Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-04
MRS. sPENceR's RESIDENCE.
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP,

REAL ESTATE GOSSIP.
Large Sums Of Money Paid for Building
Sites.
THE GRADUAL CHANGE THAT rs GOING ON IN
SOME OF THE RESIDENT SECTIONS OF THE
oIrY-H1eH PRICED BUILDING LoTs-orHER
MATTERS OF INTEREST.
A MOTHER LARGE, HANDSOME RESI-
IA dence is to be built on Dupont Circle. The
building site secured by Mr.. L. z. Letter is of
ample dimensions and it is stated that plans
are now being prepared for a house
which when completed will be fea-
ture even in that locality of fine residences.
Stone will be the material used and the design
is understood to be pleasing and effective ex-
ample of the italian renaissance. At any rate
the house will be worthy of the location, which
is conceded to be one of the most desirable in
the city. 1t is more than corner lot, as in ad-
dition to the frontage of some lao feet on
New Hampshire avenue and on 18th
street the lot faces Dupont Circle
and has a southern exposure of some forty
three feet. Owing to the wedged shape char
Hcter OF the lot it contains a greater number of
square feet than these dimensions would indi-
cate. There no less than 1900 square feet
Of ground, which tue owner, alr. William Wal
ter Phelps, our minister to Germany, decided to
MIR. Letter, in consideration OF the payment
Of the sum OF $4,000. This is at
the total amount may be regarded rs
pretty large sum to pay for one building lot.
There is no doubt about that. but as prices go
in this city it is not extraordinary price.
Only last September Mr.. J. Fairfield Carpenter
paid ss3,527 for building site. This
h. 81
and 10th street and is portion of
the grounds surrounding the Louise
Home. Mr.. Carpenter paid for the 13, 361
square feet contained in this lot 81 per foot.
Higher prices per foot have been paid for
property in the resident sections of the city.
The US Service Club paid SO per foot for
the lot at the southeast corner Of Connecticut
avenue and l street, where a club house
is now being built The lot, how
ever. is only 50x121. Around the corner
in the adjoining block, fronting Farragut
Square, Capt A. c. Tyler is erecting fine resi-
dence on the site of the home of Secretary
Tracy. He paid $50, $50 for this ground, the
dimensions OF which are 40 by 100 feet. That
is at the rate of nearly 81 per foot. The ground
at the northeast corner of 10th and streets,
where Mrs. Chandlee is building a fine residence,
cost her $4,000. and as the lot is more than
100 feet square. the rate per foot was about
$500. This may appear to be good deal to
pay for residence site, but the property at
the southeast corner of 10th and l streets
brought higher price. The present owner,
Robert J. G. Walker paid s65,0OO for it and
it is only 75xl00 feet with some background
the price per foot was about $3.50. Mr.. Alex
ander Graham Bell, the well-known inventor Of
the Bell telephone, and his cousin. Charles J.
Bell. paid between $4,000 and $4,000 for a
building site. For'this money they secured
frontage Of 125 feet on Connecticut avenue just
south Of Dupont Circle, which was
at the rate of "a per foot. Mr.. Charles J.
Bell is now erecting fine residence for him
self on portion OF this ground. Ex-senator
Van WICK paid, at auction, about s33, 600 for
the triangular square fronting on Dupont
Circle, where the church building stands. 1t
contains, 5.673 square feet, and the rate per
foot was $3.50.
For the lot adjoining the Blaine house and
fronting 81 feet on Massachusetts avenue and
extending through to p street Miss Litchfield
paid $4,000. a handsome residence is being
erected there. On the corner opposite at Mas
sachusetts avenue and goth street, where the
residence of Mr.. Hunt stands, S27 800 was
so by 100 feet and the price was
$3.50 per foot. There are number
of other instances where large sums of money
have been paid for building sites in the resi-
dent sections Of the city. In the majority of
the cases mentioned fine improvements have
been made, which will no doubt have the effect
of maintaining the prices paid and Of enhanc-
ing values in the immediate vicinity.
CHANGING RESIDENCE PROPERTY.
A sale of considerable importance has just
been closed by Hodges l. Teel real estate
agents. They have sold for Mr.. W. 8. Teel his
residence on the west side Of 18th street be-
tween H and 1 streets. The purchasers
we're Harvey L. Page and others and
the price paid was abou. s6.75 per
foot. The property has frontage Of
thirty feet and an average depth of liz feet to
oil il, tha int of fha
ers to remodel the present building. Mr.. Page
will remove his Office there, and provision will
be made for other Office rooms. This location,
which was for a number Of years exclusively
resident section OF this city, is changing by
degrees.
The Richmond Hotel occupies one Of the
corners of 18th and H streets. On the oppo-
site corner is a new fiat building, the Albany,
and on another corner is the Metropolitan
Clab building. The project has been dis
cussed, but no definite conclusion has been
reached, of building a club house at the north
west corner Of 18th and / streets. A square
further north on Connecticut avenue-the Sec
ton from X street to NJ streets now pretty
we'll given up to business and it is likely that
this movement will continue.
MR.. coFFEY's RESIDENCE.
Plans are being prepared by Mr.. Harvey L.
Page, architect, for a large handsome residence
which Mr.. Titan J. Coffey will build on K
street between COnnectlcut avenue ana lotn
streets The house will have an ample frontage
and the design will be in the colonial style Of
architecture. Brick and stone will be the
materials employed. and the exterior, while
plain in details, will present an effective
appearance.
MRS. sPENCERs RESIDENCE.
The residence Of Mrs. Sara Spencer, 1923 9Th
street northwest, is to be remodeled and beau
titled A. E. Middleton, the architect, has pre-
pared the plans, which combine variety Of
artistic features, at the same time paying due
attention to convenience comfort and general
harmony of effect The house was originally
built and owned by the late William Stickney,
from whom the Spencers purchased 1t in 1869.
1t overlooks the square formerly owned by ex-
Senator Sprague OF Rhode Island, which is now
being handsomely improved by the erection OF
residences by Mr.. T. +. Schneider. The new
building will be three stories in height 221S
feet in width and IS feet in depth. Press brick,
with trimmings Of rock-faced brown stone from
the Hummelstown quarries, will be the mate
rails used There will be q bay projection,
which will continue to the third story, where
there will be balcony, surmounted by q ,.,ep
gable with brown-stone coping and final and
slate roof. Tho projection making the main
entrance is finished with open balcony.
The outer vestibule, paneled and coruiced in
OAK and foored with granolith, leads through
the inner vestibule to o charming reception
hall, with open fireplace. The conservatory,
7xl0 feet east Of the back parlor iC visible from