Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-16
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Some Large Transactions Made
During the Week.
EVIDENCE OF CITY'S GROWTH
Proposed Provision for Sites for
Needed Public Buildings.
IMPROVE PENNSYLVANIA AVE.
L'Enfant's Ideas Have Proved to Be
Good Even After a Century
Has Passed.
EVIDENCE OF CITY'S GROWTH

two transactions which rank of cOnSid-
cradle Importance in the real estate world
one the announcement of the option
held by George Washington University on
the Dean property at the head of Con-
necticut avenue with the view of locating
the new university buildings there. and
the other was the purchase of a large
resdepCc site on Rhode Island just east
of Connecticut avenue.
The price paid for the latter which in
cludes the apex of the triangular piece of
ground and has wide frontages both
Rhode Island avenue and NJ street.
was $4,000 The purchase also embraced
the house Of Carroll Mercer on the east
end OF the tract and so the consideration
named, was not entirely for building
site. Still the transaction. which made
through T. G. Brainerd. real estate broker.
is one of the largest of that class that has
occurred here for several months.
Tho Mercer house, which is to be
mCdalcd and changed. is to be occupied by
the new owner. MIR. James S. Harlan, who
is now "a resident of this city and is a
member of the interstate commerce COM
mission. The vacant grounds to the west
of the house. which is a part of the pur-
chase. is TO be improved bys the erection of
house. something on the style of the
Wadsworth house which occupies a similar
piece OF land just to the east of Dupont
circle.
University Site.
The proposed change in the location of
the George Washington University to the
brow of the hill overlooking the city to
the north is significant not only of the
present prosperity of that institution, but
is also highly suggestive of the growth of
the city. When that institution was
founded more than three-quarters of cen
fury ago. the location chosen was the ample
ErOIpQS lust To the of 1lth
north of Florida avenue. About twenty or
twenty-five years ago it was thought the
college was too far out from the center of
things and so the property was sold and
the broad acres turned into build ngs lots
which have since been covered with dwell
ings.
Ii was then that the building at the cor
ner of 10Th and fl streets was erected.
After the lapse of a quarter of a century
such have been the changes in the city that
the proposed new site is looked upon as
rather central than otherwise. although it
is about as far north from the center of
the city as the first site of the college.
Business Improvement
1t is the intention of Mr.. NJ. A. Leese to
make extensive alterations in the build
ing which he owns and occupies with his
business and known as GA 9th street.
The first essential in the mind of MIR. Leese
in the plans he intends to carry out in
making the improvements, is to provide
more room for his business which at the
present time is cramped entirely too much.
There is to be a new front put in and
an addition made. which will give better
facilities for the shop where the manu-
featuring is carried on.
To Improve the Avenue.
The prospect is that some action will be
taken at the present session of Congress
in regard To acquiring for the use of the
government the building sites the south
SIDE of Pennsylvania avenue between the
Capitol and the Treasury Department. In
fact. il will not be necessary to go as
far east on the avenue as LIST street west,
as the land from Sd street is owned by the
government and is that part of the Mall
known as the Botanic Gardens.
about eighty years ago the Congress
which looked upon the stretch of land
which had been acquired by the first Presi-
dent of the United States the site of
the new federal city hopelessly large
IN view of any possible population that
might be expected to come here directed
the squares fronting on the north side of
Pennsylvania avenue between I'd and Az
streets and the south side between Sd
and 9th streets to be divided into building
lots and sold.
Sold Part of Park Lands
This was done that the Mall, which,
according to the plan of L Enfant exend-
ed on both sides of Pennsylvania avenue as
far as 9th street on the south side and AZ
street on the north side became avail
able for building instead of being reserved
as was the intention of the designer of the
city plan, to be part of the park sys-
TEN ui the city. For some reason which
Is not easy to understand from a study
Of l. Enfant's plan the land on the north
side and comprising the space between lst
and III streets was not acquired by the
government and was treated exactly as all
other squares in the city that is divided
half and half between the individual own
tTs and the government.
There is no question today that If the
government owned that land it would not
part with IL on any consideration
But three-quarters of a century ago
II no doubt seemed to the legislators OF
that day sensible and business-like prop
osition TO get rid of some of the land es-
Pecially in the vicinity of the Capitol
building, and get IL in the hands of indi-
viduals so that buildings could be erected
and conveniences provided for members of
Congress who spent portion of each year
III the city.
Got Rid of the Canal.
At that time the distances between the
several sections of the city We're great and