Brooklyn by means of the Bridge cars, will have but a momentary glimpse of the improved plaza and the new municipal building as the train swings around into Adams Street. If, on the contrary, the buildings are removed the effect of the improvement will be noticed as soon as Sands Street is reached. This will be the more noticeable to travelers by the trolley and to pedestrians using the bridge.

The assessed valuation of these blocks is $442,850. If they are acquired by the City it is our belief that the increase in the assessed value of property upon Fulton Street immediately opposite to the blocks in question will more than equal the assessed valuation of the property taken.

Howard O. Wood
Frank C. Munson
James H. Post

Plan 1

Plan 2