Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-16
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
A Market Condition That is
Attracting Attention.
DEMAND FOR. GROUND
PLANS BEING MADE FOR NUMBER
OF IMPROVEMENTS.
New Buildings Contemplated in the
Business and Residential Sec
tions of the City.

I Will US lildut III tdIl y}IiS Jul "itbS ~ oih
Uses to be large enterprise 1t is the
| establishment of an extensive plant
which will be used in connection with
| some of the activities of the government.
A building is to be erected on the grounds
| recently acquired by the government on
| the west side of 9TH street opposite the
/ Battle Creek cemetery, and 1t will be used
| as a United States army geenral hospi-
| tai.
The architects of the new structure are
! Marsh & Peter. The building that is to be
| erected will be large and arranged to
meet the requirements of a modern hos
| pital service. The cost of the structure
| will be about 100000. There is no insti
| tuition of the kind in the city except some
rather inadequate provision on the
grounds of the War College at the old
arsenal. 1t is believed that many cases
which are now under supervision at st.
Elizabeth could be treated in hospital,
and the patient saved from commitment
to a hospital for the insane.
A Probable Group.
In connection with the hospital 1t Is
| thought that In course of time the
grounds, which are quite extensive, COM
prtsing about forty acres can be used in
providing a place for buildings to be util-
ICED for allied interests in the service,
such as school for enlisted men and
sufficient quarters for officers, and other
uses which will be suggested as the
needs arise
1t is quite likely that this site will have
an important group of public buildings,
Just as Is the case at the War College and
the cavalry post at Fort Myer. 1t is hoped
that in designing buildings for such
site as the one above mentioned the es-
sentially rural surroundings will be
taken Into consideration. 1t seems some
what incongruous to see on lawns and
amid trees and shrubbery buildings such
as one is accustomed to see along the
streets of cities.
Not Suitable for the Country.
What seems entirely harmonious in
city Is apt to look out of place amid the
scenery of the country. striking exam
pie of such incongruity Is to be found in
the house of the superintendent of the ma
val observatory, which unfortunately occu-
pies such a conspicuous position that 1t Is
seen almost from every avenue Of approach
and especially commands Massachusetts
avenue. The great bulk Of the building,
mass of the brick walls with their unyield-
ing outlines. stand out itn striking contrast
with the soft foliage of the trees and the
curves of the green lawn.
For Business Purposes.
The growth of business on New York
avenue between 18th and 18th streets con-
tinues and one after the other the resi-
der.ces on that block are being changed into
business places. The next one to fall into
line is the residence formerly occupied by
DIR. Sewers on the south side just before
the turn where the line of the avenue
merges into that of H street Plans Yhave
been prepared by Marsh & Peter, archi-
tects, for such changes in the building as
will make 1t suitable for commercial uses.
The main entrance is to be brought to the
level of the street, which will involve eX
tepsive changes.
Demand for Ground.
y phase of the market which is attracting
a good deal of attention at this time is the
demand that has sprung up for unimproved
property. That class of property has SO
long been practically out of the market
that the change is a welcome one to prop
city owners who have found that there has
been no call for these holdings.
The basis of this demand is not a specu-
lative one as Is so often the case with I'M
improved property, but comes from those
who want to build. Both individual and
large builders are looking around for suita-
Bile sites and when they find what they
want they become purchasers They also
find that prices are not as high as was for
merly the case, which Is the result in part
OF the long continued inactivity in property
OF this class.
The Prospects of Building.
The condition of the market In regard to
HOUSES, VI rather LOT living quarters, mas
before been pointed out and there has been
substantially no change in the situation,
that the prospect for the coming season in
the building line Is especially promising.
There is going to be a good deal done in the
way of putting up houses in rows or specu-
lative building, as it is called, when men
build to sell, and there is also going to be
quite a revival of individual building,
In this way the market for building lots
Is explained. 1t may not be generally
known. there is an impression abroad
that ground Is high in this city, that there
is considerable land still for sale within
the old municipal limits that can be had
for 80 cents per foot and less. A little
| inquiry will bring out the conditions as
! they really are, so that it will be found
| that it is still possible for a reasonable
sum to get ground in this city and build
| house.
Union Depot Changes.
| The changed conditions which have been
| brought about by the new steam railroad
| terminal In this city are beginning already
| to be seen, especially in the vicinity of the
! new depot. That structure is not yet COM
1