The Washington herald., 1911-01-22
MANY FINE BUILDINGS
IN BUSINESS SECTION
Structures Improve in QuaIty-Southern Build
ing and McLachlen Building Are Types.

In the growth of Washington the i'm
provements in the business section are
most perceptible At the ane time this
is only a near-home evidence OF what IS
going on all over the city.
In the opinion of architects. real es-
tate men. and builders. there is. year by
year. a most noticeable improvement in
the quality of building, in the excellence
of design sought for by home-builders,
and by corporation building skyscrap-
ers and hotels.
There was time not SO long ago
when prospective builders had few, if
any, sound ideas either of Plan or de-
sign in the work of construction.
builder, whether of home, an office
building. hotel. now starts out with
very clear notions of just what is wanted.
and the result of this intelligent cooper
alton of owner, builder, and architect is
apparent in the artistic excellence of the
modern buildings of the city. Especially
is this true Of those buildings that have
replaced old structures in the several
parts of the city which have for long
been a reproach to the city beautiful and
an offense to artistic taste.
New Southern Building.
But on II street there is to be seen.
among other improvements. the rapidly
approaching completion of the Southern
Building which has already reached the
eighth story. At the present rate of
progress it is confidently expected that
the building will be ready for occupancy
by May next
As another important evidence of the
investment quality of construction in the
business part of the city. it is reported
that already over half the building has
been leased for offices. which command
a good rental in this financial center Of
the city Its proximity to banks. car
lines. and general trade and business CEN
ters makes its location one of unsur-
passed value for business offices.
1t is also the largest office building
in the city. and its future tenancy is es-
timated at the great total of 1000 persons.
For their accommodation 1t IS intended
to install five electric elevators, which
will be ample for the movement of this
great number. as well as for the conven-
ience of patrons.
District Bank Building.
The completion of the District National
Bank Building in the record time of about
twenty-eiSht weeks is an illustration Of
what may be done in the way of build
ing in this city at all seasons of the year.
In Northern cities, there are often weeks
when all building operations must be sus-
pendeu, and others again when only GER
tain operations can be performed.
In Washington it has come to be the
custom to let contracts for some OF the
public buildings during the winter in
order that advantage may be taken of
the lower construction cost that is then
not then
rushed, nor are architects engaged on
the plans, and the oversight of so many
houses as during the spring and summer
months. The District engineers have long
since learned that there is class Of
work which it is very much more eco
nomical to have done in the winter, when
contractors have leisure and also force
of men that are carried all the year.
whose services it is well to take ad-
vantage Of.
1t is the expressed opinion of archi-
tects in Washington that it is possible to
save 10 per cent on building cost in the
winter. And builders of homes are grad
ually finding this out. So that the ac-
tivity which marks building operations
at the outset of 1911 may easily be ex-
planned in part by the increased recog-
milton of the advantages that are derived
from this ordinary foresight.
Among builders themselves, and espe-
cially the class who erect houses for
sale. there has been unprecedented ac-
tivity. Most notable among this class is
Harry Wardman, whose extensive build
ing plans for the winter have attracted
a great deal Of attention. Tho great test
of the advantage is. Of course. in the na-
ture Of the finished product. Some have
thought that there is risk in handling
cement or concrete and plaster work in
the winter months. But the great refuta-
tion Of this idea Is In the case Of the
great skyscraper buildings into whose
cement enters so completely.
McLaehlan Bank Building.
There is also the building Of the Nc
Lachlan Banking Company, which Is
also nearing completion. in G street. and
which will form a most attractive and
addition to the business GEN.
Ter. When TIE space that inteixenee b.