Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-06
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Additions to the Ranks of People Who
Own Homes.
SOME PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS
General Interest in the Architecture
of Public Buildings.
V A lou S M A T T E r S


the city for the eight school buildings au-
thorized in the current appropriation bill
the District Commissioners continuing
the policy which was inaugurated a year
two ago. Up to that time the plans for
all structures erected for the local purposes
had been made In the office of the inspector
of buildings, and naturally variety in de-
sign was lacking. In order to bring about
an improvement the Commissioners deter
mined to invite architects In private prac-
tice to furnish plans for such buildings as
might be needed.
There was one drawback to carrying out
such a scheme, no provision had been
made for the payment Of the services of the
architects. 1t was found, however, that a
uniform amount of $500 could be paid in
the case of each building. Although that
compensation was less than 2 per cent of
the cost of the building, the schedule fee
allowed architects for such service be-
Ing per cent, the members of the profess
sion, without exception. decided to cooper
ate with the Commissioners in this effort
to improve the character of the public
buildings.
Satisfactory Results.
A number of structures have been put up
under this system and they have given sat
isfaction to the District officials as well as
to the citizens generally. 1t is not the ex-
pectation of Captain Beach, the Engineer
Commissioner, that the District will have
to continue much longer paying less for
such work than private citizens and 1t Is
believed that hereafter some provision will
be made which will recognize this outlay
among the items of the cost of the local
construction In the case of the building
for the new pumping station, the plans for
which were secured by competition, it was
found possible TO allow sufficient money for
payment
The policy of employing the aid of archi-
tectS in private business in the planning of
public buildings Is being carried out on a
larger scale by the general government
and now structures erected at public ex-
pense are built from plans obtained outside
of the supervising architects office. Only
Few months ago Hornblower & Marshall.
architects Of this city, were successful in a
competition for the plans Of the custom
house to be erected in Baltimore 1t is be-
!ieVed that as in the case of the local build
lngs, an Improvement has already been eff
fected In the character of the public struc-
lures throughout the country
Health Well as Beauty.
1t may be said that such Improvement
does not always consist Of mere outward
grace and pleasing effects, but in securing
the study of trained minds to the solution
OF the problem which IS presented in the
planning or every building-that is, how to
make most economical use of the space
suited to the purposes for which 1t Is in
tended and arranged 50 that there will be
the greatest possible distribution OF light
and air.
1t Is believed that the changes which
are above outlined in the policy that has
been pursued locally and generally indi-
cate that the people appreciate the beauti-
full and pleasing in architecture. and that
this Is a step In tire direction of securing
II In public buildings. In private work
however, the claim is made that people
prefer the snowy to the substantial and
they will select a house for their own
use which has a pretentious appearance
without looking into the character of the
construction. For this reason it Is urged
that a house which has cost more money
to build, but which presents a palmer APP
pearance than does It's neighbor is not so
much in demand. On the other hand it is
asserted by those who have some acuuaint-
ance with the market that while the cheap
~ built pretentious dwellings find a mar
ket there is also a demand for houses of
the opposite type.
To Enlarge a Church.
Since the opening of the Cathedral school
on the grounds of the Protestant Epis-
ccpal Cathedral foundation it is found that
st. Adams Church, which is located on
these grounds, is too small to accommodate
the congregation. Pupils of the girls
school attend the services, and while this
is the opening year, the attendance is
large one With the natural growth OF the
school, 1t is thought the demand upon the
parish church is likely to be still greater
A movement is on foot to raise funds for
the enlargement of the present edifice. 1t
Is proposed to extend the TRANSCRIPTS which
will Increase the seating capacity without
making essential expensive changes in
the present structure.
Farther to the north on the Tenleytown
road is the building which has been erected
by Mr.. l.. L. Hooper for a boys school
and which also begins this year under
favorable circumstances.
bought for Homes.
Some Indication of the condition Of the
real estate market, or. at least, OF some of
its phases, may be found In the experience
of Mr.. W. E. Shannon. real estate broker
On the Sth of September he offered for sale
row of seventeen two-story siX-room
houses on Thomas street, which is just off
Of 1st street northwest leading to the Sol
dierS' Home grounds. He states that he
has sold every one of the houses with the
exception of two, and that while the pur-
chasers were given the option of making a
small cash payment the great majority in
creased this amount. The houses were sold
for 1876 each.
Suburban Building.
Pans for the enlargement of the post
Office building near the Chevy Chase circle
have been made by A. B. Heaton and w. b.
Wood, associated architects, so as to pro-