Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-03

of the closely built up sections of the city
to an extent that before the days OF the
trolley would not have been possible. In
this way not only have areas OF cheap lana
been brought into the market. put unoccu-
pied land or lots lying near the center
have been affected in value and there mas
taken pace a change in prices whlch is
quite noticeable when compared with values
of former days.
Sale of Houses and Lots.
Land values have also been affected by
the increase in the cost of building. which
has resulted in taking building to large
extent out of the hands of individual own
ers of lots and put it in the hands or the
professional builder. who finds a proht by
erecting at one time number of houses.
1t has come to such stage that IN some
cases the owner CT vacant ground, specially
| the single lots. finds that the only way he
can market his property is by building
house on it and then selling the mouse In
other words the market for houses IS pet
ter than it is for single lots.
But this does not apply so much to any
considerable block of land susceptible OF
economical subdivision so that room can
be provided for a number of houses. But
the question is whether the owners OF such
property will not find it to their advantage
either to improve their property by the cree
ton of houses to rent, sell the ground TO
some one seeking an investment of that
sort.
Building Houses to Rent.
An illustration of what is going on and
the changes that have taken place, especial
ly as relating to distances from the prin-
cipal center of the city. is the building
operations in Brightwoed Park by William
NICK. Clayton. This property. as is well
known lies on the It'll street road-or
Brightwood avenue, as 1t is now called
and is adjoining the village of Brlghtwood,
" hicb is four miles from the center
of the city.
Here houses are being built to rent. This
is, of course, only one of the several sec
lions outside the old city limits where build
ing enterprises are being carried on, ana 1t
is cited merely to show phase IN the MOD
ern development of the city. Inc posi-
bilties of this sort of thing as an invest
ment of money are. of course, such as Will
have to be approved by the Judgment OF
each individual investor, but 1t is lkely
that house building as a means OF placing
money is going to be more and more a
feature of the realty market in this city.
Along these lines lie the hope of supplying
the existing and pressing need of houses
that will be available al moderate rental.
Architecture and Climate.
In the planning of a house. whether in
the city or in the country, economy has to
be considered. except in rare instances.
There is. of course, the same variety in
this form of saving money as there is in
all the other expenditures of the average
life. In order to have more stone in the
front of the house or some additional cary
ing or other detail that will tend to make
a more impressive show, the area of the
house is reduced and the various rooms
made smaller and brought together.
Or on the other hand, it may be a genu
inc saving, and the cutting down in the
length the breadth of the house Is rep
resented in the total expenditure, and is not
spent in merely ornamental features. Be
this clement of cost in a house there
are to be met the wishes of the people who
are spending their money to put 1t up and
who intend to live there. AS Is not I'M
natural, such views are apt to prevail in
spite of the better judgment of the archi-
tect Frequently while the plans of house
bear the name of an architect, he Is really
not responsible for much or the design or
of the arrangement.
A Good Combination.
Architects are competent usually to do
the work that they profess to do. and there
are also clients who appreciate that some
recognition should be paid to the trained
taste and skill of the architect. When such
combination of professional ability and
good sense occurs then it may be expected
that pretty good results will be reached
In the designing of a home. There are
some elements which it seems that even
such a harmonious condition as above de-
Scribed at times ignores.
Perhaps the most important is the very
essential one of the climate 1t seems to
be almost beyond dispute that house to
be comfortable and entirely satisfactory
should be adapted to the weather condi-
lions of its locality. The fact Is such
consideration is frequently ignored and that
is the case in It's city, well as elsewhere.
Of course. the excuse that is heard for
great deal of this sort of work here is
that the house Is intended for use only
in the winter and Is not to be used
home in the summer. While there is some
force in that explanation. nevertheless it
remains true that structure of that sort
is not adapted to Its surroundings.
Evidently Not in Harmony.
A knowledge of the climate must be rec
ognized a matter of great Importance
for any one who proposes to design place
where people are to live. What would be
suitable for one locality would be a misfit
in another. and hence 1t is that In this city