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

a Remarkable Demand
AS is well known, a great deal was done
last year and the year before in fact. the
amount of building was unprecedented. but
In Spite of that fact the uniform testimony
Is that the new structures have been we'll
occupied from the time they were ready for
use. and this without emptying those al
ready built. The fact seems to be that for
the most part the extraordinary buildine
operations that have been going on for the
past year or so have been to meet a Iepiti
mate want and to give living quarters for
the addition to the population which has
oeen moving In at rate that is estimated
10 nave been about double that of the ordi
nary increase.
For decade or so hack tbo o,o -
early increase in the number of peonle liv
ing IN the District has been about five thou
SAND per year. Last year and perhaps the
year peIore the estimated increase has been
ABOUT ten thousand.
1t Is evident that If these figures come
anywhere near to represent the actual
growth the volumes of building. operations
mas been fully justified. But there is a
hn,,.sa ~ actLcal evidence In the demand for
houses Doth to rent and to buy, and also
for apartments.
Not Stopped by High Prices.
Owing to the advance in the nricas ~
building materials and also in the cost Of
labor the inducements for building from
such standpoint have not been yery
strong, and under a different condition of
the market would have resulted In the
practical stoppage of nearly all work of
TINS description. This circumstance adds
further emphasis to the reality of the de-
Inand which has existed and under which
buildings has gone on In spinte of these die
couraging conditions.
A phase of the market which is of gen.
uine interest and testffies more strongly
than anything else to the substantial char
acter of the present movement Is the read
mess with which customers can be found
Tor houses. There has not been in years
such general buying of homes as has been
going on here and Is still in progress. AS a
rule houses that have been put up for spec
ulative purposes have been leased or sold
in block for investment, but now row
after row In all sections Of the city, and
especially in the newer portions beyond the
old municipal bounds, have been absorbed
by individual buyers who wanted homes.
AS this market still continues, an effort
Is being made to maintain the supply. and
this is the explanation in great part of the
active building of houses which is going to
season. 1t is likely that the apartment
house building will take a more subordinate
place in the activities. especially as COM
pared with what has been done during the
past year or so.
Changes in Office Location.
Some changes have been made in the
location of the offices of realty firms.
Among these may be mentioned the re-
moval of Decide & Co. from 1919 F street
to 1404 G street, while Arms & Drury have
moved from $40 F street to 1911 G street.
A Big Apartment House.
The work of removing the large residence
on the west side of Vermont avenue Just
south of Thomas Circle is going on and
when the site is cleared 1t is proposed to
build there a large apartment house, which
will have a frontage of 100 feet and will
be seven stories In height.
The plans for this building. which is to
be erected by a company of which the
Messrs. Moses are the principals. are be-
ing made by Mr.. T. f. Schneider architect.
while the building operations will be under
the direction OF Francis s. Duehay, VINO is
also interested In the company.
Mr.. Sharp's Home.
The residence which has just been com
pleted for Ms, James Sharp at the corner
OF Highland and Newark avenues. Cleve-
land Park. is attractive in design as well as
in the color scheme OF the exterior. The