Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-02
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Changes in Buildings in Bust
ress Section.
BUILDING ON THE MALL
PUBLIC LAND RATHER THAN
PURCHASE OF SITES.
Erection of Houses in Various Sections
Of the District and Other
Topics of Interest.
BUILDING ON THE MALL

Some changes are in progress in business
places along + street that will result in
the addition of handsome structures to the
facilities of that street for the accomm"da-
ton of the retail trade. The building at
the northwest corner of 18th and F streets
is being remodeled as far as the first floor
is concerned. and the space on that floor
Is being changed into large store for the
use of r II. Stinemetz & Son Company.
In place of the two stores that have taken
up that space there will be one large room
with a wide frontage on F street, extend
ing back a good depth with openings on
18th street.
DiagonaIly across the street the building
known as No. 12lI is being removed and in
its place will be built structure that will
be adapted for the business of \. Guide &
Bro. On account of the depth of the lot
there will be space for the conserVa tories
that are needed in the florist business, and
which will he an attractive feature of the
new place of business.
About midway on the block to the west
the building known as No. 1919 is to be
torn down and in its place a fine modern
structure designed by Hornblower Il Mar
shall. architects. is to be erected 1t will
he planned for the accommodation of the
business of the banking firm of Lewis
Johnson & Co, and will be two stories
in height
Making Use of the Mall.
When the construction now in progress
along the southern edge of the grounds of
the Smithsonian Institution is finished
there will not be a great deal of uuoc-
cupied space in the interval from 9th street
to 14th street. The great structure which
is to be erected for the use of the National
Musuem will nil pretty we'll the frontage
from 9th street To 18th street, leaving, of
course, suitable space on each side. so as
to provide some adequate setting which Il
building of such size requires. There are to
be lawns ON each side. as well as on the
fronts and rear. The distance from the
building line of b street will be about fifty
feet, while about the same distance will
separate the new structure from the edge
of the broad eXpdnSe which stretches from
the Capitol to the Potomac.
West OF 18th street and extending to 14th
street the frontage will in part be occupied
by the buildings which are to take the
place of the green houses of the Depart
ment of Agriculture. Those now i'm use as
Is Well known, occupy the space south ana
west of the agricultural building. In part
this ground is the site of the stately build
ing which is to be put up there for the home
of the department. To the south of the
present department building the new struc-
lure to be placed. and its main front will
be on the broad park or lawn space that
Will constitute the center of the mall.
Land for Public Buildings.
1t - NuII'Stu, VI COURSE. tHbl the green
houses that are being put on the south side
of the grounds for the use of the Depart
mcnt of Agriculture will be removed as
soon as the new building is up and that
site cleared for a more important struc-
ture than green house or better sun left
rs free space. The character of the con-
Etruction of the green houses points to their
temporary nature. The north side of the
great reservation of the mall is already
pretty well occupied even beyond 9th street,
while still farther east come the Botanical
Gardens
With the completion of the union rail-
road station and the removal of the present
depot Of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
U1uy and the tracks from 9Th street and its
vicinity, another large section of this splcn-
did park VIII bc made available for the
public use. OF course. it is Impossible to
say whether it VIII be used merely as pub
lie pleasure grounds or whether it viii he
utilized in providing sites for public build
inEs that are hereafter TO be erected. As
the ground belongs to the government there