The Washington herald., 1911-03-26
FUTURE DISTINCTION
Values Have Risen Rapidly in
in Past Four Years.
More Than 100 Per Cent Increase
able ThOrouEhfare-Now Longest
Residential Street in This Country
Running without Curve-Suburban
Property Is Advancing.

"The residence street of the
world" is the title and distinction
Sixteenth street property owners
have set before them as the goal of
their endeavor. Not content in the
knowledge that the thoroughfare,
which from Lafayette Park runs
straight as a die for seven miles
without the sign of a commercial
building, is now held by many to
be the fashionable street of Wash
ington, owners of property along
the thoroughfare are jealously
guarding their holdings, selling only
on assurances in black and white
that nothing but residences will line
its walks.
ALREADY Is UNIQUE.
1t is said to be, at this time, the only
fashionable thoroughfare in this country
OF its length built up only in residential
buildings. In fact, from now on, proper
ty sellers and owners will not be con-
tent, il is said, with assurances that pur-
chasers will build only residences. but
will insist that not more than one house
be erected on a lots and that no lot have
a frontage of less than fifty feet on Six
teenth street.
These rules are being made to apply
not only TO the downtown section of the
street but even to subdivisions toward
the north end of the street. That the
breadth of the street-l60 feet with so
feet of parking-makes real estate 'front.'
ing on it at any point attractive, goes
without saying.
Further proof of its popularity is seen
in the phenomenal advance in values OF
property in Sixteenth street. In lower
Sixteenth street values there has been
an average advance of approximately
- per cent in the last four years. Land
that in 1907 was offered at 81 per square
foot i now in demand at IS. In some
cases Sixteenth street property has ad-
Vanced from 81 TO s. a square foot in
that time.
The site on the corner of Sixteenth and
s streets for which All Souls Church IS
negotiating is offered now at S6.5
square foot. whereas four years ago it
might have been purchased at 81 a square
foot, according to real estate brokers.
Property in Sixteenth street extended
has risen even more rapidly in price.
If a general average were to be struck
in this section, the present price per
square foot would be. approximately.
so, as cOmpard with an average price
Of % cents two years ago.
Argyle Property Popular.
In Argyle. one of the attractive SUBJ
divisions. which runs from the new con-
crete bridge in Sixteenth street to the
old Brightwood Driving Park a number
of handsome quasi-suburban homes have
been erected and plans for a new group
of residences are expected to be an
nounced within a few days. The new
residences. six in number, will cost be-
tween 5000 and $4,000 each, and several
will he among the handsomest dwellings
in the subdivision.
One of the largest property owners in |
that section, Arthur w. Machlen of Bal |
timore, is exercising particular care in
disposing of his holdings that nothing
but residences be built. He refuses to !
sell any ground for speculation. stipu- |
lating that no house shall be erected on !
a lot having less than 60-foot frontage, |
and that in each case building be started |
within a specified time. Property in that |
section is now selling about 81 square !
foot for frontage and about g a square |
foot for corners.
But the ideas of those ambitious for |
Sixteenth street do not stop even at the |
District line. In the future they see |
starting at Sixteenth and H streets, |
a thoroughfare running |
without curve or bend fifty-four miles to |
the famous battlefield of Gettysburg. |