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The Fifth Avenue Association
Empire State
350 Fifth Avenue : : New York
Telephone: PEnnsylvania 6-7900

TO OUR MEMBERS: BULLETIN NO.66, DECEMBER 1931

FIFTY-SEVENTH STREET BRIDGE-ASSOCIATION REQUESTS CITY TO OPPOSE IT
Since our last Bulletin announcing that new plans for the proposed 57th Street bridge were recently filed meeting the height requirements of the War Department, we have been working daily to prevent the issuance of a permit by the Secretary of War for that sixteen-lane combination vehicular and railroad structure. We submitted a brief to the local board of army engineers last week, explaining fully why our 57th Street Committee believes that such a bridge would intensify traffic congestion [[?]] in the retail shopping area, ruin 57th Street as a high class "boulevard of trade", and depreciate the property values in the entire midtown section. We likewise have filed a communication with the Board of Estimate and Apportionment urging that the City immediately request the Secretary of War to withhold the granting of a permit for the bridge until the proper City officials had full opportunity to study the detailed plans and especially those for the Manhattan approaches. We are to appear before the Board on December 4th in support of this step, which is absolutely necessary to protect the affected property owners and to assure the proper future development of midtown Manhattan. City Planning Commissioner John F. Sullivan is to make a similar request as a result of conferences which we have held with him.

WORK ON MADISON AVENUE WATER MAIN POSTPONED
In our November Bulletin we announced that work would be started immediately on the installation of a new water main on Madison Avenue between 47th and 57th Streets. The job was expected to be completed and the avenue repaved prior to the Christmas shopping season, with little inconvenience to our members in the affected area.Further investigation early in November convinced us however that the work undoubtedly would extend through December and perhaps to the first of the year. Believing that under such a schedule the business houses and hotels in the vicinity would unquestionable be hampered should the work start at this time, we have requested the Commissioner of Water Supply, Gas, and Electricity to postpone the entire project until next summer. Unless the engineers decide that such a postponement might result in serious harm, it is expected that our suggestion for a postponement will be followed. Our Madison Avenue members will be informed just as soon as a definite understanding has been reached.

RESTORATION OF THE PULITZER FOUNTAIN NOW ASSURED
The negotiations carried on for several years for the reconstruction of the Pulitzer Fountain at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue have finally been completed as a result of the untiring efforts of the Association. The Pulitzer family and the City are supplying the necessary funds to make the monument once more an embellishment instead of an eyesore. The existing stonework on the fountain will be removed and new, specially quarried limestone substituted. This new stone will be selected with emphasis on its hardness and is to be protected throughout with new waterproofing material. The joints of all the stonework are to be lined with copper flashing to insure, just as far as possible, against disintegration in the future. The basins in each of the fountains likewise are to be restored. The thanks of our members are due to Park Commissioner Walter R. Herrick, Consulting Engineer Albert V. Sielke of the Park Department, Landscape Architect Julius V. Burgevin of the Park Board, the Pulitzer family's representative -- Glenn S. Williamson, the Committee of Civic Design and Historic Monuments of the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and the Art Commission.

POLICE PROTECTION INCREASED FOR CHRISTMAS SEASON
With the establishment last summer of the Borough Headquarters Squad in the midtown area north of 27th Street, the Fifth Avenue Section is now generally recognized as the best policed district in the world. Nevertheless, additional patrolmen and detectives have been assigned to Fifth, Madison, Park and Fourth Avenues and the cross streets for the duration of the Christmas holiday season, to insure adequate protection to the stores and crowds of shoppers. The extra allotment of patrolmen will work in conjunction with the regular precinct police operating in our section the year round, and with the new Borough Headquarters Squad. The additional detectives, including members of the pickpocket squad, will function in cooperation with the regular Fifth Avenue Squad of plain clothes men and the recently established Jewelry Squad. Such increased protection is given each year at this time in accordance with arrangements made by our Association with the Police Department several years ago.