Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-23
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Spacious Building Sites in the City
for Residence Purposes.
EXAMPLES OF HOUSE ARCHITECTURE
Improvements in Progress in Vari-
Gus Sections of the District.
6 E n L r A l. NJ A T. 7 E r S

An interesting feature of the week in the
real estate market was the purchase of a
spacious building site on the north side
of Massachusetts avenue between nth and
18th streets. This transaction was of con-
sequence, not only because of the price
paid, but by reason of the bearing which
1t will have in the future on property in
that locality, and also because of the prece-
dent thus established. 1t is understood the
new owner of this property, Mr.. wayne
Mac Neagh, intends to erect there a resi-
dence for his own use.
He has very wisely, it is thought, Sc
cured building site of generous proper
lions, so that he can build good roomy
house and at the same time retain con-
troll of the light and air on his own prem
lSeS. This latter feature is important es-
pecialy in this latitude, where during a
large portion of the year the essentials of
a comfortable home are largely determined
by the facilities for getting hight and ar
Inc lot mas frontage Of seventy feet and
an average depth of lG1 feet to d wide al
ley. while on one line the depth is stiI
greater. As the total price paid, $ijUO,
averaged 1896 per square foot, 1t will be
perceived that the rather unusual depth
Tor city lot was not in this case a draw
back.
Plenty of Room About IL House.
The fashion of having spacious building
sites is not an unusual one here On the
same block just to the north there was a
somewhat similar purchase recently made
by the Misses Cummings of this city who
have about completed the erection there of
a handsome residence. The lot is seventy
two feet wide, but the depth is not so great
extending back only some hundred feet to
an alley. There Is d space of ten feet re-
served on the east side Of the house and
thirty feet on the west side. SO that win
dows can be opened on each side 1t is also
possible, under this arrangement, to carry
back the house ITS fun width the entire
depth OF the lot, so that the interior has a
sweep of about 100 feet from front to rear
Inc mouse Is, therefore, entirely detached,
and light and air can be obtained from the
four sides.
The growing attention which is given to
this feature OF domestic architecture shows
that this city is becoming more and more
residence place for those who stay here
the greater portion of the year. 1t is found
that the early fall months and the latter
part Of the spring and early part of the
summer are attractive seasons of the year
to be here.
The Suburban Tendency.
There used to be a notion that Washing
ton was only a winter residence, or ra her
so to a large extent. but it is evident that
pand the period of their stay here. For this
reason such a change as above noted in
the character of house architecture has
taken place, and to the same cause is also
due the marked tendency toward homes in
the suburbs of the city. Additional i'm
petus will be given to the suburban move
ment, it is believed, by the improvements
which have been made in the street car
service. One of the indications of the COM
ing season is that there will be considerable
activity in suburban property, and already
investors are looking around for tracts of
land which will be available for subdi-
visions.
A Handsome Residence.
Work has been commenced for the exca-
vations, foundations and the grading for a
residence for Mr.. Frederick A Miller L. S
n, retired which will be numbered 2201
Massachusetts avenue, being on the north
west corner Of 22d street Kalorama
Heights.
The plans for the house are now being
prepared by Mr.. Paul j. PelZ architect and
show novel development for a residence.
The lot Is a truncated right-angIe triangle
with 80 feet base on Massachusetts avenue,
running 1o feet north to an alley, with am
pie parkings on the avenue and street. The
plans contemplate a pronounced develop
ment of the drawing room and dining room
as semi-circular projections from the body
of the house, terminating in tall roofs with
intermediate outline" feature 1t will
show a high stone basement, a principal
and two bedroom stories within the square
of the house, with an attic in the roof re-
ceiving light from dormer windows. The
material will be light deep-rock Amherst
stone and mottled old-gold Roman brick,
with greenish gray slate roofs with copper
finals, a somewhat similar scheme of color
adopted in the Foraker house, designed by
the same architect. The style of the house
will be the early French chateau style
within the limitations of fitness for a pri-
Vate dwelling.
The Loire valley in France contains many
examples of this charming style, which
represents the union Of the newly reborn
classic with the ultra refined late Gothic
of the provinces of the kingdom Of France,
which in exquisite elegance, charm and pic
turesqueness is only equaled by the some
what earlier Italian revival of the classic.
The latter excels it in detail only. being
closer to the source from which the re-
naissance emanated, viz, the Old Roman
ruins. The French architect, with his
Gothic traditions and training, gave the
world a perfectly unique evolution, which
has been source of artistic study and in
spiration ever since. Mr.. Pelz has given
us already an example of how he interprets
this style in the house of Mr. S. NJ. Jones'
1I22 Massachusetts avenue, which is now
being completed, and which is built N
block, but has generous frontage.
Located Capitol Hill.
Plans are being prepared for a large
structure which will be occupied by the
Catholic institution conducted by the Sis
tiers of Mercy. and now located in the
building known as $40 East Capitol street.
1t will be located the site recently pur-
chased by the institution at the juncture of
North Carolina avenue, E and LIST streets
and New Jersey avenue southeast. The
coming together of these avenues forms the
wide space which is known as Garfield
Park. and the new structure, the designs
of which are being prepared by Mr.. John
S. Larcombe, under whose supervision the
building will be erected, will overlook this