Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-01

city since that day have had their influence
upon the bank. and so 1t is that 1t was
deemed wise to place upon the site q build
ing that would be better adapted for mod
ern uses than the one which It Is to re-
place. The new structure. instead OF being
two or three stories high. will be seven or
eight and will cover the entire frontage
of the lot and will extend back to the alley.
Competition for Plans.
With this ample space there will be room
for the banking offices on the first floor.
while the upper floors can be utilized for
office purposes The plans submitted by
some seven architects have been examined
by an architectural expert. who passed
upon the merits of what have been sub
mitted without knowing the individual de-
signers, their names are not on the
plans. The report made by this expert Is TO
be taken up by the board Of directors or a
committe appointed by that body and stu
died. and the result of their elaboration
will be an award TO one OF the contesting
architects.
AS the bank owns the adjoining building
on the north where the business is now car
ried on, 1t is the intention to so arrange the
floors In the building that they VIII
be on level from the second floor up. the
idea being that II Ii should be thought
advisable in the future to enlarge the new
building 1t could be extended over the ad-
ditional space by merely running up the
walls OF the building now occupied by the
bank.
Improvements for Business Uses.
Some changes are being made In the bust
ness section of the city in order to provide
additional room and better facilities. The
residence on the south side Of New York
avenue adjoining on the east the corner OF
14th street is to be remodeled and the first
floor will be occupied by the uptown office
of Stone & Fairfax, real estate brokers.
Farther to the east the same DOCK
the house numbered 1918 New York ave
nue. Is to be remodeled, that 1t can be
available for commercial uses The OLD
house 1909 II street, adjoining the Shore
ham on the west is being taken down. and
on this site will be erected structure that
will be used for business. The property
belongs to Mr.. John R. Mclean. and is the
last of the old time buildings that was left
that side of the block.
Changes are being made in the old build
ing 40 18th street, which adjoins on the
south the main building of the George
Washington University. When the plans
are carried out there will be offices pro-
vided for the real estate firm of r. W.
Walker & Son. who are having the work
done.
Changing From Residence Locality.
The disappearance of the residences in
the locality along H street east of Vermont
avenue is one of the incidents connected
with the growth of the city that generally
excites remark, for while the process has
been going on for some years, yet it has
had at no time rapid movement. Every
now and then house would be taken down
altered as is being done in the cases
above mentioned and also in the case of the
brownstone front house on the south side
of the street just west of 14th street.
This latter was some years ago one of the
high-class residences in the city. and IN
the fashion of the times 1t was given the
outward aDDearanCP least a
York city brownstone. 1t was for years
the home of the late DR.. w. w. Johnston
who lived there until he found that the
growth of the city made 1t necessary for
him to move still farther to the west.
Then Came Business.
After the demand for 1t as private resi-
dence passed away it became a boarding
house and now 1t is about to pass into the
third stage which all property situa ted SIM
ilarly attains, and that is, 1t is being altered
so as to be used for business purposes.
After awhile. perhaps. in the further prog
ress of development. 1t may be entirely re-
placed by a new building or become a part
of the site for a big building There are
now no buildings on either side of this block
that are occupied as private houses. On the
next block there Is at least one, whereas
few years ago some of the best residences
in the city were to be found there
Still Father to the West.
The gradual encroachment of business on
this locality seems destined TO continue, or
at least that Is the opinion of a good many
men. Whether the connection with the
newer business section along 18th street and
then out Connecticut avenue will be made
IL question that some think is capable of
only one answer. 1t is their belief that the
L street section will find here its logical and
fitting continuation.
rl,a INT ~ FoY d.,
not likely to be changed in it's character, is
not regarded by those who hold this view as
a sufficient bar to the farther progress of
the business section. At any rate, the
changes which are now In progress and