The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-04-12
Great Demand for Subu,b-
an Property the C0nse-
quence, With Resulting
Rise in Prices-Prospect-
ing for New Sites.
Importance Of the Donation
Of Land for the Extension
OF Rhode Island Avenue.
New Apartment House
Projects.

this season Is the scarcity o. city prop
srty, unimproyed. avaiiable for the con
slruction Of apartment houses and blocks
of dwellings on a large scale. The bar
TennCss Of the market in this respect Is
almost a menace TO building improve
ments in the city. but il makes the de-
Dsand for suburban property all the more
active. Real estate men looking to
healthy growth of the city do not con
slider this development "a misfortune
3 striking example of this situation Is
the section north of Florida Avenue
toward the Soldiers Home grounds on
North Capitol and the adjoining streets.
Building operations in this section in
the past Eve or six years have surpassed
anything of the kind the city has ever
known Many hundreds of houses have
been built by Middaugh & shannon
MooTe < Hill. and other operators. and
they have been sold as rapidly as built
The operations are said to have been in
uenseIy profitable. and there can be lit
lie doubt that the same firms viii con
tinue their work in the same line
Pr0hibitive Prices.
IN this section. however. their work
must Be stopped. apparently, for the
present at least The reason for this
IS. The owners o. dnimproved real es-
tate have raised prices 10 a figure pro
bibitive 10 The plan employed in these
operations. which involves quick sales at
comparatively low prices. with small
cash payments by purchasers. Having
set the price level for the houses it
- p
possible 10 increase ii, and yet all the
profit 10 the operators is wiped out by
the increase in the cost OF materials
and labor and the great advance in the
price demanded for real estate.
The first realty obtained in the SEE
ton most likely was given for the en-
hanceneut Of values that the building
would bring soon the standard OF
values was fixed in the neiRhborhood OF
20 cents a foot and at this level il re-
nlained for some time. Recently. how
ever, it has been advancing in leaps and
bounds. and now such property as re-
, mains unimproved in the best sections
Is held al 80 and 20 cents.
Subdivision Of High View.
The subdivision of High View. on
Rhode Island Avenue extended between
North Capitol Street and Third Street
east. and the donation Of the land for
The avenue through the subdivision bv
Mrs McDevitt indicates one OF the di-
reetions IN which the future develop
menJ OF the city seems sure 10 go This
donation gives TO the Government prac-
tically the entire line Of the avenue 10
the District bOundsry Rhode Island
avenue IS one OF the main arteries Of
the city After IT leaves the city proper
in lie DFoit Park il extends in the same
direction along The northern side of
BIooningdale, then a little 10 the south
Of GleRw0od Cemetery, then north Of
Center lexington and south OF Edge
wood, then across the Metropolitan
branch OF The Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road at The southeastern end OF Brook
land, then skirtiug South Brookiand
along the general line OF The Brent wood
Road and little north of Lanedon. ana
finally reaches the District line q short
distance north OF the main line of the
Baltimore and Ohio
The Washington Traction ana Electric
company's HBe 10 HyattsvilIe occupies
the avenue from Fourth street east
10 Fhe District line, distance OF two
miles. The company holds the land al
present in trust. its charter providing
that title shall be turned over 10 the
Government whenever the extension Of
the avenue is carried out The donation
OF the avenue from North CAPITOL Street
70 Third Street east undoubtedly hastens
che time when the extension will &c
pushed through a number OF the citi-
zens+ associations along The avenue are
planning TO unite 3n The effort 10 achieve
This object They viii appeal o The Dis
trlct Commissioners. and il is under
stood 1be latter are favoFsbIs 10 the
plan and gIIl urge il upon Congress. II
the avenue IS opened it vii probably he
macadam5zed-
Active Building Operations.
Building operations in the subdivisions
along the line OF the avenue are active
already, and the outlook is excellent for
he section when Congress has author
lied It's extension. Woodbridge. LanEdou.
North Laugdon. EiastoB Terrace. sher-
woods Addition. and the Fort Saratoga
subdivisions are all planning Tor houses.
One Of The street improvements much
needed in fhis vicinity is The grading ami
macadsmIzing OF Twentieth Street from
I-angdoe 10 the City and Suburban Rail
way The 5000 appropriated for Ibis
purpose IS 30 D. expended this summer.
Hhea ibis street has been Improved. The
water service already placed on Dakota
sveHue IN woodbridge WiH soqa be eS-
tended along Rhode Island Avenue to
Twentieth street. ANA thence 10 Lang
don
The Hesz that Bates Warren aud John
J.. Warren. the lawyers. the. present
owners II 1ae aaIf block bounded BY
BTtghfwood Avenue. Harvard and Prince
ioa streets and Sherman Avenue. Co
lambia Heights viii build up the block /
Rith slxly-eisht dwellings. eiIl be re
eeiyed vita much interest by real estate /
1asu and builders generally. This news. /
Toe, indicates clearly how the building