The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-08-06
EVENTS BORDERING ON OF FRANCISCO
SEASON QUICKENS
REALTY AFFAIRS
Municipal Projects Along Estu'
airy Will Tend TO Develop
Manufacturing Section

OAKLAND, Aug. although home
building continues TO be the chief
branch of activity in Oakland realty,
there are already signs of quickened
interest among investors in the south
orn section of the city bordering on the
estuary The municipal projects are
responsible for this more than any one
other influence. Within the week the
board Of public works viii award a
contract for the expenditure Of s35o,00O
on the quay wall, warehouses and belt
railroad, which viii skirt the estuary.
During the year also the city will eX-
tend the salt water auxiliary plant
lines to the estuary section from Oak
TO Market street, providing ample fire
protection for manufactures in the
natural section of the city.
Incidentally the city of Oakland is
itself one Of the earliest and most eX-
tensive investors in this section. The
board Of public works has virtually
completed the negotiations for the pur-
chase by the city of a considerable
strip of land which is needed for the
quay wall project. This will have the
tendency OF stimulating interest in in
vestments along the estuary and the
D. city projects will create permanent
values which are casting their shadows
before them.
RAILROAD A STIMULANT
Closely connected with this trend of
development along the estuary is the
influence Of the Western Pacific COM
pany's coming into Oakland as a COM
petitive railroad. The new factor in
I
an unsurpassed condition for manu-
featuring and shipping. The railroads
tapping the district will be powerful
ally of the municipal water front i'm
provements in maintaining the activi-
ties OF the section.
Realty dealers announce almost with
unanimity that the autumn awakening
Of realty matters has come. Home
seekers kept up 4 lively summer mar
ket and busy fall Is predicted. Sew
eral large building operations will be
taken up in the fall months, and il is
expected that the number and total
values of applications for permits to
erect dwellings viii increase steadily
for several months to come.
There is a strong tendency on the
part Of the renter to acquire property,
both improved and unimproved. with
the idea Of ultimately owning a home
the possession OF which Will be within
their financial means. Few applica-
lions for houses on the part of rent
ers are made without the inquiry being
made as 10 the possibility OF purchas-
ing either the place itself OF some other
cottage or bungalow.
RESIDENCE SITES WANTED
In addition to the development of
the downtown district of Oakland,
where S2,000.00O is being spent in
new buildings within q radius of 10
square blocks. there is a growing de-
mand for new type of realty, namely,
acre and half acre residential sites.
For three years Oakland has led all
cities Of the west in the building Of
. moderately priced homes. Lots rang
ing from IS to SO feet frontage have
been selling at such phenomenal rate
that almost the entire attention of
dealers has been directed toward the
development of suburban tracts The
result is that the large residential
pieces, such as are found in Claremont
and Piedmont. have not been energeti-
caily shown, and, in fact, have been en-
tirely lost sight of by many buyers and
dealers.
DesirabI property of this nature is
in and around Claremont and is owned
by the Realty Syndicate, which has
heretofore made no aggressive efforts
10 sell il, preferring to devote its at
tention TO its inside holdings. The
call for hill property, particularly in
Piedmont and CIaremont acreage, has
become so great, however, that the syn
dictate is considering the proposition
Of directing large proportion Of its
energies in developing these lands.
BUILDING PERMITS
The summary Of building permits ap
piled for at the board Of public works
for the week, compiled by Walter
5. Fawcett, the secretary, is as fol-
lows.