Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-05
The Proposed Theater Site on Lafay-
cite Square.
'ROFIT ON THE BLAINE PROPERTY
A Change From a Residence to a
Business Section.
SOME IMP ROYEMENTS


on LAFAYETTE square is to be torn down and
a theater building erected on the site has
created more comment than is usual in
cases OF property changes. This Is due to
several causes, not the least of which Is
the public interest in the building itself,
which is associated with historic events
and was the home OF two great Secretaries
of State. There is another phase of the
transaction which has attracted the atten-
ton OF people who don't care much about
historic places, Or the events of the past,
but who take the lveliestfkind of interest
in what Is happening today, and what Is
likely to happen tomorrow. especially as
such things affect property values.
To this class the location of theater on
this site is regarded as slgnlncant OF the
future OF the entire locality. 1t is evident
to these keen observers that the erection Of
a theater building will be a further step In
the process that has been going on for
several years past, and which is gradually
Transforming this locality from choice
resident section into a business section
This change has already been effected on II
street between 18th and Vermont avenue
and along 18th street, and for some time
past 1T has been lingering on the edge OF
the Lafayette Park section. There Is no
doubt in the minds of many that the plunge
has been made and that the Transforming
process is now going on.
A Steady Appreciation.
From a sentimental standpoint rather
than from any substantial consideration,
this change is to be deplored. 1t will re-
suit in the destruction or the TRANSFORMED
ton OF buildings Of historic interest, and
in the loss OF a desirable locality for resi-
dence purposes. 1t will be accompanied.
however. by an appreciation of property
and by an expansion OF the business IN
terests of the city.
The financial history Of the Blaine prop
erty which runs back nearly half CEN
fury. shows a steady advance In values.
1t has had but three owners. and so 1T is
quite easy to follow the record of the va
rious transfers. The house was built by
Commodore Rogers some years prior to
1850, and in the ffties 1T was purchased
by A. d. Stoughton for $23Coo The prop
erty remained in the possession of Mr..
Stoughton and his heirs until the year
1883, when it was purchased for Mr.. Blaine,
the price being S,:5 o8a. 1t had been occu-
pied by one of the offices OF the govern
ment for a number Of years ard prior to
that time had been leased as a club house,
and so consequently at the time MIR. Blaine
dc cided upon 1T for his home the building
was badly in need of repairs. This fact
was considered in the negotiations Mr..
Blaine expended the sum of $4,000 in i'm
provements upon the property. AT first
he leased the property, WIN the privilege
of purchase, and it was not until 1891, some
three years after the lease had been made,
that the purchase deeds We're placed on
record.
The Exact Figures.
AS has been already stated in The Star,
the property has not been sold to the syn
dictate that intend to erect theater build
ing, but through the agents of Mrs. Blaine,
Messrs. Fitch. Fox & Brown, lease has
- v..,,
years. The annual rental. or ground rent,
as it is known in other cities where this
system of handling property is more COM
mon than it is here. is usually based on
the market value of the property. 1t is
understood that the valuation of the prop
erty is about 100000. This shows quite an
advance over the figures of six years ago.
AS the property contains nearly 10000
square feet on that basis the valuation is
about $40 per square foct.
The adjoining property to the north,
which is owned and occupied as a resi-
dence by Senator Cameron, was purchased
by Mr.. Cameron some two years prior to
the purchase made by Mr. Blaine. He paid
for this property the sum of $6SO0O, and,
like Mr. Blaine, he spent quite a large
sum Of money in improvements and alter
atoms.
The Kennedy Residence.
A handsome residence on California ave-
pleted for DR.. and Mrs. c. Ulrich Kennedy.
The house does not occupy the entire 'front.'
age of fifty feet of the lot, and hence there
is space left for side wn. Select rough
red brick. with red sand stone trimmings,
are used in the construction of the walls,
and the architects, A. B. Mullett & Co.,
have aimed to give a colonial feeling to the
design. The Vestibule, which is protected
by oak storm doors filled with beveled plate
glass, is tiled with mosaic and has an oak
wainscoting. The entrance hall is wide
and Is ornamented with grilled screen
the floors are laid with maple and mahog
any border. From the reception hall a
large staircase leads to the upper stories.
The dining room is oval shaped, and large
porch. There is also an entrance into the
reception hall from the porte cochere. The
upper floors are conveniently arranged and
the bath room Is tiled.
Building Record.
The building Inspectors record for the
past week, ending yesterday. shows that
seven permits were taken out for the cree
ton of new buildings, eggregating in cost
$40, 100. This was divided among the sew
eral sections of the city as follows: North
west. five permits $4,000: southwest, one
permit, 81 ,O0O and the county, one permit,
500.
Some improvements.
The inspector of buildings has issued
permit to Ann E. Stewart for the erection
of a two-story fiat at numbers 1907 and
1909 H street northwest 1t will be 3Sx40
feet, built of pressed brick, with the first
story occupied by stores. j. Blake Clark
is the architect and builder.
F, P. Serrin has planned the erection of
four brick dwellings at numbers 1921 and
1923 Virginia avenue and 1912 and 2314 G
street northwest. They will be two stories
in height, 12x32 feet. J. B. Kleindienst Is
the architect and builder.
Joseph Manning will shortly commence
the erection of a brick dwelling at $50 I'd
street southwest. 1t is to be two stories
high, 15x45 feet, and built by Joseph Man
ming.
Plans for thirty-one houses. to be erected
on Quincy street northeast between list and
%, @ aud r streets, have been prepared
by L.. E. Dessez, architect. They are to
te two stories and cellar, 1Sx50 and 1Sx63.
with bay windows. fronts of pressed brick
and Hummelstown stone.
Francis 6 Schneider have prepared plans
for a block of five houses, to be erected on
totueeD 9th and 9TH streets mort h.