The want has long been recognized of a place in the Central Park arranged suitably for a promenade, side by side, of drivers, riders and walkers under conditions favorable to a certain degree of social enjoyment. It has also been recognized that it would be a grave error to provide an arrangement for this purpose, which, while likely to establish a custom and stimulate an irresistible public demand, should fall far short of satisfying it. It has been considered especially that any considerable sacrifice of the results of the expenditure already made on the park in order to gain such an imperfect arrangement, would be unpardonable. Whether any of the existing constructions of the park can be so far improved and supplemented as to supply what is needed, and, if not, how much it would be necessary to sacrifice in order to introduce entirely new constructions for the purpose, was therefore to be determined upon a careful forecast of the detail of conditions which would be favorable or otherwise to the enjoyment of those engaging in the promenade. There are three constant elements of such enjoyment to be considered, one being that of the spectacle; the second, that arising from recognition of friends and observation of special objects, as faces, dresses, horses and equipages; and the third, that of such personal conversation as is possible for those moving side by side in a crowd.

Every person present becomes a part of the spectacle, and may contribute to each of the other two elements. The position and movements of each person is consequently a matter of interest to every other present. It is desirable, therefore, that during the hours of the promenade, the ground used for the purpose should be well filled. It is desirable that there should be a continuous movement of all engaged, and that the attention of none should be unnecessarily held to other matters in such a way as to interfere with the enjoyments which are special to the promenade. The more the movement of each person is regulated with reference to the enjoyment of all by fixed conditions, and the less by the constant effort of his individual judgment; the more the vision of each over the promenade before him is unobstructed, and the more complete and extended his command of the spectacle, the greater will be the enjoyment of all.

Whenever obstructions, however slight, occur, tending to suddenly arrest movement at particular points, or to hinder or to make unnecessarily indirect the movements of individuals, and especially of carriages and riding [165] horses, the consequence will be at one place crowding, apprehension of collisions, and more or less demand on the attention of each person near by to the circumstance, and at another breaks and gaps in the spectacle and the irregularities of movement to which these would invite. The turning of carriages on the promenade, their entrance upon it, and their withdrawal, create more or less unavoidable disturbance; therefore, there should be no frequent opportunity or temptation for these movements; at the same time the space prepared for the promenade should not be so long that its necessarily restrained movement would become very tedious before those entering upon it could, if they desired, escape, and move more at will.

The following specifications of requirement are readily deducible from the above considerations:

1.   A devious course is to be avoided; the more nearly straight the promenade the better.

2.   A steeper grade than one in forty and much variation of grade is to be avoided. A “hogsback” is particularly objectionable. The more nearly level the promenade the better.

3.   No other thoroughfare should cross or intersect the line of the promenade.

4.   There should be no necessity for driving freighting vehicles over it late in the day.

5.   Its direction should not be such as would bring the sun in the eyes of those resorting to it late in the day.

6.   All parts of it should be as much as possible shaded late in the day.

7.   At each end it should be practicable for visitors to do either of three things with the least possible confusion and disturbance, and with reasonable ease and convenience, viz.: To turn around and continue on the promenade; to make an excursion in the park beyond the promenade and out of its crowd; or, lastly, to quickly leave the park on the shortest course home.

8.   The promenade should be fully half a mile in length and will desirably be somewhat longer.

9.   The total space to be occupied by the drive, ride and walks cannot well be less than 150 feet in breadth.

According to the degree in which these desiderata can all be combined in any arrangement it will be likely to prove permanently satisfactory, while in so far as one or more of them shall be secured at the sacrifice of others the public demand designed to be met will be greatly increased but not adequately fulfilled.

In 1872, after the return of the present President of the Department from Europe, the subject was, at his request, more thoroughly canvassed than [166] ever before. After demonstrating objections to two suggested plans, which were recognized to be conclusive against them, I Was then asked to select the least objectionable route to be found in the South Park and prepare a definite plan for laying it out. In doing so I was assisted by Mr. Vaux, and the plan which resulted has been seen by all the Commissioners of the Department. It has never been formally presented to the Board, however, because of its acknowledged numerous defects and the injury, which would unquestionably result from undertaking to carry it out, to the park as it now stands.

