Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-29
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
New Buildings That Are to
Be Erected.
IMPROVEMENTS NOTED
FAVORABLE OUTLOOK FOR THE
COMING SEASON.
Large Enterprises That Are Now Being
Carried Out and Others
in Prospect.

those engaged in the real estate BUSH
ness would like, but still, following, as it
does, a period of considerable activity,
there is not as much ground for COM
plant as would otherwise exist The past
few months, which constitute the renting
season mere have been good for business.
There has been difficulty in securing
houses for all who applied for them, and
now that the season is practically over,
at least for unfurnished houses, brokers
generally agree that it has been one of
the best in years. In addition to the call
for houses to rent, there has also been
demand for houses of moderate price
from home-buyers, and this continues.
There is one fact that stands out as
result of the seasons business, and that
is there are not enough houses either to
rent or to sell. By that statement it is
not meant that it should be inferred
there is absolutely not a vacant house in
the city, for that would be misleading.
1t can. however, be said that all rentable
houses have been taken and that all that
are for sale at moderate figures have
found buyers
Need for More Houses.
There are, of course, houses that are
| not suitable to live in, owing to the con-
dition in which they are allowed to re-
main, and there are also holdings that
are looked upon valuable by the
| owners that they cannot get any one else
to agree that the price they ask is a fair
one; but, leaving out houses of this sort,
there is no question in the minds of those
| who are familiar with the situation that
there are not enough houses. especially
those that can be rented or sold at mod
crate figure.
This is so generally realized now that
] it is the opinion of many that the coming
season is to be an active one in the build
| ing trades. The brick men, after a rather
| discouraging season. are looking forward
| to better times. In addition to the private
work, which it seems likely is to be more
plentiful than was the case last year,
| there will be during the present year in
progress a great deal of public woSK
| Several large buildings which are now
getting under way will next year be in
| full swing.
Large Buildings to Be Erected.
Besides the steam railroad terminal
operations, which are, of course, ex-
tensive, there have been projected at
least four great public buildings. These
are the National Museum, which will
have the greatest frontage of any public
building in the city except the Capitol;
the two office buildings fianking Capitol
Park square on the east and the struc-
| ture for the Agricultural Department
Extensive work is in progress at the Wash
ington barracks, where the buildings for
the w dt SOlieSe are gong up, ana also
at the gun factory at the navy yard
which is becoming of the most eX-
tensive plants of the sort in the country
For Large Gatherings.
The suggestion made by Commissioner
West that the government building at st.
Louis be removed to this city is likely to
revive the discussion in regard to the need
Of having in Washington a building that
will be suitable for the inaugural balls and
| for the use OF large and small gatherings
| which so frequently come to this city In
| the past the agitation of this matter has
| come to nothing mainly because of the ex-
pense of providing a suitable size for such
| a structure and the cost of erecting it, 1t
| has not as yet been figured out that such
| an enterprise would yield a return in
| money to those who might go into it, and
| SO the appeal to citizens for their financial
cooperation must be based entirely upon
| their public spirit as well on the gem
eral principal that whatever is an advan-
| tage to the city is of assistance to the in
| dividual citizen.
1t is maintained and with good reason.
| too that If suitable meeting place was
| available Washington would be selected as
| the place for the assembling of the ma
| tional conventions. Without claiming too
| much, 1t may be said that Washington peo-
| pie understand better the art of caring for
| large crowds than do those in any other
| place, and there is less complaint after a
| great gathering in this city than is the
case when such affairs are held elsewhere
| AT present there is no place where the in
| augural ball, which is to take place next
March, can be held, save the hall of the
| pension building, and it is probable it will
| be due entirely to that circumstance that
| Congress will consent to it's being used
| again for such purpose.
Some Current Transactions.
| A building enterprise in the southwestern
| section of the city is to be carried out by
John Miller He proposes to erect eleven
| two-story brick houses on Water street, be-
| tween 10Th and 18th streets. The cost will
be $4,000.
The residence, 1853 Baltimore street has
been sold by Walter Schneider through
| Murray A. Cobb real estate broker. to NJ
d. Rosenberg The price paid was 81 COO
Done by Organized Effort.
The activity of associations of which
| there are many in this city under the gem
! eral name of citizens associations, has
been SO long continued that they have now
| become recognized feature of what might
| also be termed the government of the Dis
| trict. They are intended to look after the
| interests of the locality in which the MEM
| bers reside, and the record of what has
| been accomplished through the efforts of
| these voluntary organizations furnishes suf-
| ficent evidence of their right to exist. The
| District Commissioners have from time to
| time taken the opportunity to express their
| ODllSatlonS TO THESE associations for their
| interest enabling them to get clearer idea
| of local needs than would otherwise be
| the case. In addition to placing before
| the local rulers and the committees of Con-
gress the needs of their localities these
( organizations form centers from which Oft
/ en- emanate schemes which result in for
| warding some local interest.
An illustration of the widening scope of
| such organizations is the handbook which
| has just been issued by the Columbia
Heights Association. The twenty-eight
pages are adorned with half-tone illustra-
| tons of some of the homes and schools
| in that locality, while the printed matter
sets forth concisely the advantages of the