Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-12
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Progress of Building in Various
City Sections.
PLANS FOR COMING SEASON
Arranging to Build Large Number Of
Small Houses.
AS TO STREET EXTENSIONS
Measures Pending in Congress Relat-
ing to New Thoroughfares and
Extending Existing Ones.
AS TO STREET EXTENSIONS

The progress OF building along 18th street
north OF Park road and also In the inn
mediate locality continues. and plans have
been made for the erection of additional
houses as soon as the season opens. w.
H. Saunders Co.. rea; estate brokers, who
have handled much property in that Sec
ton. have recently sold to John TX. Lloyd
ten lots fronting on 18th street north OF
Munroe street. Five OF the lots are being
improved by the erection OF two-story brick
houses, and 1t is the purpose of Mr.. Lloyd.
as soon as the weather permits. to begin
the erection of Ave additional houses.
The same firm sold to II. B. Wilson and
Harry Wardman twenty-nine lots on 11th
street above Park road. and on the prop
erty twenty-nine two-story houses are
nearly completed, being under roof.
The Lane Bros. have also purchased
ten lots at 10th street and Spring road
and twelve lots at Holmead avenue and,
Spring road, and It is the purpose to build
twenty-five two-story houses In addition
to the transactions mentioned. Saunders &s
Co. have sold eighteen lots In the locality.
which are to be improved In the near flu
ture.
During the past six months the firm
has sold q total of about eighty lots in
the section. all OF which have either been
built upon or will be In the near future.
Extension of Streets.
The large number OF bills that have been
acted upon by both houses of Congress
at the present session providing for the
opening of streets or portions of streets
makes it extremely likely that many OF
them will become laws. 1t is estimated
that no less than eighteen such bills have
passed the House, and some of them hav-
ing previously been through the Senate and
t. -.
House will 20 back to the Senate for tho
latter's action.
In one respect none Of these measures can.
be classed as important, that u.s. II the mere
question of extent of the highway that 10
proposed to be opened Is looked upon as the
only consideration Of consequence. In most
cases the purpose is to remove dead ends
OF streets or to provide a means OF commu-
nication between points more convenient
than at present.
A Public Convenience.
An instance OF this kind Is found in the
provision for the opening Of Fessenden
street. in the northwest section of the
suburbs. The purpose Of the bin is to save
a long detour for people who may be north
OF Tenleytown. and may desire to get to the
River road. At present they are obliged to
proceed south to the point where the River
sin avenue, intersect -.-.
The new street will furnish a way across
the country forming link between the
two thoroughfares mentioned.
Another bill provides for the extension OF
4th street northeast through the Rose prop
erty. The street was opened several years
ago and what was then known as the
lexington street railway was built along
that thoroughfare. At the time, 1t Is said.
Mr. Rose, the owner Of one-of the proper
ties through which the new highway pass
ed gave his consent to the use Of tho
ground, but subsequently withdrew It. and
the object of the legislation is to secure to
the public the highway.
Cost on Property Holders.
1t is also proposed to secure authority
for the extension OF I'd street northwest
north as far as Trumbull street or the
pumping station, and in such manner to
give to that section direct connection with
the rest Of the city. w and Adams streets
northwest are also to be carried through
Prospect Hill cemetery.
In all measures Of the sort clause 10
inserted authorizing the Commissioners to
secure the stipulated right Of way In ac-
relating to the subject. The latter provides
for Jury Of condemnation. which is di.
rected to award benefits and damages on
the adjoining property. The entire cost.
owners, except. Of course. In such cases as
that of the Prospect Hill cemetery, where
special provision Is made.
Dead End Streets.
AS compared with the method formerly
in use regarding such legislation that now
followed makes the process of opening q
public street or extending such street a
comparatively simple matter. Bills OF tho
sort used to be formidable documents. as il I.
was necessary each time to reoite the de-
tails of the method to be followed I'm ac-
quiring the property.
Now, however. a simple reference to tho
provision of the code Is all that is neces-
sary.
Some of the measures referred to pro-
pose to do away with what known as
dead ends" as, for example. the termna-
lions of 7th, 9th and Franklin streets in
Mount Pleasant and Genesee street and
Summit place in Lanier Heights.
Building in the Southeast.
1t is proposed by Mr.. James Martin to :
continue the improvements which he started
last year on 10th street between and B
streets southeast He has had plans pre-
pared for the erection of ten houses on
that frontage. which, with the ten houses
which he is just about completing. will oc-
cupy the entire building space on that side
of the block.
the coming season. and will be begun as
soon as the weather becomes settled. will be
two stories in height, and similar in plan
to those that have been erected there.
Mr. Martin last year built seven two-story
houses at 18th and A streets southeast, and,
like others who have been adding to the
house accommodations in-that section OF
the city. he finds that there Is "A ready mar
ket, and that people are in search of homes.
A View of the Market.
Mr.. Thomas H Pickford is planning to do
quite a good deal of building this year.
While he finds that the prices of material
and of labor are high, the, conditions in
those respects are not different from what
hey We're last year. The state OF the mar
ket is the determining factor with HIM as
70 continuing building enterprises, and al
.hough. in his opinion. 1t might-be better,
yet he realizes that IL might be much
worse. In other words the market for
houses is not oversupplied he thinks. al
hough the supply is much more ample
han was the case last year.
1t is his judgment that thereaare more
yacant houses at this time than last year,
md he is also Of the opinion that there are
quite enough apartment houses. Owing TO
he general prosperity of this community,
10 well as the growth in the population. It
las been possible, he thinks. for the mar
ret to absorb the enormous number of liv-
ng accommodations that have been sup
lied during the past three years. and 10
'e I'm the favorable condition of the present
ime.
The city has not been overbuit. he
links harf he helfeyas that IN would ha