The conclusion of the study then given the subject may, therefore, be stated as follows:

That no plan at all adequate to the requirements of the city in a promenade can be carried out on the South Park, except at a cost in direct outlay and in the waste of results of outlay already made, for which its value would be no sufficient compensation.

Bearing in mind and giving but their just weight to each of the desiderata that have been enumerated, and considering a few broad general facts of the topography of the park, the conditions which enforce this conclusion are easily recognized.

The South Park is one mile in length from north to south and half a mile in width, and is divisible topographically into three tolerably distinct elevated ranges and two intermediate valleys, all trending across the line of the greater distance. Each range of high ground is a continuous ledge of rock, with a coating of earth, for the most part artificially laid on, not exceeding two feet in average depth. The difference of elevation between these ranges and the valleys which divide them is from thirty to ninety feet. It is only by circuitous courses or by heavy rock cuttings and embankments that roads of tolerable grade can be carried from north to south, and only by crossing these existing roads and numerous walks, lawns and plantations, that a moderately direct road of even a third of a mile in length could be made from east to west. In either case the reduction of a space of ground 150 feet in width and the necessary length, so nearly to a plane surface as would be necessary to the purpose, could only be accomplished by the destruction of the most valuable landscape features of the ground.

Difficulties similar in character to those which have been indicated are found in all of the North as well as the South Park, and also in the strip of ground through which the communication with it from between the two is carried on the west. The only space where they do not obtain in the property under the control of the Department is that of the straight, narrow belt of England on the east side of the great reservoir. The drive which passes along this belt has already been selected by the public as more nearly than any other meeting the requirement of the promenade, and this in spite of the fact that there is neither a walk nor a bridle road alongside of it.

It is not only more traveled by carriages than any other on the park, [167] but late in the day they are often driven back and forth upon it as on a proper promenade. The reasons for its use in this manner are: 1st, that it is straight; 2d, that it is level; 3d, that late in the day it is shaded; 4th, that it does not look toward the setting sun.

Observing that speed of movement was more checked by the conflux of carriages here than elsewhere in the park, the Commissioners of 1871 thought to make an improvement simply by widening the wheelway, giving no consideration to any other public requirement of the locality, and accomplishing the little that was attempted with such narrow study of the circumstances that the relation of the widened drive to adjoining objects was left incomplete, unsymmetrical and offensive to the eye. To adapt the arrangement to the purpose for which the public is obviously inclined to use the locality, the straight reach of drive needs to be still further widened and, if possible, lengthened, and a broad walk and riding-way to be formed adjoining it. To gain the necessary space for this purpose without encroaching on the reservoir it would be necessary to appropriate a part of the sidewalk on the west side of Fifth Avenue, to remove and reconstruct the present retaining wall, and to give increased height as well as breadth to the embankment on which the drive is now carried. I present a preliminary study of a plan in which these, with several minor improvements, are proposed. If this plan were carried out every one of the desiderata of a promenade would be realized in full degree almost precisely as they have been stated.

Certain objections to the proposition are obvious: First, that of its cost; second, that of the distance of the locality from the present centre of residence of the city; third, that the length of the promenade (being barely half a mile) is rather less than is desirable. The fact that it is now more resorted to for carriage exercise than any other part of the park, shows that the second objection already has no very important weight; with the advance northward of population it will annually have less. The fact, again, that whenever the improvement of Riverside Avenue is made, the city will be possessed of another promenade nearly a mile in length, and better in all important respects than any other in the world, lessens considerably the weight of the third objection.

That the promenade would adjoin Fifth Avenue may be considered an advantage, as an alternate route is thus provided for those who may wish to pass rapidly north from the South Park when the promenade is crowded and the less occasion is left for the intrusion upon it of an undesirable class of vehicles. The entrance at the south end from the avenue would meet a local demand which has been the subject of repeated memorials to the Department.

I submit this study to the consideration of the Board as indicating the least objectionable way of providing for a public demand which is likely to increase, and any less complete arrangement for meeting which would probably prove temporary, and therefore more costly, and in all respects objectionable.

[168]

The work could now be all put under contract at $250,000.

