BOARD OF ALDERMEN, JUNE 22, 1835. The Committee on Streets on the Petition to close Artstreet, presented the following Report against the same, which was laid on the table and directed to be printed for the use of the Members. J. MORTON, Clerk. The Committee on Streets to whom was referred the annexed papers, being a petition of sundry persons asking the Common Council to take the proper legal measures for shutting up Art-street, between Broadway and the Bowery; and also five several remonstrances against the said measure, and on all which the Committee respectfully REPORT: They have invited the parties to meet before them, both the petitioners and the objectors, and have diligently attend ed to and carefully weighed all the allegations made by the parties respectively, both for and against this measure. On the part of the petitioners it is averred, that the use of Artstreet, as a thoroughfare, is no longer required between Broadway and the Bowery, having been superseded by the opening of 8th street, (which is but a short distance above it,) and that its diagonal direction destroys the regularity of the lots, prevents their being improved, and impairs their value and generally that it would add much to the beauty of the circumjacent property if the street were closed, and the ground it now occupies taken in by and added to the adjoining lots. (It is here proper to remark, that although the petition is numerously signed, yet as far as can be ascertained, but one of the signers is the owner of any property on the street, which they propose to have closed up, although many of them are proprietors of houses and lots fronting on other streets in the vicinity of Art-street.) On the part of the remonstrants it is urged, that the closing up of this street will utterly destroy several very valuable lots of ground fronting on this street, which cannot from their peculiar position obtain fronts on any other street, and that the closing of it up would in fact amount to a confiscation of their property. It is likewise very strongly urged, that shutting up the street would deprive two exceedingly valuable lots on Broadway of their distinctive character of corner lots; and especially the lot on the northeast corner of Artstreet and Broadway, on which has just been erected a very costly three story brick building, with other buildings on the Art-street front of the lot, and all which have been expressly calculated for the purposes of trade, for which corner lots are so particularly valuable; and the owner of these improvements very strongly sets forth the extreme disadvantage which would inevitably result to him from closing up the street, as the buildings on which he has just expended several thousand dollars as places of trade and business, would thereby be rendered comparatively valueless. It is right also for the Committee here to mention, that the objectors to this project are directly and immediately interested in its results, being all of the owners or lessees of the lots fronting on the street to be closed, and which would be deprived of their fronts if that measure were carried into effect. It further appears to your Committee, from the documents in the Street Commissioners office, that several years since when the adjacent property was not estimated at a fifth part of its present value, an attempt was made to close up this street, and having been favourably received by the then Common Council, Commissioners were appointed by the Supreme Court of the State for the purpose of estimating the damages to the parties concerned, who after labouring diligently to effect this purpose, were finally compelled to abandon it, and reported to the Court their belief of its impractibility, arising out of the great amount of loss and damage which would be sustained, and the apparent impossibility of raising the sums requisite for the liquidation of these damages. Is it not reasonable to believe that these embarrassments which would be much more strongly felt now in consequence of the very great additional value the property has since acquired. The Committee having fully weighed this question, are of opinion it is one in which the public at large have not any direct interest, no nuisance of any kind exists there, the place is perfectly clean and healthy; and although it is not to be denied, that the closing of this street might perhaps add to the beauty of a most respectable part of the city, still it is beleived to be a question strictly local, and which interests immediately only a few proprieters who are in its immediate vicinity; and the Committee are of opinion it ought not to be undertaken, except with the consent of the parties interested, and they are the more fully confirmed in this belief, inasmuch as the former attempt, which was made adversely to the wishes. of the owners, failed for the want of their concurrence. Under these views the Committee offer the following resolution: Resolved, The prayer of the petitioners for closing Artstreet, from Broadway to the Bowery, be not granted. FRANCIS FICKETT, SAMUEL PURDY, Committee on Streets. BOARD OF ALDERMEN, JUNE 22, 1835. The Committee on Wharves, &c. to whom was referred the Report from the Board of Assistants in relation to building a Pier at Battery Place, late Marketfield-street, presented the following Report in favor, which was laid on the table and directed to be printed. J. MORTON, Clerk., The Report adopted by the Board of Assistants was as follows: That as it is a matter of public complaint, that the Wharves and Piers are not sufficient for the convenient accommodation of the vessels employed in the exterior and interior commerce of the State, a duty is necessarily enforced upon the Corporation of providing as extensive accommodations as may be practicable. The waters to the south of the site of the |