Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-02
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Closing Months Of Unusual
Business Activity.
AS AN INV ESTMENT
LAWS RESTRICTING ERECTION OF
HOUSES IN ALLEYS.
Practically No Addition to These
Houses in the Past Twelve
Years.
AS AN INVESTMENT

nc tioSIIS VI tilc year JUST eiucu
have been marked by degree of activity
in the real estate business that was not the
case during the earlier months. In this re-
spect 1t is a departure from what is Gus
tomary, for in ordinary years the period of
activity is in the spring. The uncertain
condition of stock investments during the
greater part of last year no doubt served
to turn the attention of investors to the de-
STABILITY of Washington realty as an In
vestment and the result has been that dur
ing the past few months good deal Of
money has been placed here. The buying
has included houses as we'll as unimproved
ground. and during the coming year, if the
conditions relating to building are favora-
bic, there is no doubt the founda lions of
good many handsome private residences
will be laid
The tendency that has been noted to Sc
curing abundance of space for houses of tho
larger class seems likely to be continued.
In one instance a lot having frontage of
eighty feet has been secured. The fashion
OF having what may be termed detached
houses Is not merely one that is suggested
by motives of ostentation, but as NAV read
lily De understood the aim is to secure the
comfort as we'll as the attra ctiveness of the
nome While this city is looked upon by
some as merely place for a winter resi-
uence, still its charm in the spring and
that the close of the winter season sees
people lingering here who have no other
reason Tor staying except that they prefer
Inns CITY as a residence to any other of the
lect. y " SC
Alley House Law.
For twelve years past there have prac-
tically been no additions to the number of
aiiey houses In this city. 1t is not likely
any great number will be erected In the
future, for the law and the conditions COM
pihed render 1t almost impossible to get
permission to put up such buildings The
law or 1881 put an end to the increase IN
TINS class of dwellings, for 1t was then
provided that buildings for residence pur-
poses could not be put up in an alley that
was less than thirty feet wide and which
did not have one end extended to one Of
the streets bounding the square and at
right angles to such street
Inc purpose, OF course. Of the latter pro-
vision Is to put an end to what are termed
blind alleys or courts. 1t also made neces-
sary acquiring sufficient ground on the
more valuable frontage Of an exterior
street to give the required outlet for the
alley. which Is practically prohibItory az
the additional cost would make the proros-
ell investment Improbable. In addition to
the obstacles which this law placed In the
way of the erection of houses in alleys is
the further one arising from the character
of the original subdivision Of the squares
1t seemed to be the prevailing idea govern
ing the arrangement of the squares within
the city limits that the alleys in the in
terror of squares were to be used as an
pendages Of the lots fronting on the out
side of such squares and not as independent
properties.
Not for Residence Purposes.
For this reason, no doubt, in the major
ity OF the sections where there are thirty
foot alleys they occupy the middle Of the
square and are in the form Of a double r.
the object evidently being to provide
rear entrance for as many Of the lots an
possible. hence the arms of The I running
at right angles with the main section Of
the alley.
The fact is that these places are mora
interior courts than alleys, and 1t Is their
isolation from public gaze and their seclu-
sion In the heart of the squares that has
always given them the character of a
menace to public safety and also Of health
For this reason the law, which liz now in
force and which has been in operation for
the past twelve years. stipulates that in
the event 1t Is desired to put I'D houses ON
thirty-foot alley at least one end must be
opened to main street. In this way 1t
will be perceived, 1t will be possible to OBJ
serve the entire length of the alley from
the public street and thus it is brought
directly under the supervision of the police
1t is also provided that such thoroughfare
must be supplied with sewerage, water and
light, so that even If houses were now put
In such alleys many of the conditions which
rake the existing alley houses so objection
able from a civic point of view would not
exist.
Houses With Narrow Fronts,
There is no danger apprehended of re-
vival in this city of alley house building,
for even If other circumstances were fav-
orable the supply of alleys of the requisite
width of thirty feet Is comparatively linn
tied. In the majority of cases the width
Of alleys is ten or fifteen or twenty feet
and 1t Is the exceptionable square where
the area is sufficient to allow for a more
generous provision for alleys. The fact
is that the original plan of the city evil
IDENTIFY made more nrOYiSion for allev