The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1911-11-25

Real estate circles have been unusual
Iy quiet in the last week for this time OF
year, and though a number of large deals
I were pending. with every prospect of uI-
innate contamination, few big transac-
tions were recorded. The aggregate
money value represented in the transac-
tons was not large. Seemingly, the
same laxness which has struck the
building field is being felt in realty cir
Giles. Whether this is because of lack
of interest or because money is less east
ly obtainabIe is a question. 1t is known
that several brokers have been disap-
pointed by eleVenth-hour Withdrawals on
the part of prospective purchasers, with
drawals for which no satisfactory rea-
sons were advanced.
Commerce and Labor Building.
Much interest has been attracted by
the proposed new office building for the
Department OF Commerce and Labor.
This deal it is understood, is practically
closed. a few minor points of difference
only remaining between the Commerce
and Labor officials and the syndicate
which wants to erect its building. The
original proposition, made public without
names last August. has been materially
changed. SO that now the department Of
ficials do not have 10 await sanction by
Congress before closing the deal
The names of the men in the syndicate
have not been made public. and their
identity is being so carefully guarded
that little can be learned in this direc-
ton. The location, too, of the proposed
building has been kept a deep secret,
though several sites are understood to
be under consideration. Among those
mentioned, a location on the east side
of Vermont avenue, between X and i
streets, is believed in many quarters to
be the one decided upon. Options have
been obtained by unidentified parties
upon the entire frontage of that block
in Vermont avenue. In some quarters
it was understood that part of the
ground was to be used for the erection
of large apartment house.
Another Possibility Appears.
1t was learned yesterday that options
have been obtained on a number of lots
on the east side of Fifteenth street above
the Southern Building. The final ar
are expected to be completed
by Wednesday, when the details will
be announced from the department.
In connection with the Commerce and
Labor Building affair comes the report
that the syndicate which is building the
new office building for the Department of
in Fourteenth street, between
B and c streets southwest, will erect an
other building for the same department
in the half square bounded by Thir- |
-een-and-a-half, Thirteenth, and d |
streets, and Pennsylvania avenue.
II is reported the building will occupy |
he northwest corner of Thirteen-and- |
l-half street and Pennsylvania avenue. |
This site was selected by P. B. Chase for |
MS new theater, before the erection of |
he Riggs Building at Fifteenth and G |
streets was decided upon.
4 Speculative Scheme.
The erection of a large Office building !
1t that corner would be purely a specula- |
tive proposition, as the projectors of the I,
scheme would do it in hopes of realizing |!
through government cor
demnation proceedings.
The largest deal of the week and one |!
Of the largest of recent date was the !
sale of the Northumberland apartment !
house, New Hampshire avenue and V |
streets. to a New York realty company |
tor $4,000 The sale was made for |
Harry Wardman, owner and builder, |
through Joseph G. Klapper. secretary and |
treasurer of the Real Estate Exchange |
Company. Part of the considera ton Is a |
New York.
The Northumberland is one of the ex-
1ensive apartment houses of the city and
las been entirely filled practically since
IS completion, about two years ago.