The Washington times., 1902-08-03
Many Large Deals Put
Through in Month
of July.
MONEY FOR INVESTMENT I
Buildings Under Construction Keep Me-
chanics Busy-Office Structures Be
ing Erected in Large Numbers
Demolition of tie Fairfax.

The past month has been the most ac
tive midsummer month in the local real
estate world in many years. Any num-
ber of large deals We're put through
which would attract general comment
even during the busy spring or fall.
Not only in the matter of sales, but the
rent and loan departments of all the
real estate Offices have been doing a
rush business. Many of the brokers
have been unable TO get weeks vaca
tion, and if present conditions continue
their usual summer holidays will be non
est. There is plenty of money in the
hands of both local and outside invest
ors seeking openings in the National
Capital. and there is but little difficulty
in securing or making loans.
The large number of buildings under
construction has kept the mechanics
busy and times were never more pros
porous. Some conservative men of ex-
perience fear that the builders are over
doing things little. and that there will
be an over-abundance of Office build
ings as well as apartment houses and
small residences on the market at no
udle. 1HOSe WHO lOllON Int uu-
vances, especially in the matter of the
construction of office buildings however.
assert that the demand IS too great to
be supplied within the next year or two.
1t is true that the number of Office build
= ings going up will take tenants away
4 from the old structures, but the remodel
ing of some of the latter is already
planned.
Big Building Operations.
The demolition of the Fairfax, at
Fourteenth and Streets northwest. is
being pushed with vigor, and within a
few weeks work will be commenced on
the addition to the New Willard. On
Connecticut Avenue too from L Street
south nearly TO X, and east on L Street
for a considerable distance, a row of
stores and residences are being torn
down. This is for the purpose of pre-
pairing the ground for the huge apart
ment house which Secretary Hay is to
construct there. It will be the largest
building of the kind in the National
Capital.
The Shoreham Hotel which has been
closed since early in the summer. is
undergoing thorough remodeling and
oyerhauling, which will make it one of
the finest hostelries in the city. Work
has progressed so far that it will be
possible to reopen In the early fall. On
Street, between Tenth and Eleventh
Streets. the huge iron girders OF the
store building being put up by Wood
ward & Lothrop attract much atten-
tion. There was some delay in starting
this building. owing TO the difficulty in
securing steel for the building.
Architects Very Busy.
in various other parts of the city
business houses and residences are be-
ing put up and the architects have work
on hand which will keep tne builders at
work until winter is well advanced.
Among the important deals of the
week was the sale of the Young Mems
Christian Association building, at 1909
New York Avenue northwest, to the
Provident Life and Trust Company of
Philadelphia. The property brought $15
per square foot. The purchasers intend
erecting a modern office building on the
site.
During the week deed was placed on
record conveying to the Southern Rail
road Company a block of ground near
the Long Bridge which is to be used
when the new railroad bridge is com
pleted. Several fine deals were also
made in residence properties.
Plans have been prepared by B. Stan
ley Simmons, architect. for eight three
story brick houses TO be built on Balti-
more Street, between Eighteenth and
Nineteenth Streets. Gray brick and
stone are to be used in the fronts. The
frontage will be eighteen feet and depth
seventy-nine feet. Each house will con-
tain ten rooms, and there Will be two
bath rooms.
J. August Taylor sold to Philadel-
phia capitalist q row of seven three
story houses, located on East Capitol
etreet, between Thirteenth and four
teenth Streets, as an investment The
price paid was $4,000.
Residence for Mr.. Walsh.
The residence of Mr.. Thomas F.
Walsh, which is under construction at
the southeast corner of Twenty-frst
Street and Massachusetts Avenue north
west. under the direction of Mr.. Fred
ric w Carlyle, will be thoroughly fire
proof and viii be somewhat unique. The
exterior walls will be of brick and stone,
while the marsard roof is formed of
ibis of iron filled in with terra Gotta.
There will be no lath and plaster
partitions, for all of the partitions
throughout the house are terra Gotta,
while the floor joists are covered with
metal. upon which the plastering of the
ceiling will be laid. There will be prac-
tically no wood In the structure. save
that used for covering the floors and
for the adornment OF the rooms II is
estimated that the iron work alone will
cost over $50, 600, while the building will
cost somewhere in the neighborhood of
$500, 900 This does not include the fur
rishIngs. II will be the largest private
residence in the city.
Tho residence of Mrs. Townsend,
which is located on the opposite side
OF Massachusetts, Avenue, just west of
the Walsh house has greater frontage.
as 1t extends several hundred feet, and
the residence of Mr.. Letter fronts over
q hundred feet on New Hampshire Ave
nue.. The Corcoran house has an equal
width, while the residence OF Mr.. S.
Walter Woodward. Connecticut and Wy
cming Avenues, Washington Heights.
has q generous width on the latter ave-
nue.. The house OF Mr.. Walsh. however
while it extends along Massachusetts
Avenue only about eighty-fiye feet, has