Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-06-11
The Expensive Residence Site Now
Owned by Mr.. Letter.
ANOTHER LARGE APARTMENT HOUSE
Improved Type Of Architecture of
Local Public Buildings.
SOME IMP ROVEME NTS

| Over $ijO,O0O for a building site for a
| private residence will no doubt be consider
| ed pretty round sum of money for any
| enc man to expend for such purpose
| This is the amount that Mr. L. q. Letter
| has paid for the premises on which his resi-
| dence, fronting on Dupont Circle, is located.
The residence itself is large and impos-
| ing structure, and probably cost q good deal
| of money, but the above figures represent
what Mr. Letter paid for the land alone
The title to the entire tract, which COM
prises more than two-thirds of the square,
was acquired at different periods during the
past seven or eight years.
The Original Purchase.
In the year 1891 Mr.. Letter became the
owner of the lot on which the house is built.
| 1t has frontage of 40 feet on New Hamp-
| shire avenue, and extends through to 10Th
street with frontage on Dupont Circle
| 1t contains 1866 square feet, and the price
foot
The following year he bought the adjoin-
ing lot, fronting on 10Th street. containing
2lD square feet, and the consideration was
100 Per square foot. Two years later he
| became the owner Of the adjoining lot,
| fronting on New Hampshire avenue, con-
J tanning $50 square feet and the price was
1880 per square foot.
| Aia' al Seiuy Deel stated IN Inc Star,
| Mr.. Letter has just acquired lot which
| has frontage Of S3 feet on 10Th street and
o. 1eet on q street and adjoins on the north
| his present holdings. He now has the title
! square, for which he has paid the sum of
| sl52,2S, which is at the rate of $6OS per
| square foot.
A Costly Building Site.
| 1t Is certainly the most expensive resi-
| oence building site in the city. Mr. Letter
| intends to lay out this additional ground
| In an ornamental manner and erect a green
| house The property was purchased from
| the trustees of the estate of the late WILL
lam Walter Phelps, from whom Mr. Letter
| made his first purchase when Mr.. Phelps
| was the American minister in Germany
| Inc price OF this property has been well
maintained. Soon after Mr.. Letter bought
| the first lot Mr.. W. C. Whittemore pur-
chased the lot at the southwest corner of
New Hampshire avenue and Q street
| where he subsequently, erected the hand
| some house which he now occupies For
| the 6l2o square feet in this lot Mr.. White
| more PAID 80 per square foot, which was an
aggregate sum of $3O32O
A year or so ago a house was erect al on
| lot adjoining on the west the residence of
| Mr.. Whittemore, which is now under lease
10 me turkish minister, while couple of
| months ago lot on New Hampshire ave-
Eue between the Letter and the Whittemore
| houses was purchased by Mrs. Sallie 7.
| PostlethwaitE, who paid for the 2.G67
| squdre Ieet, $l3,GOO. which Is at the rate of
| d Httie more than IS per square foot. With
| the exceptions above enumerated. Mr.
| Letter now owns the entire square.
| New Apartment House.
The erection of the Olympia fire-proof
apartment house, has been commenced at
the southwest corner of 18th and Roanoke
streets. Columbia Heights, on lot 1O7x169
| 1eet. Mr. Oscar w. White, who recently
sold in connection with DR.. Zeno b. Bah
bitt, the Savoy, large apartment house
. Duiiding, north on 14th street, is putting up
| TINS building. DR.. Rabbit will devote
himself exclusively to his profession in the
| future, and has no interest in the OLYMPIA
Mr.. White adopted the name Olympia in
| nonor OF the boat by that name and his
| friend, the late Capt. Chas v. Gridley, who
commanded her in the Manila engagement.
as the flagship Of Admiral Dewey
| The Olympia will be seven stories high
| including the basement and will be built of
| steel construction, with walls of brick and
| stone. There will be four large octagonal
pay windows on Roanoke street, one at the
corner and two on 18th street Four of
] these bays will drop off at the fifth floor
| and the others will be continued I'D to the
top The building will set back on the
| ing and terrace on 18th and Roanoke
Streets and an alley will be provided on the
east of the building, thereby permitting
ilgnt and air on all four sides. The jani-
! tors quarters, billiard room, barber shop
store rooms, laundry, bicycle rooms, etc,
Will be In the basement, with three en-
| frances to same from Roanoke street, and
one from 14th street. The main entrance
| will be through large and handsome yesti-
| bule. There will be large lobby, finished
| In mosaic, marble and hard wood from
which there will be approaches to the Off
ces, elevator and two massive iron stair
ways, with slate treads The coat room
large public parlor, reading room and cafe
| will be on this floor.
Housekeeping Facilities.
The upper staircases will contain thirty
six apartments, ranging in size from three
to seven rooms each, exclusive of bath
| rooms, pantries and closets. The apart
! ments will be equipped for housekeeping.
with gas ranges, sinks, ETC., electric lights,
electric bells and the latest system of house
telephones, which take the place of speak
ing tubes: There will also be two dumb
walters, one at each end Of the building
and inclosed In closets, in the passageway
The dumb walters will be attended by a
man in the basement, and he will be called
by an electric bell which will register In an
annunciator in the basement.
The rooms will all be large, and eyery
room will have outside windows The
whole building will be finished in hard
wood. door and window frames win be
mitered the rooms will be handsomely pa
pered and decorated, and will be fitted with
attractive designs of combination gas and
/ oil IT. ~l%