Dennis Bowen Esqr Buffalo

I shall send you by Express a preliminary study of a plan for the City Hall grounds which I will thank to examine and return to me with comments. I see two particulars in which work already done would perhaps have to be undone in carrying out this plan but they are not of weight against the advantages to be gained. There may be necessities to be accommodated, [169]

Plan for Riverside Avenue with Addition of Riding Way, March 15, 1875

[170]

I have had four principal considerations in mind.

1st   that under ordinary circumstances the more important business of the City Hall is of a quiet, orderly, bureau character, with reference to which a certain degree of seclusion of the building from the streets and of elegance in the grounds would be convenient, fitting and in accordance with what is customarily attempted, but

2d   that the building is nevertheless one for public business and should appear open and free to the public; that business is liable to be done in it having great popular interest and on certain occasions the grounds and even the streets near it will need to serve the purpose of outer lobbies. Public guests may at times be received at the building and reviews and receptions if not meetings held before it. More liberal and spacious arrangmnts of standing and passage room should for this reason be provided all about the building than if it were designed for private residence or trade or even for ward or district public business.

The City Hall in the old world is nearly always placed in the midst of an open public place, usually a noisy market place. In our own country small parks are more commonly formed around or at least in front of such buildings. These at first are neatly finished and their appearance satisfactory but I do not know a case where in a populous town they have long remained so—in which, that is to say, the edgings of the walks have not been soon obliterated, and the trees, shrubs and turf sadly abused or the ruling expression of which has not in a few years become one of inefficient governmnt, seediness and delapidation. I do not think you will need to look far to find illustrations of what I mean.

If you want to avoid a similar destruction of your work you must see to it that wherever there is likely at any time to be much public pressure, no kind of decoration is attempted that will not bear rough usage or which, after the tramping over or about it of a turbulent crowd, cannot be made as good as new with water and a scrubbing brush.

3d   a very important item in the cost of the construction of your City Hall is for means of securing an elegant and imposing exterior effect. You want some degree of seclusion and sylvan beauty about your building but you do not want this architectural effect to be lost in a grove of trees. On the contrary any foliage should be so disposed as not merely to reveal but to fix attention upon the more important architectural elements from those points of view and at the distance at which they will be seen to the best advantage.

4th   It is not desirable that the building should seem to have been thrust abruptly through a flat bed of turf. The grounds should be so arranged [171] as to obviously be one in design with it and to support it. This is particularly necessary because the building is so tall and straight and independent of other buildings. It not only needs a verdant drapery to set it off but solid outworks that will have the effect of a pedastal in connecting it with the ground.

You will see that each of these four considerations conflicts more or less with the others and that you will recognize that they cannot be expected to be reconciled except by means more substantial and expensive than we find in every day use nor without a very nice and accurate adjustmnt of the different provisions to be employed. I expect to furnish you with elaborate working plans and specifications and it will be important that they be strictly adhered to. Hence I shall be anxious to have the preliminary plans cautiously scrutinized before their adoption.

The studies are on a small scale and only indicate the larger features of the design but you will see by a little comparison of the different sketches what sort of detail is intended and, as I think, to detect the motive of everything proposed. You will observe the distinction between trees and shrubs & will see that the few fine lawn trees and all the shrubs and turf proposed are to be guarded from injury by means which are designed in strict harmony with and as auxiliary to the architectural effect of the building. At the same time the more striking parts of the building are exhibited to the best advantage and all the arrangments, even to the street, will have, as I hope, a broad, spacious and hospitable effect {such as in my judgment should distinguish the locality of a building for business of importance to the whole community of a city.}

I have thought it necessary that provision should be made for removing prisoners by or receiving them from a carriage and also for receiving needed materials for repairs & other purposes in freedom from a crowd. I have therefore arranged a small closed court in which a waggon can stand and turn and in which materials may be piled, mats & carpets cleaned etc. without being seen from the street or obstructing the public passages.

There will be no occasion for anyone to enter the purely ornamental grnds except in careing for them and they may with little labor be kept as nicely as the daintiest private garden.

I do not know that the architect has intended that the building shall be so terraced about as to hide the basement but if not I have no doubt that on reflection he will see that it will gain much by such an arrangement as I propose. At least to me it would appear more firmly placed, its position more commanding and its proportions more agreeable to the eye {rising from an unbroken base}.

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Plan for Grounds of City and County Hall, Buffalo