The Washington herald., 1907-08-25


was a residence thoroughfare, with here
and there a drug store or doctors Office
to diversity its character. To-day it is
fairly teeming with business.
Even before the contract was let for
the new Union Passenger Station. shrewd
and far-sighted men began to look toward
New York avenue as one of the coming
business streets. They saw its possibili-
ties. With the steady uptown drift its
Importance was inevitable Now its status
Is fixed. There is no better channel FOR
business, and IT is daily growing better.
It's transformation has been complete.
Some OF the Hvest most progressive
and up-tO-date business houses are now
located on New York avenue 1t has
banks and railway Offices, and It is hav-
ing aecessions right along. It's future
IS thoroughly well established. Notable
building Improvements are in contempla-
ton for an early day. 1t is no longer a
case of waiting for the thorOughfaTe 10
arrive It has arrived already. And with
the opening Of the Union Passenger Sta
ton, now not long to be deferred. New
York avenue VIII be one Of the choicest
The Washington Herald to-day presents
in readable form some facts appertain-
ing to this development-facts which may
give surprise TO people who have not
closely followed that development.
What the Observer Sees.
Standing in front Of the Treasury
and looking eastward, a fine vista
70 .-Ea h
slightly home of the National Savings
and Trust Building. one of the grim
guardians OF Washingtons millions.
forming part of the Wall street" OF
the new city. Opposite is the George
Washington Hotel. one OF the land,
marks Of the Capital for many years
Passing slowly down New York ave
nue., one comes 10 the Bond Building.
one of the recent additions to the white
business architecture Of the city Here
are snugly quartered lawyers, agencies.
professional men of various kinds.
railroad and transportation Offices.
headquarters Of real estate firms. and
many more kinds of business. grouped.
rs is the custom in these modern DAYS.
in the big high Office building. Cross
ing Fourteenth street, one enters the
center OF the uptown real estate bust
ness. Offices of prominent brokers
haunt their signs here, and in the busy
days OF the selling season, much prop
erty changes hands in these Offices
Builders and architects are distributed
among them. On the corner of Four
teenth street one of the enterprising
haberdashery houses Of the city Is pre-
pairing 10 follow the call to the uptown
section. and will open a new store
there in September.
New improvements started.
On the left side of the avenue one OBJ
serves many new improvements. What
were two years ago inhabited residences
have been remodeled and are now occu-
pied as automobile shops and other
places OF business. Within six years the
value Of property has advanced in this
square more than threefold. Some of II
to-day is held as high rs s100 a square
foot, and none Of it could be purchased
less than $50 a foot Two immensely val
liable pieces OF real estate are found in
this block one Of which was sold a few
months ago for $4,000, and the other the
Presbyterian church property. is await
ing a purchaser at a high figure
Where Thirteenth street crosses New
York avenue, at the intersection Of II
street. the Masonic order is erecting It's
temple, to cost about $4,000. On the Cd
posite corner Of Thirteenth street the
Mutual Fire Insurance Company is erect /
from Pennsylvania avenue. where It has
been quartered since its establishment
High class cafes, smaller business
places, physicians offices. dentists rooms. |
and a few dwellings line the avenue on
either side down to Mount Vernon Square. |
where the uptown portion Of New York
avenue ends in a cluster Of business |
places surrounding the south and east
sides of the square, principal among
which is the Home Savings Bank.
Car Lines Bring the People.
New York avenue, elm-shaded and fast /
losing its character as a residence thor
oughfare, carries one Of the great electric /
car lines Of the city. At its upper end |
two others converge, and cross connec-
lions are made on this avenue with nearly
all the transportation lines OF the city. |
The plans of L'Enfant. taken advantage |
OF by the car companies, have made it |
one of the natural centers of traffic |
in the city. With the crowding of the |
people at the salient points along this /
avenue has come the movement of bust /
ness from the former downtown sections /
into the locality best suited TO its expan- /
sion.
No one who has observed the trend /
OF the city's growth for the past six |
years can have any doubt that New York /
avenue already IS one Of the leading bus
mess thoroughfares OF the Capital. It's
growth in the years TO come can be moth
ing more than the logical outcome of
what has already taken place in the
transformation of its buildings from state
ly and fashionable homes TO weIl-eouipped /
md we'll trcr.izaa 49, ~