Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-25
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Activity in the Market a
Marked Feature.
DEMAND FOR HOUSES
WHAT rs BEING DONE TO PRO-
VIDE HOMES FOR THE PEOPLE.
The Coming Season Promises to Be
Even More Busting Than the
One Just Closed.
DEMAND FOR HOUSES

SAS " OSt SAOSSos
The remarkable market that has been
maintained during the present fall season,
and still continues, although the beginning
Of the winter months is at hand, is having
It's logical effect, especially, upon the
minds of men who are on the lookout for
indications to point them how to proceed in
the investing of their money. There are
quite a number of men who have been ac-
tive in building up what mght be termed
in one sense the newer Washington, all
though they have not in some instances
gone much beyond the old bounds of the
city to carry on their operation. They have
been studying the situation with regard to
the prospects for the coming season. 1t
may be considered that 1t is rather early
to do this, but 1t must be borne in mind
that the climate here permits outdoor work
nearly the entire winter. and so 1t Is not
unusual for buildings to be begun in the
late fall and carried on as the weather per-
mits during the usually closed season, and
then they well advanced by the spring
This is what Mr.. Harry Wardman is doing,
and as he built about 200 houses last year
1t may be concluded that he knows what
he is about.
City Not Overbuilt.
1t is not go notable that Mr.. Wardman is
arranging to build now it is that he is
building at all. The latter is the signid-
cant thing, for it shows that, in his judg-
nent at least the market for houses in this
city has not been overstocked, and that
there is still demand for them. Re-
Gently he built some twenty-six houses
on Flagler place, in Bloomingdale. in
the block bounded by 1st and I'd and U
and w streets northwest, and before the
houses were plastered more than half OF
them had been sold. OF the 200 he built last
year LIS agents, Moore & Hill, report that
he has only one left. He Is now building
additional houses on Flagler place. which
will complete the Improvement of both
sides of that street with two-stOry houses,
which sell at $3.50. Those already built
are occupied by the people who own them.
An Apartment House.
He has been equally successful with more
expensive houses he has built In other sec,
lions of the city, and is now engaged in
erecting some semi-detached houses at Co
lumbia road and Baltimore street. and also
some, houses on Kansas avenue near the
Adams Mil road, and also some frame
houses in Brightwood Park.
In addition to the house building, Mr..
w ardman has secured a building site some
100 feet square at the southeast corner of
22d and N streets northwest, where he is
erecting four-story apartment house.
More Homes Wanted.
Mr.. Wardman Is not the only man who
thinks that conditions warrant a further
investment Of capital in brick and mortar.
Others have found out as the result of their
experience that houses are in demand,
and if they supply them that there will be
those who will buy.
Osterman & Butler, who have built large
ly in the past, are just finishing some four
teen three-story houses on yelling place,
and they report that they are about all
sold. They are also building group OF
houses at 21st and + streets.
A Good Season Expected.
Points & Mockabee have the building of
twenty houses in Ingleside which will be
ready this season, while Of the eight
houses which John F. Lynch has built in
the same subdivision all but two have been
sold.
Mr.. L. E. Breuninger is also planning
some building schemes which are to be
carried out during the season, and there
are Of course, others who have in mind
plans of this sort SO that a period of much
activity in the building line is confidently
looked forward to.
No Longer a Waste.
The changes that have been made and
are now being made in the section of the
city in the neighborhood of the monument,
not to be more explicit, is surprising to any
one who has not kept track of what has
been going on. Instead of the waste of
neglected commons and frowsy houses and
a general air of desolation, which formerly
characterized that region, 1t is now place
n and in
attractive in or near the city. This IS
pretty strong statement when the beauty
of the Rock creek region is considered, as
well as the acknowledged attractions of
practically the entire suburban surround
ings of the city,
1t is certainly remarkable what has been
accomplished by filling in the low places
and leveling off the land and making road
ways with trim cutters and turf-adorned
sides. Then there is the additional charm
of the vicinity OF great sheets OF water,
as found in the tidal basin. along which one
of the roadways skirt, and also the river
itself, which is now made accessible, and
along the banks of which 1t is now possible
to drive without crossing 1t or going some
distance from the city.
The Beauty Of the River.
For the first time-certainly in the recent
days Of the city-it is now possible for citi-
zens to enjoy the beauty OF the river with
out going outside OF the municipal bounds.
All along the section which lies west of the
monument and which commences about at
the foot of 23d street a driveway now runs
alog the river front and close to the bank,
so that there is nothing to shut of the view
of the water.
Just at present the surroundings OF the.
latter are not az trim as 1t ts expectefi.
they will be, but 1t must be remembered
that the land over which the fine equipages
of the city are now rolling was a short time
ago the Shiny bed of the river, over which
the tide rolled and then left the muddy bot
tom to tester in the sun and give forth
fevers for the benefit of the citizens.
A Thing Of the Past.
The Potomac fats. as they were called,
are now a thing of the past, but it requires
time and money to transform such large
stretch of land for the uses Of man and to
obiiterate the marks of the long control
Isheld by the savagery of nature.
knu,sAt present the driSeways are there. and