The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-07-12
TO COST OVER A MILLION.
BIG BUILDING OPERATIONS IN THE
BUSINESS SECTION.
More New Edifices Going Up Than Ever.
Before at One Time-Nearly Every
Block Being Improved by Handsome
Business Structures.

och DUNG improved by Handsome
Business Structures.
1t is probable that never before in the his
tory of Washington was there as much build
ing going on in the business part of the CITY
as during the present summer Within the
area from Fifth to Fifteenth and from the
Avenue to H street there is scarcely a block
on which improvements of some sort are not
in progress. Most of the improvements are
entirely new business buildings, while several
Old buildings are being enlarged and modern
lied at cost almost equal to new BUILDINGS
Some of the new edices are among the largest
and most costly ever erected in Washington
by private individuals or companies, and when
they are completed they will add greatly TO
the architectural beauty of the city as well as
enhance the value of the property in the
sections in which they are located In fact,
the combined effect of all these new buildings
VIII be to make the business sections of Wash
lngCon almost like a new city. The change
IN the appearance of the streets will be espe-
cially striking along G street, between Tenth
and Fourteenth, and on Eleventh and
twelfth, between t and H. The gen
eral effect of these blocks will be completely
changed, and people familiar with them who,
lett here early in the spring will hardly be.
able to recognize them when they return in
the fall.
No more striking and substantial evidence
OF the rapid and permanent business develop
menu OF the city need be given than the re-
markable amount of building now going on in
the central section. 1t shows that Washing
ton mas left far behind the old era of proyin-
ciallsm in which the city languished for so,
long time, and that Washington merchants
and business men have fully awakened to the.
possibilities of the field and are resolved that
the business section shall not be behind the
beautiful residence section in architectural
beauty.
Ata very moderat estimate the cost Of the
buildings now in course of erection In the
section indicated will be fully 100000
This does not include, of course, the value of
the ground on which the buildings are going
up, WhlcHls more than a million additional
In all but few cases the work is being done,
under the supervision of Washington archi-
tects and by Washington contractors, who
have employed all summer an army Of work
men, skilled and unskilled, at good wages
This is an important item to be considered in.
It's effect on the general prosperity of the city.
The most noticeable improvement in the
business section is the massive structure of
the Washington Loan and Trust COMPANY.
which is rapidly nearing completion at the
southwest corner of Ninth and f streets. The
interior decorations only remain to be finished
before the building will be ready for occu
pancy The property upon which 1t is located
was purchased for $50 a foot aggregating for
the whole piece 100000. The cost of the
building itself is astimata1 Of
part of it which the Loan and Trust COMPANY
Will not utilize will be rented as Office rooms
The northwest corner of Eleventh and f
streets is now occupied by building which
Will be one of the most attractive on that
thoroughfare. 1t is being erected by Mr. Viii
liam Bruce Gray, the architect, for General
Henry Strong. The structure occupies a lot
33x56 feet in dimensions and will be six
stories in height. The exterior walls are con
structed of ornamental buff brick which give
it a striking appearance. The first floor will
be occupied by Mertz's drug store, which is
now located on the opposite corner 1t will
be fitted up in magnificent style. The re-
mainder of the building will be utilized for
Office rooms. 1t is estimated that the entire
cost of construction will reach nearly $40 900.
When the addition to W. B. Moses d5 Sons
bNAANihS VI ehO SOuouousJ COIQef OF Eleventh
and E streets is completed that firm will own
the largest retail furniture, carpet and uphol
stery establishment In the United States. ana.
as far as is known, the largest in the world.
The original building on the corner was 5OxlO0
feet, with two stories underground and seven
above. The Eleventh-street addition is the
same in size as the former one. The new wing
on street will have a frontage on f street of
20 feet, with depth of 100 feet, and will make
the entire building one-ifth larger than it is
at present. 1t will have one underground
story, with seven above. Every floor will be
on the same level and connect precisely with
the original structure. The construction is
being done by fifteen different contractors, un-
der the personal supervision of Mr.. w. B.
Moses. The size of this building, when the ad-
dition is completed, can best be conceived by
the statement that if the building was 25 feet
wide and one story in height it would extend
from the steps of the Treasury Department to
those OF the Pension Office at Fifth aud +
streets. The front of the new wing will cor
respond in every detail to the present build
ing. A. b. Mullett & Co. are the architects.
n