Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-18
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
The Encouraging Conditions and
Prospects Of the Market.
SUBSTANTIAL CHARACTER OF VALUES
The Great Development Of the City
and Its Suburbs.
AMBITIOUS ARCHITECTURE

predicted that the coming fall will witness
an appreciable increase in the volume of
business and, of course. II this is realized
to any extent and business throughout the
country is improved the influence will be
felt here. AS 1t is. the state of the local
real estate market Is such as to warrant
the statement that a marked improvement
has already taken place, with the prospect
that the near future will witness a still
greater development. The stress Of the
hard times through which the country has
passed has demonstrated that Washington
real estate is on more substantial founda-
tons than in any other city in the country.
There is, perhaps. no place where values
have remained frmer and where, in fact.
values are as real and genuine as is the
case with Washington real estate.
There are many reasons why this is the
case, and. perhaps, not the least important
among the many that might be mentioned
is the conservative yet progressive policy
which has marked the material develop
ment of the city. Washington has passed
through the experience of boom periods
just as other cities have, and has succeed
ed in making the creditable record of not
havirg gone to extremes. Prices have ad-
vanced under the influence of prosperous
times. but the future has always demon
There have been practically no slump in
prices, and even at this period the values
which prevailed before the depression re-
main practically unchanged.
The City's Development.
During the past five or six years there
has been a remarkable material growth
and development. The population of the
section within the old municipal lines has
wonderfully increased, whole squares and
sections OF. unimproved land have been
built up, millions of dollars have been in
vested in improvements of various kinds
while outside the old city limits the subur-
ban development has been something I'M
precedented In the history of cities. With
in marvelously short time the limits of
population have been pushed out from the
center of the city, passing the bounds of
the District and extending into the states
of Maryland and Virginia for a distance of
at least twenty miles. This great territory.
which is easily double that of the area of
s!xty-six square miles within the bounds of
the District, is all now practically one with
the city and tributary to the city.
The future opens-up to the-mind's eye of
competent and conservative judges pros
pect of still greater development and
growth. In the light of the progress of the
past and the prospects OF the future, such
d measure which the Commissioners are
ow completing and which provides for the
extension of the plan of the city over the
entire area within the bounds of tine Dis
trict, is looked upon not only as desirable,
but Il necessity, TO provide for the grow
ing needs of the city. a few years ago the
idea that the territory within the old
bounds of the city was not sufficient to
supply the needs of the population for
years to come would have been thought alb
sUrd, If not chimercal The actual facts of
the city's growth point so Enthusiastically to
It's future continued prosperity that there
is no possibility Of doubt.
The Building Operations.
One of the favorable conditions of the
present time is the steady progress in build
ing operations. While these have not been
as extensive as in the past few years. still
there has been and is an encouraging volume
of business. which Is gradually increasing.
The extension of electric railroads and
their relation to the development Of the
suburbs is being made evident 1t is thought
by many that the future development will
lie largely along the lines of these roads.
The opening of streets under the street ex-
tension law will also be decided aid in
this direction, as it will furnish new and
needed thoroughfares connecting distant
parts of the District with the business CEN
ter of the city.
Ambitious Architecture.
Reference has been made in this column
to the tendency which prevails among
mousse builders IN tnlS city 10 keep up with
the procession in the design and In the con-
struction of houses There is hardly a fea-
ture of a house built for the occupancy of a
man of large means which cannot be found
reproduced in the houses of those who have
only moderate incomes. If rich man has
stained glass i'll his front door and uses 1t
for the transom lights Of his windows, the
same feature is introduced in the smafl
house.
hard wood. cabinet mantels, electric ap-
pliauces, white and gold parlors and the
use of stone in the front. This practice is
CON mendable when not abused and made
absurd. II was suggested when the Cor
coran house was remodeled and the front
iOO- was made to open into the carriage
drive at the side, that, unless the space
absolutely prohibited IL, no doubt similar
feature would be adopted in the erection. of
two-story six-room houses. There are no ex-
amples as yet of the truth of this predic-
ton, but there is a house recently remodel
ed which contains a reproduction of the
proportions Of classic portico. This por-
tico resembles. except in its proportions.
the one on the south front of the patent
office. Perhaps some enc Will be curious
TO know how IL would be possible in
house having a frontage of only about
twenty-five feet to find space to attach the
columns and pediment OF classic portico,
but ii has actually been accomplished and
stands today a witness of what can be
the courage to make an attempt.
The Building Record.
During the week ending yesterday TWEEN
ty-two building permits were issued by
the inspector of buildings for the erection
Of new dwellings at a total estimated cost
Of 81, 100. The permits were divided as
follows: Northwest, three permits, $4,000;
southwest, thirteen permits, $1,000, and the
county with seven permits, at an aggre-
gated cost of s.. leo.
The erection of ten two-story dwellings
has been planned by Il. f. leighton, at
Nos 4s9 TO JJI n street southwest. These
dwellings will each be bulk of red b-lch
Is feet deep. ~ feet high and 10 feet trent,
by F. S Carmcdy.
j. Il. Lloyd will shortly build handsome
dwelling at 1855 street northwest. 1t
will BE- built of pressed brick, two stories
high with cellar. 81 feet deep. 10 feet front
and 20 feet high, by +. J. Ettinger A Bros.
Col Geo. Truesdell will rebuild the Eek
ington Hotel, which was destroyed short
time ago by fire. The contract for rebuild
ing the hotel has been awarded to W. c.
Morrison. who will erect q frame addition
31x59 feet, three stories high. at an esti-
mated cost of $4,000. Jas. G. Hill is the
architect
Henry A. Browne- has planned the cree
lion of fifteen dwellings, Nos 24OI 70 2Io2