Evening star., 1905-11-04
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Plans for Building Enterprises
Being Considered.
STRUCTURES PROPOSED
THE c1TY's GROWTH ON THE
OUTER EDGES.
Rows of Houses to Be Found Where
Fields and Commons Were a
Few Years Ago.

There is considerable inquiry In archi-
tects' offices by those who are thinking
about building and plans that are more or
less tentative are being prepared. At this
time of the year a great deal Of the pre-
paratory work for the next building sea-
son is due and the fate of enterprises Is
decided. s-
1t is not expected that everything that is
now being discussed between prospective
builders and architects will be carried out
but a good proportion will, and the pros
poets are that there will be a good many
additions made to the number of new resi-
dences and buildings.
Mr.. James NJ. Johnston, formerly one Of
the vice presidents of Riggs Bank, and who
IS now retired from active business, has in
mind the erection of residence for his own
use 1t is to be located on 21st street near
Massachusetts, avenue. and will be larger
than his house on X street. which has be-
come too small for his needs.
Early English House.
Progress Is being made in the completion
Of the house which is being erected by Mr..
William A.. Mearns at the northwest cor
ner Of 23d and s streets. It will be unlike
most city homes. for 1t will stand detached,
as even it's unusual frontage of over sew
enty feet has not take up the entire width
OF the lot, which is about 100 feet.
The design presents a type that is not
common here, as it is early English in it's
architecture. The details are plain and are
worked out in red brick with a sparing
use of stone. long roof, broken by dor
mer windows, is good finish for the sturdy
walls of two stories which form the super
structure.
Building Up Vacant Ground.
The announcement made last week of the
purchase of tract of land on 14th street
extended for purposes of subdivision was
not surprise to those who are at all IA
miliar with the process of the develop
ment of this city. AS it happened, it was
the firm of Robinson & Co. that
bought the Rupert tract and is now en-
gagged in dividing it up into building lots
Such an enterprise would have been under
taken sooner or later. and it is perhaps due
to the push of this firm that it was begun
so soon.
There is hardly any doubt, judging from
the past, that all the other vacant ground
along the line of that road will be also cut
cess has always followed the extension of
the car lines. When the grading of this
street is finished to the old 14th street
road, near the Brentwood Driving Park
then the Capital Traction cars are to make
that point the northern terminus instead
of 14th street and Whitney avenue, as at
present. 1t will add about couple of miles
to the present line.
Beyond the Northern Bounds.
The building up of the city in rows has al
ready progressed as far almost as Piney
branch, and now that the street railroad Is
about to span that obstruction there seems
no reason why the progress of building
should not continue It's northward course
This is what is believed by Mr.. Robinson
Will take place, and no doubt as other tracts
of land can be secured and subdivided the
work will be done After while there will
be a bridge over the Piney branch on the
line of 18th street, and then the Connecti-
cut avenue cars, which now run north as
far as Park street will be continued north
ward
The next line of cars to the west is the
Chevy Chase and while it's care have been
running across Rock creek for some time
yet it is only now that it seems the course
of building Is going to pass that border
line. In way that has already been ac-
ccmplished. as the flourishing settlement Of
Cleveland Park and the subdivisions be-
yond, as well as the promising and beauti-
fui region of Chevy Chase itself, fully dem
onStrate.
When the Bridge is Done.
There is to be another means of COM
barrier of Rock creek. and that is the Con-
necticut avenue bridge, which is now well
in hand and will probably be finished In
the course of the next twelve months. This
will afford a direct means of access and will
be the continuation of Connecticut avenue
as 1t is laid down in the o. bounds of the
city. The rows of city houses are already
up to the east bank of the creek and it
seems inevitable that the tide of building
should break across and continue Just as
1t has done on the east side.
Near the end of the railroad bridge on
Connecticut avenue q beginning has been
made, 1t is thought, and Mr.. Tolson has
started a house for his own use on the Con-
necticut avenue front. This property, as Is
well known, lying as it does on both sides
of the avenue. belongs to the Waggaman
estate, which is being administered by Mr..
Dulaney, the trustee.
He has no notion of selling the lots on the
avenue front to what he terms spectators
for the purpose of erecting cheap rows of
houses. Rather he thinks that the value
of the property would be maintained If he
adhered to the policy of reserving these lots
for persons who wish to build houses for
their own use. This is the course he is
pursuing, and one that he thinks will re-
suit In bringing the best values for the
property. In regard to the lots on the
other streets he is not going to have this
restriction. At any rate the prospect Is that
before long the line of houses on the east
side of the creek will be continued on the
west SlGe.
Out Brightwood Avenue.
Another thoroughfare along which may
be noticed the outward trend of the popu-
lation is the 7th street road, or Brightwood
avenue, as 1t Is called. The houses from
the borders of the city are practically con-
tinuous to Petworth, which lies adjoining
the grounds of the Soldiers Home on the
north.
The building up of the region along North
Capitol and 1st streets west Is one of the
most remarkable movements in the recent
history of the city, and in it's extent and
the rapidty with which 1t was done, as well
as the excellent character of the improve
ntents, it has probably few If any parallels
in the history of any city.
There is now compact town where a
few years ago there were fields and COM
mons. The progress did not stay until 1t
reached Brookiand which prospered by the
contact, and the line of improvements is