The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-03-25
Al. C. Bosom, of New York,
Successful Competitor for
,Skyscraper Building
DESIGN CONCENTRATES
HISTORY STRUCTURE
J. w. Ferguson & Sons Pre-
pairing to Expand Into
More Spacious
Quarters

Architectural plans submitted by A.
G. Bosom. OF New York. for the sky
scraping building which the First Ma
tionai Bank syndicate proposes to
erect on the site Of the Chamber OF
Comm cree, at Ninth and Main streets,
have been accepted by the committee
having the matter in hand. and prep
arations are now under way for the
demoifshing OF the present ONCE build
sing on the site. This work will likely
begin the early part Of April and
will be rushed to completion, so that
actual operations on the new strue-
ture may begin as soon as possible.
The plans. Il is understood, call for
q seventeen-story building OF steel and
concrete construction, but there Is a
probability that the height OF the
building may be extended to twenty
stories II liz contemplated that the
building viii cost In the neighborhood
OF 100000 and win be completed
within g years time from the date
the contract ts let. The plans. 1t Is
expected. will be In sufficiently COM
pleted shape for bids TO be asked not
later than July next, The well
known New York architect firm or
Clinton & Russell will be associated
Win AECfllAGCA ESOhrbAAs
More than dozen architects sub
mitted sketches for the building and
OF this number two were local archi-
tects-Noiand and Baskerville and w.
Duncan Lee.
Bank Owns Most Stock.
The committee to select plans con-
sisted of Messrs. John NJ. Miller. w.
y. Duke and Decatur Axtell repre-
senting the First National Bank. the
Richmond. Fredericksburg and Poto-
mac and the Chesapeake and Ohio
railways, respectively, The bank
owns two-thirds Of the stock In the
building company and the two rail
roads the remainder. Both roads Will
occupy space in the building for gem
srai Office purposes while the bank
viii occupy the ground door.
The building viii have a frontage OF
Is feet on Main street and a depth of
102 feet along Ninth street
There has been some talk that the
ayndicate would acquire the Pixzipi
property. Immediately in the rear of
the Chamber site, 30 as to safeguard
against erection of taller building
on the former site. which would shut
OH light from the rear of the sky
Doraper. In fact. an option was
taken some weeks ago on the Pig
klU1 DuAt0iuE, WHICH rs a tiI66~GtpIS
structure. but that this option has
never been taken up although its date
has nearly expired.
X Ia generally believed. however,
that owing to the location of the r,1-
Kint building there In little probability
that a larser structure will go UP on
the site fer some time to come.
Insurance Company to Build.
Foundation for another skyscrap-
r.
Life Insurance Company Of Virginia
begins operations looking to erection
ct a new office home for itself on the
northwest corner of Capitol and Tenth
streets. AT least. such are the plans
OF the company under contemplation.
While 1t Is stated that no plans
have been adopted as yet, 1t Is prac-
ticAily conceded that this company
Will erect a fye-story steel and con-
crete office building on the site In
question; work OF demoiishinG the old
building being already under way.
The proposed new structure will have
. frontage of 1856 feet on Capitol
street with a depth OF perhaps 70
feet. this being half the distance from
I Capitol to Broad street along Tenth.
For the time being the company does
not propose to imprve the remain
der OF its property. which faces on
Broad street The company Ia now
using the Capitol hotel. at the south
west corner Of Broad and Tenth
streets. for Its head Offices This Is
= four-stoTy brick building of sub
stanttal construction, and was pur-
chased some months ago by the in
aurance company. 1t was formerly
known az the Wolverton Hotel.
foundation Being Dug.
Excavations are already under way
for = four-story brick building which
y. w. Fergussons & Sons, printers,
propose to erect on the west side Of
Fourteenth street. between Franklin
and Ross streets. at an estimated cost
Of $4,000. Plans for the building
have been drawn and the firm will
occupy II AZ soon as II 10 completed.
The building will have a frontage of
30 feet and depth of 90 feet J.
=. Nuckols II the contractor. The
0fm 10 now located at 4-6-S Four
I teenth street where 1t has been doing
business for q number OF years. The
new building will furnish quarters
considerably more spacious than the
Gid.
Building Inspector Beck has Just
approved plans for 5000 new pub
! lib school building on Pine street,
Near China, to be known as the Grace
Arents school. and now has under con-
etderation plans for the four-story
brick store building which PHI. Har-
ria proposes to erect at the south
4 west corner OF Broad and Fifth
efrsstA at cost of 32s, 600. Com
tract has been awarded to w. l..
hAgiand d Co.. and the Arm Is ex-
Dected to complete the building with
In four months. according 10 contract
tsrms. II 10 reported that Mr.. Har-
f1a has already secured a tenant for
the store. which will be modern n,
0very respect and O decided addition
- the corner on which Il is 10 be
located.
WIN Improve Property.
The Watkins Cottrell Hardware
= Company. II II stated, has not yet for
4 NsuIated any definite plans for improve
] Snent OF the old Davenport Warehouse
4 property at Fourteenth and Dock
/ Dsreets. which II acquired a few days
i 3or the sum OF $4,000 II Is the de-
NJ e1ared purpose of the company, how
n Avsr, % improve this property and oc-
Gupy II as soon as possible after the
present tenant. John A. Hutchinson,
NacAtes H. Mr.. Hutchinson 10 now u.s.
& anR the building as a leaf tobacco
sNArehouse,
g Within the past week, Eiam and
&unGton sold piece of warehouse
n Efu8 erty on Cary Street In the central
4 110Tt1cn Of the wholesale business dis
1E1cx for $4,000. the purchaser acouir-
" - the YFonarfy as an inrastvrsrt a.