Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-14
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Some Of the Conditions Prevailing in
the Market.
THE CARE GIVEN TO The PARKINGS
Features of Interest About the
Willard Hall Building
V RIO Us NJ TER s

y
are common in the experience of those who
live in cities The latter have not the ex-
tenSlVeN areas of land to prepare for the
coming harvest as those have who own
farms. nor even the extent of lawn and
garden about their houses which is found
about the average country home. Still, to
the dweller in the city, whose domain is
not more extensive than is found in the
parking in front of his house, there are
certain things which the coming of spring
brings to his attention
Unfortunately for the beauty of the s1r-
roundings of such homes this Is not true
OF the residents of most of the cities in this
country, for in the great majority the
fronts Of the houses come up close to the
line of the sidewalk and there is no space
left for those little lawns or parkings. as
they are called here, which found in
front OF practically every residence in the
city. Whatever the section of the city NAV
De or whatever may be the character of he
mouse. there Is still an opportunity for the
bit of green grass which adds so much TO
the beauty and attractiveness of the city,
Evidence of Civic Pride
AT this time of the year most household
ers have the parkinSs in front of their
houses resOdded or enriched with compost
or perhaps the fertilizer placed on it the
previous fall is removed. 1t is surprising
the care and attention, as well as the
money which is devoted by householders to
such a purpose. Sill, those spaces are tbs,
front door yards of their homes and nat
uraly they desire to have the appearance
as trim and neat as possible. The ground
however. is a part of the street and belongs
10 the public, not to the individual and il
is rather unusual when people are willing
70 spend money on the property of others
IhlS interest may be in the main Attributed
to sort of civic pride, and so this feature
OF the city. which is so unique and so nuch
aa al is as effective as it is pleasing. |
II these spaces were neglected the cfty
would nave n ragged appearance. |
Careless school Children.
Recently. owing to the action of the rnu-
nicipal authorities, the lawn space has been
enlarged by contracting the width of the
sidewalk along the wider streets. thus leay-
ing space between the curb and the walk |
These strips are also left to the care of the
householder. Owing to the proximity IN |
the sidewalk and the carelessness of the |
general public IT is more difficult to keen
them In good condition. People will walk |
over them But there is hope that the
younger generation will grow up to have
proper consideration for the rights of
DINERS and will avoid marring the beauty
OF the grass plots which fringe the streets |
Inc teachers in the public schools could
90 good deal by impreSsing upon the |
chiIdren the Importance of carefully observ- |
ing where they walk and run while in the !
s[tels- II mis- were more generally done |
II Is proDable there would not be as much |
complaint as Is sometimes heard about the |
dlSagreeableness of living in the vicinity of |
school buildings. 1t is claimed with rnncb |
justice. that the school buildings ought 70 |
be on the best streets and in the best local |
tues, Yet there is valid objection to the in I
TS1sion of handsome residence section for |
the selection OF site for school building |
or the continuance of a structure of rbis |
KIND in such locality. when it is known |
that the children are not restrained Will /
on the street, but are permitted to ca-tain |
~ not prevented fron-runnins over ter |
i. ana traTnping down the grass which |
Col. Denny's Residence
An attractive addition is to be made to |
the residences Of the city in the house
which Is 10 be built for Col Denny on the |
porth side Of N street between 18th and |
18th streets northwest. 1t is to he thirty |
feet IN width, and according to the MANS |
prepared by HornbEower and Marshall !
arcnlrects. II Is TO have an English base |
msnt. and the front is to be built of red
brick and stone, with terra Gotta The in |
terror arrangement will give some striking |
enects. as the house is to be large
An Avenue Improvement.
The lower floor of the building known as |
1907 and 1909 Pennsylvania avenue ia m |
be made into one large store and the unner
foors Will be occupied by D. ]. Kaufman, |
whose clothing establishment has been in |
one OF the buildings for some time mast |
The addition Of the adjoining building will
furnish much needed space BY the n1ans |
made by Marsh and Peter architects the
ehtlre frontage OF some fifty feet is to be |
one big show window. The device mas been
adopted Of placing the main entrance in the
center Of the front. some distance from The
street line. with the show windows con-
Eerslng toward II. There will be a recessed |
entrance with show windows on each side
The interior is to be remodeled and there |
VIII be a new ceiling and new staircase
An OId-Time Structure
Considerable interest was shown in the
work of tearing down Willard Hall build |
Ing, which was in progress during the week
both on account of the prominent location
OF that structure and because of its age 1t
was found that the workmen who almost |
ninety years ago laid the brick and did the |
carpenter work did not slight the task. and |
the result Is that even after the lapse of |
nearly century the walls were substantial |
and the entire structure was in good CON |
dition. The effect of the fire which at |
tackled the building four or five years ago
was seen in the charred roof timbers which
were left in place. as the flames had not
made sufficient progress to impair their
strength
An evidence Of the age of the building
was found IN the character of the roof |
trusses, which were made of hewn timber
framed with mortise and tendon and fast
ehed with wooden pegs. The nails used In |
securing the roof boards were handmade |
The joint in the side walls was found show
ing the addition in the rear of some twenty |
1852 I'll u '"e structure made In
IL was also discovered that the projec-
nons on each side Of the portico had been |
added after the building had been erected |
as the walls were not tied TO the main walls |
1t IS believed the port!co, with its pillars
were additions to the structure. made prob
ably before 1915. If the latter coniectTre is |
true the building. which put up about
the year 1910. was rather modest affair
II mad frontage Of 4s feet and a depth of
40 feet There were galleries about the
three sides, which We're removed the one
over the front entrance being substituted
when the general improvements to the
building We're made in the year 1852.
The Extension of 18th Street
The widening of 18th street extended as |
far north as Lydecker avenue has been |
completed, and those who live in that vi |
cinity, well the large number who |
this principal thorOughfare connecting |
the city with the country. are awaiting |
with a good deal of interest the action of |