Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-15
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
An Office Building to Be Erected on
G Street.
The NORTH CAPITOL STREET SECTION
Some of the Conditions Now Found
in the Market.
L CTION OF HOUSES

An attractive addition to the business
buildings on G street between 18th and 10Th
streets northwest is to be built by David
son & Davidson, the real estate brokers'
The number will be 1413 G street and the
new structure will adjon on the east the
West End Bank building. The design of
the structure which was made by George
S. Cooper, architect, provides for five
story office building, and it is expected that
the contractor, Mr.. John H. Nolan. will
have 1t ready for occupancy by the list of
October.
Covering the entire lot, the new structure
will have a depth of ninety feet and
frontage of twenty-eight feet four inches
Maynard sandstone laid in ashlar courses
to the sill of the second story will be used
and the front will be finished to the cor
nice with gray brick, Roman size. A cop
per cornice will finish the design of the
front. At the second and third stories the
front will be recessed, and this feature
will give pleasing variety to the ex-
terror.
The front portion of the first floor Will
be occupied by the owners by their own
offices, and in the rear will be three Offices
There is to be a vault in the basement
and also In the front office of the first
floor. The latter will be lined with enam-
eled brick and faced with the same ma
terial. In each of the four upper stories
will be seven office rooms. The stairway
will be built entirely Of iron with slate
treads and ornamented iron railing. The
elevator shaft will be inclosed in grille
work of special design Hardwood will be
used in the in terror finish, and the building
will be heated by steam and lighted by
electricity, and there will be double floors
throughout
Row of Fifteen Houses.
Quite an extensive improvement will be
do IN bo
Dobbins' addition to Washington Mr. Ray
E. Middaugh has purchased of Joseph
Paul the entire frontage on list street
northwest between W ard Albany streets,
and viii! Immediately begin the erection of
ntteen thrae-story ana cellar dwellings, al
an estimated cost of $4,000. The block
VIII have frontage of 500 feet, and each
mouse Will be twenty feet wide by sixty
two feet deep. The plans, which have been
prepared by Mr.. B. Stanley Simmons, arch
ltect, present an attractive and varied de-
sign in the fronts, which will be composed
OF Roman mottled brick and Portage red
stone. Special attention has been given to
the main entrances and approaches. which
will be richly carved and massive.
Square, octaSon and circular bay win
dows will alternate in the front, terminal
ing at the third story which will be finish
ed above with steep, overhanging, Span
lsn uled roof. The first stories will be
trimmed in oak and contain parlor, recep-
ton hall, dining room, kitchen and pan
tries, the upper stories being devoted to
SIX bed rooms and bath.
Evidences of Good Times.
The advance in the price of practically
all classes of building materials which took
place during this spring was looked upon
at that time as a substantial indication of
the return of better times. 1t was argued
that If the dealers in these classes of goods
felt the market was strong enough to
stand what in the majority of cases was
practically restoration of the prices which
had prevailed prior to the financial depres-
sion it might be looked upon as an evidence
that normal conditions had been restored.
For several years past the struggle for a
bare livelihood rather than profit character
lied nearly all lines of business. Prices of
building materials had been forced down
to such point, it is claimed that it was
impossible to pay good wages, and even
then there was nothing for the dealer ex-
cept living, and sometimes the books
showed balance on the wrong side.
Advance in Prices.
This spring, however as stated, the out
look was SO promising that a gradual res
toration of prices was begun accompanied
by the payment of better wages.
The extent of the advance has been va
riously estimated, some putting it as high
vailed during the hard times. One case
however, is mentioned, which is no doubt
typical to considerable extent of a bid
of S3,400 made last fall for the erection of
a house. No contract was made, as the
owner decided not to go on at that time