Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-23
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Home Buying a Prominent
Market Feature.
AS AN INVESTMENT
BROADENING DEMAND FOR ALL
CLASSES OF PROPERTY.
Some of the CHARACTERISTICS of the Year
That is Now Coming to
AS AN INVESTMENT

Close.
A new arrangement of the streets through
out that extensive tract of land that lies on
each side of Massachusetts, avenue between
Rock creek and the Tenleytown road is be-
ing made. The purpose is to ascertain If a
better use of the ground cannot be made
than If the regular system of streets were
applied to this region without deviation
or change. AS is well known. this section,
although lying on the edge of the city, is
one of the most broken in this locality. -,
There are ravines and wooded heights and
glens and all the variety of an irregular
landscape, and yet, according to the present
plan, which has been extended to this To-
cality. as it has been to the entire District.
the system of city highways is to be applied
practically without change.
Additional Park Space.
What is being done is to make such re-
adjustment that the streets will conform
more nearly to the character Of the region.
OF course. It will be necessary to secure
the approval of Congress before the new
plan can talre the place of the present one
There has a. so been some suggestion that
a portion of his region which Is cut nearly
in two by the grounds of the naval obser-
vatory be reserved park thus making
1t southern continuation of The Zoo and
of the Rock Creek park.
The region is such an attractive one from
a scenic point of view that 1t Is regarded by
many as pity to reduce it to the common
place of city subdivision, but in that re-
spect 1t shares the characteristics of a great
deal of the country all through that section,
so that the Idea of adding to the park space
might seem a process without end If it Is
once begun.
Resorts for the People.
1t is probable that If it had not been for
the character of the country 1t would not
have been possible to have induced Congress
to make such a reservation of park as it did
when 1t provided for the Rock Creek and
Zoo parks. The natural beauties and
attractions of these public resorts are freely
acknowledged by every one and enjoyed by
all who visit them. The nearness to the
closely buit-up section of the city is fur
Their Endorsement of the wisdom of making
such reservation for the benefit of the
public.
There can be no doubt that the people are
getting pleasure and recreation from these
resorts. The use of the parks is not con-
fined to the class that have their carriages
or can afford to hire them, but, as is evident
on any fair day, by whole host of people
who us the street cars for a part of the
way ar then wander at will amidst the
beautiful! surroundings.
Is pEODaDly true tnaC Inere is no park
In the world that exceeds in natural beauty
the Rock creek region, and that 1t is to be
kept for all time as place Of resort for
the people Is a matter of congratulation
and one of the reasons why this city Is de-
sirable as a place of residence.
Hotels and the Union Depot.
The announcement made last week of the
purchase of ground for the erection Of a
large modern hotel in the immediate vicin-
n ha OIL
OF one of the changes that the location of
such an important center is to make in that
locality. Almost as soon as the site of the
depot was determined upon the men who
are interested in the management of the
New Willard and Raleigh hotels in this
city secured from the Baltimore and Ohio
Railros d Company one of the triangular
pieces Of ground that front directly on the
plaza before the proposed union station
building.
1t is expected by the latter that as soon
as sufficient progress has been made in
that locality the building of the hotel
hotel enterprise. Mr.. Busch Of the ST. Louis Louis
brewery interests, intends also to put up a
large building to the southwest of the new
depot, at the corner of North Capitol and
F streets.
A Remarkable Year.
The year that is coming TO a close has
been In some respects a remarkable one In
lne history Oh the ueVeiOpmenL OF the city.
The obvious feature of building operations
during that period has been the increase in
the number of apartment houses-not SO
much because of the number or the size
OF these structures. but because they were
additions to a list that was looked upon as
already large and which had grown greatly
during the past few preceding years
This increase In the number of such
buildings naturally attracted more atten-
ton than any other feature of the build
intg activity. But it did not altogether de-
serve such pre-eminepce. Far more impor-
tant and significant was the addition to the
number of houses.
New Houses the Feature.
If these new houses had been put up
simply to rent, then perhaps the impor-
lance of this phase of the market might
not seem so marked. The fact Is that
they have been sold as fast as they were
built and that they are now occupied by
the owners. This increase in the number
Of home owners in the city Is perhaps the
ost significant fact In connection with
Il material development Of the city during
tie past year. 1t is not altogether the
eatgrowth of the past twelve months. but
marked to a considerable extent the trans
aEstions of the few previous years.
At any rate the market for houses has
been good. remarkably so, and still con-
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