Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-23
Expansion of Business Sec.
lions of the City.
AS THE COMMUNITY GROWS
More Space Is Needed for CONNER
cial Purposes.
MEANING OF RECENT CHANGES
Phase Of Urban Development De-
scribed and It's Probable Influ.
ence and Direction.

The scheme for the erection Of a build
| ing in H street between 18th and 14th
streets for use as a hotel and place Of
amusement may be looked upon as a
significant phase in the city's expansion.
For several ears past or ever since that
locality or even it's immediate vicinity has
been regarded as affording room for the
growth of business the main portion Of
the site referred to has been frequently
| mentioned for just such an object. with
the exception that a hotel building was
not included.
In fact. the ground spoken OF comprises
much larger area than had ever before
been even included in the gossip on the
subject. For some reason nothing has
been done up to the present time. but now
there is thought to be prospect that
an undertaking as large and comprehen-
sive as this promises to be will he carried
out.
Done in Large Way.
The very largeness of the enterprise 10
typical of the way things are now done
in this city. 1t seems as if there is MOTH
ing that is proposed which cannot be
financed. that is. il its magnitude is the
only argument against il. Enterprises
are necessarily on a great scale because
the city is large and the population is
yearly gaining at greatly increased
ratio. There seems to be no question
raised as to the suita bleness Of the local
lty for both the purposes proposed. al
though IT was not so long ago that doubt
was expressed whether a site SO far
removed from what might be termed
the theater center in this city might not
prove TO be disadvantage.
N at n inc r,f
the Belasco Theater was first projected.
but II would hardly occur to any one at
TINS time that its location is unfavorable
from business standpoint This circum-
stance. il Is said, only serves as another
illustration of the changes which are TAX
ing place in this city and which tend to
show that an expansion is going on in
the business and commercial sections of
the city just as in the residence sections.
Army of Home Buyers
1t seems to be now generally quite ac-
cepted that Washington is a residence
city and not commercial city. and that
its most valuable asset is its attractive
ness as place of residence.
Fortunately the appeal of the city in
this respect is not alone to the rich. but
10 a much larger Class. those of indepen-
dent although limited means. as well as
those who are obliged TO still consider the
outcome of their daily toll as a necessary
in meeting their living expenses. To a
very large extent the home buyers be-
long TO that class, and the steady demand
for houses that has been such a feature
of the market for some time past is due
TO the influx of people of the sort In
question.
Nature of Movement.
But the main factor in the present de-
velopment of the city is the growing popu-
lation and in view of what has already
taken place il is not al all surprising that
the business section of the city has been
expanding as we'll as the residence section.
1t goes without saying that the needs and
wants of a people increase with their
numbers and this being il is quite nat
ura to see existing places of business
enlarged and new ones erected.
The advance Of business up fifth street
has been "A remarkable phase of the
realty situation here for the past four or
five years and its continuation to the
north is still in progress Then there are
indicat ons as we'll as actual signs OF
eastward and westward extensions. SO
that that portion of the business area
of the city is one likely TO be more or
less prominent for an indefinite period