Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-07
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Site Selected for Proposed
Continental Hall.
AN OLD TIME LOCALITY
SOME CURRENT TRANSACTIONS
IN HOUSES AND LOTS.
What is Being Paid for Homes and for
Building Sites in Various
Sections.

1t is expected that by the end of the pres
ent month all the buildings owned by Sec
rotary Hay at the southeast corner of Con-
necticut avenue and L street will be re-
moved and that the work of preparing the
foundations for the large apartment house
to be erected there will be commenced. The
undertaking is one of magnitude and it Is
not expected by the architect, Mr.. James
G. Hill, that the structure will be ready for
occupancy before the expiration of year
and half from the present time.
Clearing the site will take some time, as
there are some fifteen buildings to be re-
moved. There are seven three-story houses
on l. street to be taken down, the large resi-
dence at the corner of Connecticut avenue
the store adjoining and five dwellings occu-
plying the balance of the frontage on Con-
necticut avenue The frontage of this hold
ing on Connecticut avenue is 314 feet and on
L street 1913 feet The new building is to
cover the entire area practically, although
a courtyard of unusual size will be left in
the front so as to insure an abundance of
light and air. There are to be eight stories
and the construction will be freproof 1t
is estimated that the cost of the building
alone will be at least 100000.
Continental Hall Site.
A committee of the Daughters of the
American Revolution determined this week
the selection of site for the build
ing which it is proposed to erect
in this city for the use of that organiza-
ton. The funds are on hand and all that
was necessary was to come to some deter
mination as to the location. This was not
as easy a matter as many might suppose.
although it is generally thought the strug-
gle to procure the money is the most siren
uous feature of such an undertaking.
But in the case of a society like the
Daughters of the American Revolution, with
a membership running up to GO,000, it is
possible to accumulate large sum of money
in a short time. The society has on hand
for the purchase of a building site some
$4,000. 1t is troublesome, sometimes. when
one has the money, to get exactly what is
wanted, and that has been the difficulty in
the present instance. In the first place it
Is necessary that the location should be n
central one, and in the second place that
there should be room enough to put up d
structure containing a hall with seating
capacity of about 1000.
The decision reached to place the new
structure on 18th street just south of the
Corcoran Art Galley building is recognized
as accomplishing very fully the objects in
view.
A Neglected Locality.
The location chosen by the Daughters of
the American Revolution as the site of the
proposed building which will be the head
quarters of that organization in this city
marks what is believed to be another stage
in the development of the section Of the
city south of Pennsylvania avenue and
west of 18th street. For years that To-
cality has been left behind in the march of
modern improvements or thrust to one SIDE
and 1t seemed that a restoration was i'm
possible. AT one time it was one of the
artistocratic quarters of the city but that
q M M ttpr
of tradition and not of personal knowledge
to those of the present generation.
Slowly but surely an Improvement in con-
ditions has taken place. Perhaps the most
striking change was taken when the trus-
tees of the Corcoran Art Gallery decided
upon the site now occupied by the splendid
marble building which is now the home
of the art treasures. Then came the ex-
tension of the Pennsylvania avenue line of
street cars through this section, which was
followed by the erection of many new
buildings, especially dwellings, and recent
ly apartment houses. Those who have not
been in that quarter for some years would
see surprising changes.
The Price Paid.
1t is likely that 18th street will become an
important thoroughfare If the plans of the
parking commission are adhered to, as the
proposed entrance to the memorial bridge
is to be in line with the Washington monu-
undoubtedly be 18th street.
The site selected for the Continental Hall,
as the headquarters building Of the daugh
tiers is called, will be the square just north
of what is known as Van Ness Park. There
is one square between this location and
frontage of the square on 18th street. over
800 feet, has been secured, and there are
also ample frontages on the other two
streets For the $4,000 square feet there
gate being little over $4,000. 1t is safe
to say that the ladies have got more land
for their money by going where they did
than they could possibly in any other sec
in location The sale was made through
w. H. Acker and ]. Eakin Gadsby, real
estate brokers.
The Care of Lawns
Most people in making their plans for
the summer. in the event that these in
volve going away from the city for the sea-
son. make some arrangement for the custody
of their houses during their absence In
some cases an important detail is entirely
neglected, and that is the proper care of
the lawns in front Of their houses. These
bits of grass, which add SO much to the
attractiveness of the residences and to the
city in general, become overgrown with
rank weeds, and in place of the trim, we'll
kept, velvety stretches of lawns, a wilderness
grows up that is all the more forlorn be-
cause of the contrast with the cared-for
grass spaces belonging to neighboring
houses
Generally speaking, the lawns in front
of houses that are closed for the greater
portion Of the hot season are kept smooth
and are watered and attended to just as is
done when the owners of the houses at
home. This is contribution of good citi-
zenship which ought not to be omitted, for
in this way the attractiveness of the resi-
dence streets Is maintained during the hot
visitors who take advantage of the leisure
Of the summer time to visit the national
capital.
Sales Of Real Estate.
Moore & Hill, real estate brokers, have
made the following recent sales: For Jesse
H. McCalley. 123 7th street northeast, for