Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-08
OFFICE Bull DIN GS
Erection of a Large Number of
Big Structures.
NO SPECULATIVE MOVEMENT
Expansion of Government Facilities
Said to Be Responsible.
ALONG CONSERVATIVE LINES
Many Years of Prosperity Ahead
Limit in National Growth
is Not Reached.
ALONG CONSERVATIVE LINES

1t Is not surprising that the past year has
| witnessed such great activity In the erec-
uen of public. office and bank building nor
! Is there any reason to suppose that the
| movement Is purely a speculative one and
| that at any time the bottom may drop out
| and builders and investors find themselves
! with property for which there is no great
! demand In fact, the most careful OBJ
| servers are OF the opinion that the building
/ OF offices and other large structures not in
| tended Tor living purposes has proceeded
! along conservative lines. There IS but Ut
tie reason to apprehend that the market
! has been overbuiIt
Because of the expansion of the facilities
! here for the government there is need for
| more buildings for private use as distin-
| guished from public USE and that in
other words, the city grows with the prog
/ ress or the government. AS the latter
| keeps pace, or aims to. with the Increase In
| the population of the country it Is quite evf-
/ dent that the city has ahead of 1t many
years of prosperity, for there is no voice
| yet raised to say that the limit has been
reached in national growth.
| building in course of construction is the
one to be occupied by the National Metro
| politan Bank The new structure occupies
a frontage of 81 feet on 18th street between
+ and G streets, the lot having depth OF
! 100 feet to an alley The structure covers
the entire lot and rises to height of nine
| stories, which is the limit allowed by law
! for buildings on that street
me entire first floor with the exception
of hallway, will be devoted to the use of
| the bank, while the upper floors will be
| available for office purposes. The bank is
| now temporarily occupying the Citizens
! bank building, adjoining it. which it ac-
| CURED when the merger of the two instI-
| tutions culm' mated.
About April 16 last the scanolding from
around the walls of the building belonging
70 the American Security and Trust Com
| pahy wars taken down and the effect of the
| structure could be appreciated for the first
tihe' III was at once evident that 1t met
me requirements of architectural critics.
| VINO demand that the exterior of a building
| ought to indicate Its uses The STRUCTURE Re
| a graceful piece of architecture pleasing tn
the eye, whether viewed from the part Of
| an artist or practical builder
Large Office Building.
Inc preparations for the breaking of
| ground preparatory to the erection of =
| large office building upon the lot ar the
| corner of Sth and G streets northwest
which was purchased from the Catholic
University by Thomas f. Walsh, the owner
| oi the colorado building, were begun April
l LIN
| Will be ready for occupancy about JuIv
| were prepared by two Washington archi-
I tects and by Ralph S. Townsend of New
| York city. The latter's plan was accented
| by MT Walsh. The structure ia seven
| stores high and will have cost when com,
pietea, ABOUT 100000. Mr. Townsend drew
the plans for the Colorado building
once building operations were at a stand
sun curing May and June. July l Witness
81 me opening of the bids for construction
OF the new District building and the con-
The c, Was s"afaed to James L. Parsons of
TINS city, the lowest bidder, at $685. 900 The |
building of the foundations by another
contractor, had been finished
Just ABOUT TINS time the amount of public
Work that was going on was without pre-
ceuent. including the mUnicipal building
there were i've large public buildings that
were either In process of construction or
preparation made TO begin the work The
new buildings that We're being put I'm by
the government included two office build |
mss on me north and south side of the
Capftol grounds for the use of the Senate |
and the House, and the National Museum
building and the one for the Department
OF agriculture. Each of these buildings is
10 cost in the neighborhood of 81, 500 600
me eastern section of the city is now
graeed by the one-story building OF the
East washington Savings Bank. It is To-
Gated between sd and 4th streets southeast
on the north side of Pennsylvania avenue
only few doors west of the rational |
Capital Bank building. 1t has twenty
d
ers claim that the new building Is second
to none of Its size in the city. The cost
is about $50 600
Shortly afterward, In September the
Home Savings Bank, 7th street and Massa-~
chusetts avenue, coutemplat ted the estab-
iishment of two branches, one at the cor
ner of 7th and H streets southeast and an
other on 1th street southwest.
Block of Houses Purchased.
Mr.. Thomas F. Walsh purchased the
Of hnIT fpc, ala
18th and 18th, on the north side of c;
ST. eet. and 1t is understood that he will
use the ground for an addition to the
Colorado building. The new ground is
50x212 feet, and is sufficiently large for a
| large addition.
lull followed in the building operations
| for office buildings after November last
| and so far no permits have been asked for
new Office buildings, according to Informal
| ton obtained from Building Inspector Ash
| ford. So far all real estate operations
are confined to important sales of large
| tracts of land in the business sections of
| the city, notably the transfer of the prop
erty on 18th street between Pennss ivania
avenue and H street. The Colonial Hotel,
| which will be torn down by Stlson Hutch
| ms the new owner, will give way TO a
| large building for office purposes. but so
| far the plans not completed. Mr.. Hutch
| ms Is also engaged with his architects in
| preparing remodeling plans for the lie
| Droit building. corner of sth and F streets
| northwest, which he purchased recently for
| 100000. q
The Union Trust Company. Thomas ].
| Fisher and others are interested I'm total
/ remodeling of the two sides of 18th street.
| between Pennsylvania avenue and III street.
1t is evident, therefore. that Washington
| Is becoming thoroughly commercial city,
without the disadvantages brought by In
dustrial pursuits, and one of its indt-
| vidualties this city will always retain its
1 fame primarily as residence city.