Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-25
A QUESTION OF SITE, The CANAL TREATY
IMPROVEMENTS WILL FOLLOW IN
WAKE OF PosToFF1CE.
MANY PROJECTS ON FOOT.
Life Insurance Co. May Take the
old Mnln Street Site, II Federal
Building is moved-General Ac-
tivity In Real Estate.
JOHN P. MORGAN.

There are more improvements OF
substantial character under contract or
in contemplation In this city this spring
than have ever known In thirty years..
said Mr.. Leroy Brown. of the real-estate
arm Of j. Thompson Brown & Co., to a
reporter for the Dispatch yesterday.
"a statement recently published in an
evening paper" said ne. asserts that
should the post-ofhce go to Broad street.
handsome modern office building would
replace it. Reference was probably made
to the building Of the Life Insurance
Company of Virginia, on Broad street,
which was decided upon more than year
ago. On the other hand. should the post
office be located On Broad street T. would
be upon the site purchased by the Life
Insurance Company for its general offices.
"Should the post Office be located at
Seventh and Main streets. on the Raab
site, 1t would give the greatest impetus
to building in that section that ...as been
known here in many years. Why. IN the
last few hours handsome offer has been
made to the Davis estate for the lots
on Main street between Sixth and
Seventh. but the offer was declined on
the spot, the owners of the property
~
handsome improvements upon the lot
should the post-office go to Seventh and
Main. Furthermore. the owner Of the
Arlington flats has Informed me that in
the same event he would erect handsome
business properties on the site and
make other improvements. An owner OF
property on Seventh street said that he,
toe, would make valuable improvements
on his property. II this is done. and an
Office building erected by the virginia
State Insurance Company at Fifth ano
Main. no one can adequately estimate
the effect in the enhancement of the
value Of the adjoining properties.
sit is my opinion that the most won.
derful and rapid development would fol
low such a contingency that has ever
been seen in Richmond Then. too. tht
removal Of the post-offlce from its pres
ent site to point further up town 5woul L
not materially injure the values of pro
perty in the vicinity of the present build
ing. for values there ire already tot
well established to be affected.
''The Whitlock people. said the reh
estate man, nave already contracted t
build a handsome structure at the south
west corner Of Eighth and Main, and
am informed to-day that they will mate
| rally enlarge their proposed improve
ment, having Just spurcha sed through TIL
firm lot on the west side OF Eight
street below Main. fronting forty-eigh
| feet on Eighth street, and running ives
15O feet. =s3 ,z:.
"The site at Seventh and Main street
| which has been offered to the govern
zment as site for the post-ofHce be
lflcngs to Mr.. f. Raab, and Is situated a
the northeast corner. It has a front
age on Seventh street Of l55 feet, run
ming back to the alley. Along Main stree
lit fronts 1870 feet. and is admirably locat
ed on slight elevation. affording natu
!. raj light from three sides, thus dispens
i ing with the necessity for the use Q
| artif1c ial light, which is one of the grea
Isobjections to the present post-offic y
Eselection Of this site would cause tn
4 numerous merchants and firms havtn
/ quarters IN the buildings now on the sit
7 to seek places Of business, and this woul
i stimulate business Immensely. In fac
sthe erection of the postofHce al. Sevent
Land Main would give great petusst
business in that section and would neces
state the erection. Of numerous stor
i houses
] Asked whether the shut down Of tn
iisTrigg yards had materia lly affected ath
4 supply of dwellings. Mr.. Brown repiie
4 that there had been no perceptible declin
! SO far as -he could observe. Most 4
/ those who have left the city merel
a boarded here. Those who live here. Wit
few exceptions are still here. 5ssss
i Real estate&is going to he#Very l1vel
here early In the spring look for gres
sacttvity In hui Hiding, too, said Mr.. Brow
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