Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-23
House Building as Result of
Combined Capital.
LARGE EXPENDITURES
BEAUTY OF THE TREES THE
CITY'S CHIEF CHARM.
Some of the Current Sales as Showing
the Prevailing Prices and the Ten
denotes of the Market.

Lie VI 5dIuZdtiOu VI companies W N>s~A 80
real estate and to build houses is not as
common in this city as in some other
places. Some of the larger buildings, such
as apartment houses and office structures,
have been erected as the result of the COM
bined capital of a number of men asSo-
ciated in company. For the most part
the residences put up have been due to the
enterprise of individuals. Quite recently
the Potomac Realty Company was organ
ized Messrs Wescott and Story, the we'll
known real estate brokers, being interested
in the concern. The main purpose of the
company is to erect residences to cost $I5,-
600 and under. The company has. begun
the erection of two houses on Rhode Island
avenue between Connecticut avenue and
18th street. and is contemplating the cree
ton of one at the corner of Rhode Island
avenue and M street Ground has also been
bought on r street between I'D street and
Sheridan circle.
Another building company, composed of
Charles M. Campbell, T. Gushing Daniel
and s. c. Redmond, is erecting two story
fiat houses on Rhode Island avenue be-
tween 4th and 9th streets northeast. Ten
of these structures have been partially fin
ished and it is the intention to continue
the enterprise along the same lines until
the greater part of a large block of land
has been improved.
Activity in Building.
1t is interesting to note in connection
with these enterprises that in spite of the
increase in the cost of labor and material
which marked the opening of the season
good deal of money is being invested in
building. In all directions throughout the
District this activity is noticeable. and it
is also noted that numerous individual
houses are going up. which would seem
to prove that the idea that the apartment
house would tend to lessen the demand Tor
the individual house is not sustained by the
actual conditions.
1t is stated by those most familiar with
the market that not only are the apart
ment houses occupied as fast as completed,
and the old ones continue full, but that the
list of vacant houses is remarkably small,
and there is a fine demand for new houses,
both for renting and for purchase These
circumstances would seem to be an ample
explanation of the activity in building.
Suggests the Octagon House.
One of the types of the larger private
residences in this city is to be erected at
the southwest corner of Massachusetts ave-
nue. and 18th street for DR.. Loren B. l.
Johnson. 1t will be specially planned &c
suit the lot, which is irregular in shape
owing to the angle of the avenue meeting
with the line of a rectangular street. Ac-
cording to the plans which are being pre-
pared by Wood. Dom & Deming archi-
tects, the house is to have an English base
ment, and the main entrance will be at the
corner, which will be the center of the de-
sign of the new building. The two sections
on each side will follow the line of the
streets on which they front. From the en-
trance there will be access to hall, finish
ed in stone and circular in shape, and lead
ing out from that will be the staircase hail.
with the flight of stairs winding along the
wall and crossing the hall at the height OF
the first landing.
The hall will be continued under the stair
landing to doors opening out into the space
in the rear, which will be arranged as
formal garden, and will have a circular
driveway which will have outlet along
the west side of the house to Massachu-
sets avenue. The feature of the house will
be this entrance hall, passing as it will
through from end to end and closing with
the vista of the garden in the rear. The
same scheme will be continued in the upper
floors, the only change being that the front
portion of the center hall will be used for
rooms. In a general way the interior ar
rangement suggests that of the Octagon
House, which is one of the best preserved
specimens of colonial architecture in this
city or anywhere else.
The same architects are preparing plans
for a residence to be erected for Miss New
lands.
Mrs. Sheridan's House.
Mr.. John S. Larcombe has received au-
thority to proceed with the building of
residence for Mrs. Philip Sheridan. 1t is to
be situated on the north side of Massa-
chusetts avenue between Florida avenue
and Sheridan circle. The front, which is
to be twenty-five feet in width, is to be
built of light stone and red brick in the de-
sign Of the French renaissance. It Is to be
three stories in height and will be finished
with a mansard roof, covered with slate
1t Will be three rooms deep and will be
finished in the best manner. The archi-
tects are Wood, Dom & Deming.
Row of Five Houses.
A row Of houses is to be built on the
north side of yelling place between 18th
and 18th streets from plans prepared by
Harding & Upman, architects There are
to be five of them. and they will each have
a frontage of twenty feet and will con-
tain ten rooms and two bath rooms. The
kitchen will be on the first floor Brick of
a light shade will be used in the construc-
ton of the front. The owner Is T. A.
Harding.
Adding to Hotel.
The same architects are making plans for
an addition to the Hamilton House, at
the northeast corner of 14th and K streets
The new part will occupy the vacant
ground belonging to the property on the
east side at the north line. 1t will be one
story in height, and will give additional
space to the dining room, kitchen and
store room.
Large Business Building.
The tendency to increase the size of the
buildings used for commercial purposes is
a noticeable one here especially where the
property allows extending structures for a
long distance back from the building line.
During the past week 1t was noted in The
Star that the building at ia 18th street
| was to be extended back the entire depth
of the lot, which in this instance happens
to be 1913 feet.
This will be also the depth of the new
building which is being erected by the
| telephone company just north on the same
block The latter structure is attracting a
| good deal of attention at this time for the
reason that the excavation is quite deep,
| and the footing for the foundations is
| being laid with the care that is required
| to support the weight of a modern steel
| superstructure of the height of the intend
ed new building, AS it is proposed to ac-
| commodate the central station as well as
| the offices of the company, it will be neces-
| sarily structure of large dimensions
The Beauty Of the City Streets.
| 1t is natural for good many people to
suppose that because they have just dis
| covered that the city of Washington is
| beautiful IT is a quality that is of recent