The Washington times., 1902-02-02
Most Noticeable in Recent
Real Estate Trans
ferS.
THEY SEEM TO Be IN DEMAND
Plans for Large Building on
Washington Heights.
1T WILL COST 100000
Local Capitalists in Company Or
sanized by weaver Bros. to Con-
struct It-Frame of Steel.


house in the real estate transactions and
in the building opera tions during the
present winter is enc of the most notice
able characteristics of the business sit
uation, and it is one that has been much
commented on by hranciers and real
estate men The city is following the
great metropolitan centres in its fond
ness for fat life.
AS an Illustration CT this, the only two
important transfers of property during
the past week were of apartment houses,
and the only new plans for large building
operations were also in this line. The
same has been true in many weeks.
Subjects of Discussion.
People who discuss the new develop
ment seem disposed to divide the subject
into two and perhaps three heads. There
is the business proposition, whether the
demand for such buildings has been sup
piled. and whether the present numerous
plans for new buildings will not oyerstock
the market. The second question. which
is liz reality a part of the first, is thar
of the people that live in the fats, the
question whether they furnish The most
convenient or comfortable or satisfactory
mode of life in other ways.
The third question has been brought
uD during the past week, and is likely to
be an important one. y Is as 10 whether
the apartment house OF the tller variety
is a good thing fer the architectural
beauty of the city. 1t is quite possible
that this last question will prove TO be
as important as the others in the near
future. The Senate District Committee
has very decided views oI the subject.
TransactIona of Past Week.
The transactions and TIE promises of
the past week are strong evidences that
builders ard real estate men at least do
not believe the apartment house fad" is
being oyerdone. One of the most i'm
portant new plans is for building 20 be
erected on Washington Heights by a
company of local capitalists organized. by
Weaver Bros. The building viii cost
900. it is estimated.
1t will be SO constructed and designed
as to be thoroughly UP to date in al
particulars. The site selected, at thc
southwest corner of Connecticut Avenue
and California Avenue, is not only spaci-
Gus, but as it is on the brow of the hill il
commands a wide and extended view OF
the city and the Rock Creek Park. With
frontage of 100 feet on Connecticut Ave
nue. and 100 on California Avenue. and
rising TO a height of eight stories, tbs
proposed structure will rank one OF
the largest of the kind in this city. The
entire frame will be of steel, and the
fov.s viii be fireproof.
Contract Awarded.
The architect of the building is Mr.. A.
b. Heaton. The contract for it's erection
has been awarded to Richardson & Bur
CESS.
The excavations have all been com
pleted for the Franconia apartment house
on Eighteenth Street. between l and X
be absolutely fireproof throughout, witt
electric elevator and lighting, hardwood
trimmings, marble wainscoting and fine
decorative work.
The plans show an excellent arrange
ment as TO light and ventilation. Every
room is practically an outside room.
Mrs. Lydia H. Tilton is the owner and
T. NJ Medford the architect.
Building Regulations.
An interesting question as to the build
ing regulations arose in planning this
building. In making application recently
requested that on account of the strong
and buttressed manner OF the south wall
making it, in his opinion, stronger than a
straight wall. permission be granted 10
make the walls eighteen inches thick,
with the proviso that Portland cement
he used.
The regulations allow a dead straight
wall of a height not exceeding sixty five
feet from grade to be eighteen inches
thick, while in walls above that height
a thickness of twenty-five inches is re-
quiTed In this case the building showed
q height of sixty nine feet from grade,
and by sinking the building in the ground
tour feet more the thinner walls would
be allowed. This would not lessen the
height of the building, but II would be less
height from grade and was not desirable,
Problem for Building Inspector
This was one Of the early problems that
confronted the new Building Inspector.
He readily recognized the substantial
manner of the wall and on its merits, as
he stated, saw no reason why permission
should not be granted, but ON the other
hand he was obliged to carry out the
regulations as they now stand and said
II was not his personal province to amend
them Besides there was danger of es-
tablishng the precedent 1t might be that
architects would purposely design long
walls with bay windows and recesses and
buttressed angles if allowed to make
them thinner.
Captain Harding, Assistant Engineer
Commissioner, stated shat from a prac-
tical. common-sense point there was no
getting away from the fact that vail
built with the indentations and return
angles, as shown, wss stronger than a
fus,. F,hf It.a l. oil rsofa raA
to the danger, il this were allowed, in
establishing such a precedent. Buildings
may be Intentionally designed in this
manner TO avoid thicker walls. In the
case Of this wall there were five project
ing buttresses, and the next man to ap-
ply for a permit might only have four or
three, and where TO draw the line would
De the puzzle.
Quality of Cement.
II is a question with some builders
whether the building regulations ought
not to make some distinction be-
tween a wall laid with nrst-class cement
and one where an Inferior material is
used as saving of space is quste an item
in the planning of structures. the allow
ance Of an eighteen-inch wall instead Of
a twenty-tgo-inch wall would be quite a
consideration.
One OF the notable transactions of the
week IN real estate circles was consum-