The San Francisco call., 1909-08-28
PRESENT PLANS TO
IMPROVE REALTY
City Dealers Tell How Localities
Are Made Attractive and
Values Raised
New Residential Sections Are
Being Most ArtisticaIly
0rnamented

Leading members of the San Fran
cisco real estate board. body which
has the interest Of real estate in San
Francisco under consideration in a
large way and as relates to the general
advancement of the entire city, have
expressed the opinion that a very i'm
pOrtant matter has been overlooked by
some. The members of a large real
estate firm expressed themselves freely
on this subject yesterday.
IT viii be hard to find a more in
teresting study" said one, than the re-
building Of San Francisco. In the en-
tire history of the world there has been
nothing to compare with ii. The great
confagration made changes that were
hardly realized for a time. Within two
or three days after the fire there was
no subject OF equal Importance or Of
more interest than the consideration
concerning where the business of the
city would go. Different locations
were put forward and discussed, with
the result that, in a general way. the
business locality has been settled.
AT first little attention was paid to
the home seeker or to the outlying dis
fricts. This has been most unfortu-
nate. as the city has lost a great many
AEcAQCIAG WIZ hight nave BSGus uuQCA
more favorable conditions, induced TO
remain. All OF the energy and the cap
ital Of the banks and property owners
were centered on the upbuilding of the
business community. No loans, or COM
paratively few at least, were extended
TO the home builder, and it is only
within the last few months that the
banks and businessmen have begun to
realize the Importance OF a large popu-
lation who viii support the business
interests. Banks are now Offering
loans at reasonable rates of interest to
home builders: new residential centers
are coming into existence almost un-
heralded-
MAKE SITES ATTRACTIVE
The underlying idea in this is tha;
property values viii be secured and
that population will be increased, to
the immediate advantage of all bust
ness enterprises, and that thereby an
essential step viii have been taken to
strengthen values Of central proper
ties whenever sufficient attention has
been paid TO making San Francisco
home sites and localities peculiarly at
tractive"
After the foregoing conversation. or
interview, several leading real estate
men were asked for their opinions con-
cerning what might be done A def
mite scheme has been considered by
certain men which is Of general applf-
cation to ali neighborhoods that either
have been -denuded by the flames ol
that have never been built up with fine
residences. Roughly described, this il
an abundance Of first class pavements
neighborhood restrictions as applied tc
certain localities that shall insure resi-
dences Of good value to be placed or
lots OF good size, and handsome as Il
architecture and modern as to all con
veniences. SeyeraI instances are
quoted concerning the effect that fine
improvements have wrought in values
where these conditions obtain.
Fronting First avenue and Lake
street in the Richmond district there
is a handsome residential park. which
is built up in part with first clas,
homes. and which, by the restriction
imposed, will always retain fits presen
characteristics. A conspicuous ex
ample is also afforded by the manner 81
which the Jordan tract east of Firs
avenue has been settled, and the char
scter which the improvements hav,
conferred on the locziIty. 1t is g mat
ter of record that San Francisco mel
Of moderate means and. good incomes
who temporarily went to other point
outside of San Francisco to reside
have returned TO become dwellers ii
the Jordan tract From this IT is ar
er directions must have like results
The subject is one Of such importanc
and Of such general interest that II i
not unlikely to be brought before tn
San Francisco real estate board yer,
soon for general discussion.
LARGE SUMS DIVERTED
There IS no Disgusting the fact tha
many people of wealth and many NOR
OF moderate means have moYed I
Oakland, Berkeley. Alameda and t
other convenient and agreeable place
for residence. The attractions O
these places consist in scenery an
agreeable surroundings. Large sum
Of money have been diverted from Sa
Francisco to the upbuilding of adjacen
towns, cities and tracts. A continue
pressure is exerted to settle up out
side neighborhoods. In the case O
communities on the peninsula and /
Marin county, there is little doubt tha
the trade Of such will continue TO be
long to San Francisco and be contrib
Itary to the business Importance @
this city directly in a retail way.
Relating to the large communitie
on the east shore of the bay there
much less certainty concerning the re
tention of the old time retail trade c
San Francisco. This fact alone ma
serve as a stimulus TO bring into e1
istence handsome residence section
In San Francisco that are new. Sout
OF Golden Gate park, on the hill
where modern ideas of architectur
have obtained and where scores {
handsome buildings have been erectel
II is noticeable that the ''to let" sign
are conspicuous by their absence. TIL
same general statement is entirely az
plicable TO the large section of the cit
that commands marine views or thu
is particularly fortunate in having res
Dental areas built up in fine style, an
that lies, roughly described, west {