The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-10-16
ONLY FINE HOUSES
ALLOWED ON TRACT
Owner Adheres to Determine
ton That Jordan Park Shall
Be Residence District


cost OF buildings. the placing of the
buildings on the lots. etc. was founded
and created by James c. Jordan, for
merly OF the dry goods house in Bos-
ton OF Jordan. Marsh & Co. The size
OF the venture into new field in local
real estate and the tenacity that
marked the hold on the original pur-
pose OF the founder. notwithstanding
many obstacles and objections, makes
the present park, or. as It IS also
known. the Jordan tract. something
unique.
In the years that have elapsed since
Jordan entered upon a work which for
considerably more than a decade has
engaged his attention. other parks
have been founded IN this city. The
result has been beneficial 20 the city.
Handsome and exclusively residence
districts have been established. which
are ornamented by residences OF high
cost and regulated construction. Homes
sn san Francisco have been thereby
provided for men OF means who were
ready a1d willing 10 pay 20 have their
refghbOrhOods unmarried by the in
trusion Ct cheap and inferior struc-
lures business houses. fats. stables, etc,
BOSTON METHOD PROFITABLE
Jordan came from Boston and he
had seen the advantages that arise
from exclusive neighborboods. Stretch
ing fts picturesque length for dis
lance Of Il miles TO a junction with
aristocratic Beacon street, In Boston.
Commonwealth avenue drew 20 itself
= collection Of residences which prob
ably is unparalleled in the world for
Uniform high cost.
Boston as q municipality was back OF
-s.~f enacted
maintain IA perpetuity the splendor OF
Commonwealth avenue. II was pro-
zfded by the city that no stables should
be erected in the avenue as one meas
ure Of protection STAPLES were alls heo
along 2 street OF less cost. Stanhope
street. and there IS not one in Com
raonreaIfh avenue and can not be one
IN half z century.
There is now hardly any residence
and grounds IN the avenue that is val
,iea At less than 100000. Properties
change hands only by reason OF the
death OF the last of a family OF wealth..
orders have been placed IN the nanos
81 Boston brokers 10 buy any residence
offered for sale. but not one home mas
been bought under such order IN nVe
years.
REAL ESTATE PROFITABLE
Years ago Jordan had land in Com
7nonwealth avenue. He sold II because
% uOSSeSSeQ quite a large no
me modern era OF the splendor OF the
avenue was comparatively new. by
reason Of these circumstances the loed
az A exclusive and handsome resloea-
tfal district was not new 70 Joroan
when he came 10 San Francisco he
saw the rnonotonous architecture OF
large part OF the city and the monoto-
nously small lied building lots OF 70
Years ago and came TO the conclusion
that San Francisco was the most prom
Using place IN the world, IN regard 10
its future IN which TO make real es-
tate Investments. an IDEA TO wnich ne
ha.s persistently held ever since.
The land that he selected TO operate
an vas unpro-nising 70 the average
eve when, IN 1890. Jordan announced
his plans II was q sandy waste lying
vest Of q cemetery, and ii contained
two ponds. The advantages that IL
possessed were good to Jordan's per-
ception- II was the geograpnlcaI cen
fe- Of San Francisco and Included the
last blocks in the Western addition on
tne eastern boundary of the Richmond
district.
LARGE TRACT SECURED
Purchases OF land were made until
2 frontage OF 1900 feet in California
street. all east of First avenue. mad
been acquired. Then Jordan decided
=, extend his tract through from Call
soon he had frontage OF sol Fee IN
First avenue, and by squaring out the
boundaries on the south he acquired
frontage OF LOO feet in Point Lobos
avenue and 500 feet frontage In Parker
avenue. Altogether eight fun blocks'
including sig lots. were In one owner
ship then and Jordan had the land upon
which TO found Jordan park on
large scale.
As late as 1893 the greater part Of
the tract was used as camping
ground BY the volunteers Of the Span
IN American war. Jordan has view
OF the large camp Of 1899. taken from
Jordan avenue and looking down that
avenue, which is now lined oy nne
residences, standing on handsome and
caDacious lots. The tents were on
both sides Of the avenue. as the photo
era oh shows and soldiers were drilled
daily IN the avenue
OBJECT LESSON IN SAND LOTS
There is an object lesson in this
rapid change from open sand lots to
one OF the finest residential sections OF
san Francisco. Jordan decided to give
hts lots a frontage Of 80 1-S feet AT
his own cost he severed, paved, side
walked and provided the streets and
avenues with water and gas pipes, so
indicated on the curbs that IL is IN
necessary 10 tear up pavement to
find ana COn0eCL Win lIclA- nC
streets and avenues were wide, much
wider than ordinary city streets, and,
having improved them as much as
possible, be gave them TO the city,
which accepted them as a matter OF
course. for they were unexceptionable
IN all respects
REGULATIONS ARE ENFORCED
There were not lacking many who
tried TO persuade Jordan to sell out
the tract for what be could get, when
the sales Of lots were not FREE
ouent- There were many who tried to
persuade him TO relax the regulations
that had been made as a condition for
the passing OF a deed. All this was
Ruthless. Jordan was determined,
filled with confidence IN his idea and
courageous TO carry 1t out TO the end.
There can be no house in the Jordan
park that is more or less than two
stories in height. No stable can be
built there, but garages are not barred.
There are no stores, no flats no apart
rnent houses. nothing absolutely to in
terfere with the residentially perfect
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