Show lights of new york by L L STEVENSON the announcement that the residences of the late john D rockefeller and john D rockefeller jr were to be demolished to make space for a million dollar museum again recalls the fight of the rocke fellers to keep west fifty fourth s street reet between fifth and sixth avenues strictly residential quietly rockefeller and son for years purchased adjacent properties until they owned all but two parcels on west es t r fifty efty fourth street and had co considerable s ida able holdings on west fifty third street A dozen years ago the home of florence A at the southwest corner of fifth avenue and fifty fourth street was acquired the purchase price was not made public though it was held to have been more than a million dollars since the property was vas assessed at more than that amount by owning the home with st thomas church on the northwest northwest corner of fifty third street father and son possibly thought their privacy would be protected for that security they had invested about four and a quarter million dollars i the house in which the elder rockefeller spent a number of years of his hie life after he had attained his fortune is a four story structure at no 4 west fifty fourth street it was built in 1865 and at that time stood alone in n the neighborhood bo in 1912 john D rockefeller jr built a home at no 10 west fifty fourth street nine stories in height and of ample proportions the residence is one of the largest homes in the city its size being equivalent to that of an apartment house tile tie cost was and the interior trim and decorations are said to have cost another jn in later years the elder rockefeller spent macii of his time at the rockefeller estate at tico hills in westchester As the years passed he passed his summers on an estate in new jersey and his winters in florida when plans for rockefeller center first known in its entirety as radio radie city were announced old tim ers shook their heads the rocke fellers who had fought for privacy by the new development were bringing crowds right to their back doors rockefeller center was built then came apartment houses built by the rockefellers Rocke fellers in west fifty fourth street now the rockefeller homes are to come down and john D rockefeller jr and his family are to move to a park avenue apartment new in new york I 1 used to like to stroll by those quiet respectable looking but somewhat domineering residences on west fifty fourth street it if progress were too slow or if a stop were made to speculate on the gardens in the rear gardens on million dollar real estate silent and businesslike gentlemen appeared there were always two of them and I 1 took them to be guards one evening I 1 saw john D rockefeller jr carrying a bulging brief case enter no 10 later I 1 learned it was his habit to take home from his office at 26 broadway work he had been unable to finish during the day I 1 never saw the senior rockefeller enter or leave no 4 0 4 0 another diversion for or this middle westerner when new in new york was to wander around madison avenue in the vicinity of no and hope for a glimpse of J P morgan not until several months of vain vigil did I 1 learn that though the telephone book listed that address as his mr morgan lived out at glen cove L 1 I 0 0 0 i with so many new yorkers looking around for a place to which to move at the end of september a tale told by carl ravel young ori chestra leader about a young friend seems in line darling said the friend as he rushed into his cifes arms we dont have to move to a more expensive apartment just raised the rent here i PL laker a recently phil baker received a novel gift a small glass vial via containing an odd looking insect it was sent to him by a vermont farmer with this note just so you can carry beetle and bottle around with you when youre not nol broadcasting 0 bell syndicate service |