Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-18

cleared and made into a beautiful park
until they are gradually utilized els sites
for public buildings. yet II questions OF
economy are to prevail 1t would be pos
sible for the government to secure very
large revenue from much of the improved
property 1t Is proposed to take.
In report made by the board of as
sistant assessors of the District of Co
lumbia to the Commissioners in 1900 In
response to a resolution of the Senate, 1t
was stated that the improvements on the
south side of the avenue alone had at
If desired. the government might tear
down the least desirable of the improve
ments and leave only those that would be
available for its occupancy until new and
appropriate public structures could be
provided.
In this area are the great office building
OF the Southern Railway Company, the
Regent Hotel the Grand Army Hall, the
st. James Hotel, the Howard House and
many smaller buildings that would pro-
vide an immense amount of space both
for Office purposes and for storage ROOM
of which the government is badly in need
While these buildings would not provide
ideal quarters for public offices, in very
many instances they would give as good
quarters as the government now rents in
privately owned buildings.
1t has been pointed out that if this plan
of utilizing many of the buildings that
now stand on the south side of the avenue
until new structures are put up should
be adopted the saving in rent would
almost, If not quite, equal the interest
that would have to be paid by the govern
ment for the purchase of all the land in
volved in this undertaking.
The purchase of all of this land would
probably involve an expense of about
Sl0G00,GGO but 1t is claimed by many
men who wish to see this project go
through that even if the cost should be
greater the expenditure would be in line
with the economical development of the
city as the seat of government. They
claim that if the land is ever to be
quired now is the time to get it They
point to the great increases in the value
of property north of the avenue and de-
clare that such advances in the course of
a reasonable time are sure to affect prices
south of the avenue
Reason for Prompt Action.
AS an evidence of the tendency of bust
ness / Juses to seek these cheaper sites
that are so centrally located, they refer
to the business development on 18th street
as well as in other localities in that neigh
borhood. This development up to this
time has not greatly increased values in
that section, but reliable real estate men
are of the opinion that the increase must
come in the near future if Congress does
not act with promptneSs in acquiring the
land. Ground has in recent years been
sold for about $40 a square foot within
stones throw of the south side of the
avenue, and for the purposes of the gov
desirable as are the sites along the south
side of the avenue.
In view of the facts that bear upon
TINS proposition 1t has long been Won
der to many men in Congress that ac-
ton should have been SO long delayed.
They are satisfied that additional sites
for public buildings must be secured in
sentiment in Congress will permit their
location only on the south side of the
avenue. Being convinced of that, they
look upon the piecemeal acquisition of this
property as mistake and strongly urge
that it all be taken at one time SO as to
discussions that always arise when propo-
sitions are put forward for acquiring a
specific piece of land.