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The Fifth Avenue Association INC EMPIRE STATE 350 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK Telephone: PEnnsylvania 6-7900 -4- Night Noise and Heavy Trucking In our Washington Square and Upper Fifth and Madison Avenue residential districts, we have been able, with the cooperation of the police interested parties, to eliminate many night noises which were interfering with the rest and comfort of residence in these sections. Heavy trucking through residential streets has been curtailed by bringing the matter directly to the interests operating these trucks. Through our all-night inspections, we have been able to ascertain the causes of these noises – – – unnecessary congregation of taxi cab drivers, honking of horns, heavy trucking, in carelessness on the part of those delivering supplies to apartment houses or hotels, or removing refuse from these places. We must rely, of course, upon our members to tell us of these conditions, particularly night noises, because each is an individual case, and are all-night inspections can only correct those which can be observed in such an inspection. WIDENING OF UPPER FIFTH AVENUE UNLIKELY Although the plan and recommendation of the Association for reconstructing and beautifying the park side of upper Fifth Avenue has its place on the calendar of public improvements suspended by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment temporarily because of lack of available funds, we are hopeful that at least necessary repairs to this side of Fifth Avenue will be made by the Park Department in the early spring and that, as soon as possible, the entire plan can be put into effect. We are confident, however, that the proposal for the widening of upper fifth Avenue, which would remove the sidewalk from the west side of the Avenue and place it behind the park wall, will not meet with ,either with Park Commissioner Herrick or other city officials. Such a plan would only add to traffic on upper Fifth Avenue and would, we are sure, detract greatly from the residential character of this section. As we have assured our members, we will oppose any such plan vigorously. We do you believe that by making improvements to the west side of the Avenue in the relocation of the sidewalk in benches and by planting shrubbery near curb line, an attractive promenade could be created which would enhance the values of properties along upper Fifth Avenue and in the cross streets. AN URGENT APPEAL TO OUR MEMBERS TO RAISE DISPLAY STANDARDS It is particularly timely, in view of statements made at meeting of the National Retail Dry Goods Association regarding "cheap" displays and the necessity for a "trading-up" movement to speed the return of business, that your Association should call attention to the need for stores in our section to improve their window displays and to discontinue the use of stickers and pasters, which, together with sales placards and large window signs, are contributing to the present lowered standards of display in our section. The increase in the use of these window stickers and pasters and large window signs during the past few months has been most noticeable. Cherup Displays a Boomerang to Stores The National Retail Dry Goods Association has adopted a resolution which reads in part: "Be it resolved ... that the high standards in the conduct of American business be maintained ..." To do this in the Fifth Avenue Section wher4e business standards for the past twenty-five years have made this the outstanding retail district of the world, it is imperative that our ground and first floor store owners improve their windows and make them show places for their merchandise, displayed in the best taste. The cheap sales sticker or window paster, the "liquidation" or "selling out" sign, the blatant announcement, the use of mechanical or theatrical displays, it is not only a black eye to the store using them, because shoppers in the Fifth Avenue Section are not attracted by such method, but one store using these methods of window advertising can affect an entire neighborhood which may be endeavoring to carry out the high standards accepted by merchants in this district. The risk of cheapness and cheap practices in the face of desire of shoppers for quality merchandise and high standards of business conduct should lead the stores which have resorted to garnish displays and paster announcements to consider the greater return that will come by adhering to the display methods of the successful stores. These stores have kept abreast of efforts to develop art in window display and they have been successful in making their window attractive by using lights properly, by creating attractive backgrounds, and by using, when necessary, artistic announcements. Fifth Avenue Section Stores Must be Leaders A Committee on Window Award, composed of leading artists, advertising men, and display managers a few years ago in surveying stores in our district, called then the finest in the world, and there is no reason why each store in this section would not come under that heading. We urge our members, therefore, if they are not using window pastors or stickers or signs, which come under the heading of cheap display practices, to begin today to cooperate with the stores which are endeavoring to develop even finer displays than have been used in the past.
Transcription Notes:
paster: a slip of paper with a gummed back designed to be pasted on something
