The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-07-31
Tenantable Property Will Not
Exceed the Demand After
the Fair Closes.
CONSTRUCTION PRICES LOWER
Erection Of High-C Class Apart.
ment Houses Continues, but
the Construction of Modest
Homes Is at StandstilI.

The opinion prevailing a year ago that
vacant houses in st. Louis after the Fair
would far exceed the demand, and would
force rents to a low ebb. is now giving
place to anxiety that there may be a
shortage of tenantable property next year.
A feeling of uncertainty as to the future.
together with the prices of labor and ma
terial. have caused little home and tene-
ment property building. The fact that
Chicago oyerbuilt previous to the Worlds
Fair there, and with the panic of 1888,
wnfch caused a slump, has had the effect
OF creating overcautiousness on the part
OF st. Louis builders. agents claim, and
construction work has been permitted to
drop below the normal demand.
while conditions are improving and
considerable building is now being done,
the amount is generally conceded to be in
sufficient for present needs. The prices of
building material Is lower than for some
time back, although labor continues to
close to The former wages. Re
cent contracts let for buildings, however,
are lower than formerly, and many be-
lieve that the prices are as low as can be
expected for some time to come.
1t Is believed that the exodus from the
city after the Fair will be far les sthan
anticipated. A large number of persons
brought here on account of the Fair will
nno st Louis offering as good inducements
for a livelihood as elsewhere, and many
think the number who will stay will lx-
coed. the number departing.
Building now IN progress is confined al
most solely to apartment houses of a
night class in the West End Flats and
houses in the cheaper and less pretentious
districts within reach of families with
moderate incomes are most needed. The
demand for homes of this class is con-
sidered largely accountable for the heavy
puy.ns OF cheap vacant property this
summer, and some agents expect the next
class. ~
OF the building in the West End, the
Fair Building Company, of which j. 1.
ment houses at the southeast corner of
Eoyie avenue and Lindell boulevard. The
buildings will aggregate twenty-seven
apartments OF six to nine rooms. The
structures will be built of red stone 'front.'
1ngs, and the interior finishings will be of
OAK. In elaborate designs. The buildings
VIII cost 100000, and will be Completed
by December l.
way ana Delrnar avenue, the DeImar
Realty Company is arranging to build on
zee ground recently bought through Wei
corner 200 feet will be improved with 8
handsome apartment house to cost in the
neishoornood Of 500. 600. On the western
of0 feet on Delmar avenue will be built
sIeven double apartment buildings of six
$4,000. '" al an estimated cost of
Morftz Eyesell and ]. L. Epstein are
slarung to build three additional single
a. anro.ImHent houses adjoining the six now
nue. east OF Kings highway.
ME- Epstein yesterday, in speaking OF
me .puiiding outlook. stated that he con-
slGsred present prices of labor and ma
SerlA as satisfactory as could be expected
10. some time to come. and that he did
i'oe snucipate any marked change.