The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-26
IS NO LET UP.
Prospects for Building in To-
peka Are Good.
Many New Residences on the
West Side.
MATERIAL is CHEAPER
This Will Stimulate Develop
ment This Season.
Some Big Buildings Are in
Prospect, Say Architects.

Last year and the year before were
the two best years the west has ever
known for building improvements.
This applies particularly to Topeka
and the rest of Kansas When the
panic came on last fall ii was expect
ed, for a time, that even though the
furry should quickly subside. its bad
influence would affect all building and
improvements through this year. But
this is not the case in Topeka nor the
rest of the state by a long ways. The
State Journal interviewed three OF the
leading architects of this city today
and they all talked in a most opti-
mistic vein regarding the present ana
future outlook for improvements IN
this section of the state.
Last year and the year before broke
all records for building in Topeka. This
same spirit of investment was appar-
ent all over the country and thought
full men were afraid of the reaction
sure to follow it. The reaction has
come and with it came the panic. Both
have passed, and were not nearly SO
bad as feared. The present spirit OF
Improvement in Topeka is more con-
sentative than during the past two
years. yet there is confidence on every
hand and the indications point to a
great lot of building here this year, as
great as in any year in the clty's his
The big dealers in building material
report a fine business booked for this
city and all sections OF the state.
Architects, contractors. lumbermen
and all interested in building declare
that the work now on hand and in
sight far surpasses in volume their
most sanguine expectations a month
or two ago.
considering the fact this Is
presidential year and that we had a
nrettU had money manic last fall. i am
astonished at the active and healthy
tone of our building improvements,
said a leading architect today. There
will be an immense amount of building
work done in this city this year. In
the residence section on the west side
1 saw this morning where ground had
been broken for a dozen nice houses
between Lowman Hill and Clay street.
Then I know personally OF half
dozen other fine residences to be built
this year on the west side.
1.-The clouds of last fall have broken
and are passing away. There Is no
surer index of prosperity in COM
munity than to see many new build
ings going up. This means good times
for the bucket brigade and the mer-
chants" SD xIE g
Said another architect: This will
be good year for improvements in
Topeka AS good as we have ever had
excepting last year. Among the larger
buildings contemplated and their cost,
are: Two annexes to the incurabfe
ward at the asylum, costing about
$4,000. An addition to the Santa Fe
shops, costing about 100000. The
Catholics expect to build a $4,000
structure on the site of the old Captain
johnson home. A new. gymnasium at
Washburn, $4,000. Rice hall VIII be
remodeled at a cost Of about $25, 900.
A stock pavilion will soon be built at
the state fair grounds that will cost
SIS. 900. A school building will soon
be built in Central park costing $50
900. The contemplated African M. E.
church at Seventh street and Topeka
avenue will cost about $4,000.
1.-The Mulvane building, the Nation
al hotel, the Capital building ana the
Elks' home are all now nearing COM
pletion and their aggregate cost will
be $360,000. Then in addition to this
the Colored Industrial school to be
built east of Topeka will likely cost
about $4,000, and they just completed
a $4,000 building out there"
One great incentive to much build
ing this year is the falling prices of
lumber and the availability of skilled
and rough labor. The feverish activf-
ty of the past few years had boosted
the markets sky high and contractors
had hard work getting men. Con-
sentative investors everywhere will
take advantage this spring of present
favorable conditions and put their
money in business and residence prop
good investment. Nearly all the build
ngs in the residence and business sec
lions of the city are occupied and
there is steady and increasing demand
for more. Real estate prices are firm
and rising and rents are rather high
and based upon a ten per cent invest
ment.
An even more optimistic view of
building operations in this city for this
year is taken by a prominent firm of
architects who were interviewed to-
day. The older member of the firm
said: 81 believe that there will be as
much building in the city this year as
there was last. The indications point
that way. Now that the panic is over
it's influence will tend to promote more
building than before it came. Why?
Simply because people with money to
| invest will. taking the lesson of the
| panic. turn to real estate as the safe
| and simple place to put their money.
| Some people think that a presidential
year naturally reduces the volume of
| investments and improvements. That
| used to be the case eight or ten years
ago, but it has not been true of con-