Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-28
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Big Hotel Enterprise to Be
Carried Out.
CHANGES DISCUSSED
RUMoRED LARGE PURCHASE OF
F STREET PROPERTY.
Various Plans Proposed for the En-
CHANGES DISCUSSED
Various Plans Proposed for the En-
largement of the Facilities
for Doing Business.


One feature of the building regulations
relating to the height Of buildings in this
city has been materially modified by the
bill which passed Congress during the past
week. This measure provides that in such
instances where proposed building Is to
front on a public space or reservation,
formed at the intersection of two or more
streets or avenues, and the course of those
streets or avenues is not interrupted by the
reservation, then the height Of the building
will be determined by the width of the
widest street or avenue. The change in the
regulations grew out Of the application
made for permission to erect a hotel build
ing one hundred and thirty feet high on the
north side of E street between 18th and
14th streets on the property adjoining on
the west the National Theater.
1t was the opinion Of the inspector OF
buildings, which was supported by the ad-
vice of the attorney of the city, that under
the law the height of the proposed building
would be determined by the width of the
street on which it fronted, which, In this
instance. was E street. AS at this point
Pennsylvania avenue merged into h street
it was maintained by the applicants tnas
the new structure would to all tntents and
purposes be on Pennsylvania avenue and
therefore the height ought to be allowed
which the law provided for structures 'front.'
ing on the avenue.
1t was concluded, however, that what
ever the width Of the space in front of the
building might be, the letter of the law
required it's height should be regulated by
the width of E street. The only resource
was, therefore, an application to congress
for a change in the regulations which would
permit the height to be determined by the
width of Pennsylvania avenue. AS VIII De DC
noted this is a general provision and Will
apply to all similar situations In the city.
Hotel to Be Built.
One Immediate result Of the law will be
the beginning of the erection Of fine hotel
building on that site. The property is owned
by Albert Garry and the plans for the new
building have been prepared by c. A. Did
den, architect.
The front as designed Is rather ornate
and will be pleasing example Of the
French school of architecture. The de-
Steel will be used as well as brick and
stone. The frontage will be 20 feet and the
depth Of the lot is 159 feet
Large Schemes Talked About.
A feature Of the market at present is the
number of large enterprises which are being
discussed, together with some active eff
Among them may be mentioned a project
for a music hall, which in some of It's
phases has taken the shape Of new the
alter. 1t is said that responsible parties in
New York are ready to guarantee GER
tain yearly sum for the use of a theater
building in a suitable locality. Some at
tempt has been made to secure options on
land, but beyond furnishing a list Of sites
which possibly might be secured, no tangi-
BILE step has yet been taken.
1t is believed, however, that such informa-
ton has been obtained as to the feasibility
of erecting music hall in this city is to
discourage some OF those interested to the
extent that they begin to doubt whether 1t
will be possible to do 1t by means, as pro-
posed of a general subscription. 1t has
also been ascertained by those who have
been looking up building plots for a thea
ter that the prices Of land in localities
which are looked upon as central rather put
such a scheme out of the range Of possibilt-
ties at this time
Hotel Projects.
There are other schemes however, which
are still in the embryo stage, and for this
reason those interested are sanguine. 1t is
understood that propositions have been
made to Mr.. C. C. Willard in regard to the
entire frontage on the south side of F
street, between 18th and 14th streets, which
Is owned by Mr.. Willard. The purpose
seems 10 De- as lar as Is known, TO erect
on this site large hotel building, but the
negotiations are not in such shape as to
make it possible to make a very definite
statement about 1t.
1t is apparent. in the opinion Of some
people, that the enlargement Of the New
Willard does not impair the advantages of
that location for the hotel business 1t is
well known that Mr.. Thos. F. Walsh in
tends after the expiration Of the present
lease on the Oxford Hotel, at the northwest
q nd cfr
which has some three years to run, to erect
on that site a fine modern hotel building.
There also is the large structure to be put
up next to the National Theater.
Gossip of New Buildings.
1t is not at all unlikely that one or two
large structures will be put up with the
view of renting them to the government, as
1t Is found the demand from that source
just now is rather pressing. There are sew
eral such projects gossiped about but, as
far as is generally known, none of them
has reached any definite conclusion. The
expansion Of capital Of the Riggs Nationa
Bank and the proposed starting Of a new
trust company with report of consoida-
ton In regard to other financial institutions
has been accompanied by more or less talk
about the changes which would follow In
the several cases In the properties controlled
or supposed to be needed. The general gos-
sip has taken a wide range, as such I'M
authorized talk Is apt to do, and fnstitu-
tons have been shifted about and old build
ings taken down and new ones erected until
IL all that is involved in the current talk
Is carried out, the appearance Of the city
In the business section will undergo some
remarkable changes in the near future.
Large Improvements Proposed.
Estimates are being made for the devel-
opment of the property owned by Mr..
Philip T. Hall on Wisconsin avenue north
west, short distance from the Naval Oh