Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-29
SPACE ABOUT HOUSES
Some Tendencies Observed in
Domestic Architecture.
LAND USED FOR SETTING
Price of Building Sites Not Ad-
vanced in Proportion.
LARGE AREAS PUT ON MARKET
Effect Of the Competition Of New
in Current Transactions.

Recent changes in the type OF house
that finds a ready market in this city
may be explained in the statement that
more ground is used for each individual
dwelling.
There are two methods Of utilizing the
larger space. One is by detached or
semi-detached houses, the other by in
creasing the width usual in such build
ings. The dwelling that stands entirely
alone il not frequent within the more
closely built sections OF the city. even in
localities where houses of larger and
more expensive type are found.
The style 10 followed in what might be
termed purely suburban sections. al
though in the vicinity of this city the
growth OF population Is so rapid that this
Characteristic features Of suburban build
ing is not apt to be long retained. The
experience has been. and continues to be,
that the demand for houses Is so great
and the cost OF ground of such progress
sive nature that either houses are built
closely together or in rows in localities
which are. still suburban in character and
in surroundings.
!. It Has No Suburbs.
This is so general that it is commonly
said of Washington that II has no
suburbs in the sense of a locality more
or less rural in character and contiguous
to some large center of population.
Now a change is coming. More space
is given to the individual house than
ever before.
One explanation for this change seems
sufficient to cover the situation. and that
is the lower price of land. This has been
brought about mainly by widening the
market and bringing into II much ex-
tended area of country through the opera
ton of trolley roads and the extension or
city Improvements practically throughout
ontfra hounds of the DfStrlct. This
process Of making available distant tracts
Of land has enlarged the supply in the
market. Competition has resulted. as Is
generally the case. I'm lower prices.
Land Is Now Cheaper.
The entire market has been affected.
and all land. whether within the old city
limits or far beyond what was formerly
such limits. IS alike in this respect. IL
may be said that building lots are cheaper
today. relatively speaking, than was Che
case some years ago. II may be there
has bet n no actual falling off in the scale
Of prices but there has not been that
degree of advance naturally looked for IN
q growing city.
People take kindly to additional
space allotted to houses. whether il adds
on to the width OF the house or provides
a side yard, so that there can be openings
on the third side as we'll as In front and
in rear In the wider lot the problem
10 solved of getting rid or narrow areas
between back buildings In houses where
it Is found necessary to locate the kitchen
on the main floor.
The upstairs kitchen is now fixed
fact in domestic architecture. The prob
lem Of how TO have il without a back
building is met by the wider lot which
allows a house Of sufficient roominess to
provide a kitchen alongside the dining
room.
Back Yards Valued.
OF course in the detached or the SEMI
detached house there are no back build
ings. and in consequence no area with
rooms depending on the light and air
that can come from such a space. With
the increase in frontage OF the. average
building lot now used there is also pro-
vision for back yards. or at least the space
in the rear Of houses seems TO be more
highly valued by householders than was
formerly the case. In other words, room
Ter houses with more ground about them
are the type largely Of what is being built
in this city for sale.
II cannot be said that the people who
build large houses show much more dis
position to have ample building sites at
the present timethan they have in the
past. although. Of course. there are to be
be the tendency among people OF that
ground, and on that account the criticism
Is often heard In regard to some fine
specimen Of domestic architecture that
II lacks space to give II a proper setting
In other words, the lot is too small for the
honSa