Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-13
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Some Proposed Improvements
on F Street.
NEW PAROCHIALSCHOOL
ADDITIONAL BUILDING COST RE-
suit OF REGULATIONS.
In Construction Work It Becomes
Necessary to Spend Money in
Order to Save It.
NEW PAROCHIALSCHOOL

Workmen are engaged in tearing down
the building Of old Carroll Hall on the south
side of G street between 9th and 10Th
streets, as we'll as the adjoining buildings
to the west. The priests house of St Pat
rick's Church, which occupies the balance
of the frontage of the square to the cor
ner at 10th street. will be the next to 60
1t is the purpose Of Mr.. John s. Larcombe
who has this work In charge, to clear the
ground so that building operations can be
begun as soon as the weather will permit
In place Of those old structures. which
were plain IN form, are to be erected fine
modern buildings Of granite, which will
harmonic in architecture as well as In the
materials used with the church edifce IT
self The group thus formed is designed
by the architects, Wood, Dom &c Demlng,
to constitute architecturally as they VIII
parochially a complete system of parish
buildings, with the church as the principal
feature.
The latter structure, which Is Gothic in
its treatment and is built of Port Deposit
granite, determined, of course, the general
style for the entire group, as the churcn
edifiice is comparatively modern, and Is not
to be changed except in some details, which
will enrich its present appearance. Inc
tower to be finished with a spire and
the two subordinate projections on each
side Of the main entrance are to be i'm
ished in a style that Is more suited to the
general character of the building.
The priests house at the corner is also
to be Gothic in treatment and will be con-
nected with the church by covered pas
sageway. The main entrance to the
house will be the center. as Is the case
with the present residence, with rooms on
each side. There will be square projections
on each side of the doorway. Separated
from the phestshouse by passageway
will be the parochial school building, with
a frontage Of over 90 feet on G street. This
structure. or rather the front portion Of It,
will be three stories high, and on the
ground floor and about in the center of
the front will be broad entrance leading
to hall In the rear that will occupy about
the site of old Carroll Hall. 1t will have
a seating capacity of some 800, and in add
ton to the main entrance use can be made
of the one on the east side, which Is to be
provided for the school children. There
will also be an entrance to the upper floors
of the front part of the structure on the
west side as well as on the east side
In one section will be boys school, con-
Quoted by the sisters of ST. Joseph's Asy-
lum, and the other will be fitted up for use
as girls school, conducted under the aus
pices of the sisters of ST. Vincents Asy-
lum. The school building will be one-room
deep.
The exterior walls Of the building, like
that of the church and the priests house,
is to be built of granite. and the Gothit
treatment will be adhered to, so that the
entire group with it's extended frontage
both on G street and on 10th street will
not only serve the purpose intended, but
VIII be ornamental and attractive in ap-
pearance.
Street Improvements.
The building at 1910 F street is being re-
modelled and altered for the use of 2. T.
Hall, who expects to remove there from
the corner of 18th and F streets some time
this month. The new place of business is
to have deep entrance approach bordered
on each side with show windows The up
per floor is also to be fitted up for use as
work rooms In connection with Mr.. Halls
business.
1t is expected by Col. Henry Strong, the
owner of the building to be vacated by Mr.
Hail. to tear that structure down. On this
site, which is surrounded on two sides by
the tall walls of a building which was
erected by Colonel Strong and is still his
property, he intends to make an improve
ment which will practically be an addition
to the adjoining building by bringing it out
to the corner
Regulations for the Common Safety.
One of the results of the Baltimore fire.
no doubt, will be a flood of literature and
comment in regard to fire proof construc-
ton in building. The effect of heat as
shown by the ruins, will be used to enforce
certain theories. AT the same time 1t will
no doubt be realized that granting a fire
of that character once started there is no
form of construction known to the skill Of
man that could effectively resist the tre-
mendous force of the flames. 1t has been
recognized for some time that so-called fire
proof construction as now practiced is not
really such, but accomplishes that result as
well as is possible. With all it's limita tons
substantial masonry construction and steel
is protection against. IN the first place the
breaking out of fire and then, in the second
place, Its spread. Where the fire reaches
the intensity and volume that it did in the
Baltimore disaster nothing can withstand
it, but that is not by any means the usual
test.
1t is not likely that faith will be lost in
good building and the adoption of proper
precautions against fire simply because in
the Baltimore disaster there seemed to be
nothing that could withstand the force of
the flames. 1t is more probable that citi-
ZenS will submit with more patience to the
observance of building regulations which,
in some respects and to some people, seem
to be needlessly minute and cautious.
Costs More Money.
Good building and that which tends to
safety undoubtedly costs more money than
the absence of those features of municipal
control, and the fact ought not to be over
looked that a faithful adherence to the
regula tons involves the expenditure of
more money than if they We're but partially
enforced. 1t takes more money to build a
tlNrteen-inch brick wall than it does to con-
struct a nine-inch wall. and larger outlay
to build a vault on the outside of buildings
for the storage of gasoline than if it should
be allowed to place the inflammable ma
terial in the cellars. The same thing is true
of other particulars in which precautions
are required by the municipal authorities
AS is well known the insurance companies
aid in this direction. They have a schedule
of allowances for betterments in cond lions,
and as improvements are made the cost Of
insurance Is reduced. There is no question
that this policy of the insurance companies,
as well as the enforcement of proper build
ing regulations, has materially aided in
bringing about improvements in the state
of building In cities. AS has been stated it
costs more money thus to conform to law
and the requirements of good citizenship,
but it is believed the average property
holder is better off In proportion, as there
is a faithful enforcement of wise public
regulations for the safety of buildings.
WONDERS OF THERMTT