The Washington critic., 1890-02-23
MARCH OF COMMERCE
BUILDING BUSINESS BLOCKS ON
RESIDENCE STREETS.
Railroads Branching out-Boom in
Property In the Southeast Section
New Apartment House go Activity
in Real Estate Circles

in Real Estate Circles.
Negotiations are pending and nearly
completed for the erection In this city of
an apartment. house which will far ex-
Gel in cost, size and architectural ele-
gance any similar building In Wash
inglon. "The Dupont" as It will be
called, will outrank even the Shorehnm
as an apartment. house, and will ap-
proach in size and finish the elegant
flats Of uptown New York.
The proposed site Of The Dupont
is upon square 1876, north of and facing
Dupont Circle. The land Is owned by
Hon. William Walter Phelps and
affords most desirable location for
such a building, which will be eX-
clusively a private apartment house,
combining none of the features Of 70
hotel. The only reason why the ne
gotiatons have not been closed is be-
cause the projectors of the new enter
prise fear that square 13j Is not large
enough for the purpose. 1t contains
only $4,000 square feet, and IL was IN
tended to construct house Of 500
rooms.
1t is understood, however, the plans
have been modified somewhat and that
the purchase Of the property from Mr.
Phelps will be closed at once and work
begun.
The projectors are wealthy New
Workers who have formed syndicate
to give to this city a model apartment
house. The syndicate is said to have
$1,5O0,OO back Of 1t to carry out the
plans
For the past five years or more the
business centre of the city has moved
steadily away from Pennsylvania
avenue and Seventh street, westward
and along i street, naturally following
in the wake of the fashionable centre,
which every year has crept rapidly into
the northwest. The tide Of business
swept through i street, overhowinr
around the corners into Tenth,
Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth, up
Fourteenth and out Connecticut avenue.
Dwelling houses were transformed into
office and store rooms to make accom-
modations. Rents went up quickly,
and now stick at a high figure. But
| there are not even now acccommoda.
| tions for the volume of business which
! is surging up from Seventh street aud
| the Avenue The next residence street
which will be absorbed by the Tapl-
| cious advance OF commerce will be q
| street. o..
The movement has already begun.
The initial step will be taken by b. H.
Warder, who, as was announced in THE
CRITIC several weeks ago, will erect
$50, 900 business block at the south
west corner of Eleventh and G street
Three floors of the corner building will
be occupied, it is said, by Barbour 81
Ross, now doing business on Pennsyl-
vania avenue, between Ninth and
Tenth.
Opposite, on the northeast corner Of
Eleventh and G. streets, Mr.. Lewis J.
Davis is transforming a dwelling house
into store. Anticipating the advance
of business into the heretofore quiet
street, the price of property in this
square has jumped to $40 per square
foot. At the southwest corner of
Twelfth and G another business block
is scheduled for the early future.
Further westward, on the north side
Of G street, between Twelfth and Thir.
teenth streets, a big business block will
be built in the spring. Negotiation
are now completed for the purchase o
three lots, having a frontage of Co fee
with depth of SO, upon which tn
structure will be erected. The groun,
floors will be used as storerooms, ant
Office rooms upstairs.
Negotiations are now pending fol
further improvements at different point
along the street, and will be hastenej
by the probability of the near approach
of the extension of the lexington anC
Soldiers Home Railway from Fiftl
and New York avenue down Fifth tC
G and thence directly westward t.
Fifteenth street. The bill authorizing
the extension has passed the Senate and
is now in the House with excellen
chances for its passage.
The company is prepared to begir
| work as soon as they get their charter
, Horses will be used to draw the cars a
first, as no overhead electric motor wire
will be permitted by Congress in thi
portion of the city. The company vii
, substitute electricity as a motor just a
soon as perfected storage battery, un
derground wire or other adequate sys
TEN can be procured. The extension 0
E the railroad will insure the establish
ment of G street as business localit
TO take in the overflow from crowded
street
The increased activity of work at tn
+ WASHINGTON Navy lard, and the pres
cnce of large number Of workmen i
y the gunshops there has started sma
2 boom in real estate in southeast Wash
r ington. For some time past this boom ha
been anticipated and preparations mad
TO receive it. Many improvement
have been carried on in this section c
S the city, and considerable grading an
a street paving done. Messrs. Sands an
J. Kennedy will place on the market Nor
! day whole square which. has bee
: subdivided into small building lots, I
;, be sold for $3.50 and $500. Square 70
{ is the property, and is between Nj an
g n and First and Second streets soutl
G east.
The prospects for railroad from III
Cumberland coal fields TO this city al
y bright The House of Delegates of III
/. Maryland Legislature yesterday passe
Y the bill authorizing the use of the be
e of the c. & o. Canal for railroad.
IT the bill gets through the Senate aud
u signed by the Governor it Is probabl
, the Washington and Cumberland Raj
u l iOhu VIII AulLlGuLutCly ~ w W noA n idJ IL
|, the track This road would be of in
mense advantage to the city. 1t woul
bring an enormous amount of coal in
:. the city, cheaper the price of fuel, an
n restore Georgetown to its rank as a co
a port.
a A number of local capitalists are i
Ie terested IN the project, but at preset
o are "laying low" and keeping Vel
d quiet. They refuse to talk about Il
n plans for the future, as the chance f
Dc obtaining their charter is invested wi
a pronounced degree of precariOusne