The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-06
Contractors and Real Estate
Men Are Busy People.
Spring Has Come and With 1t
Increased Business.
IT is A LIVELY DISTRICT
Lower Kansas Avenue Is Be-
ing Greatly Improved.
Twenty Thousand Dollars in
Building Permits This Week.

The tide has turned. Topeka is astir
The balmy weather has almost swamp
ed the realty offices, and next week
there should be long list of sales to
report Contractors are figuring on
new work and actual building opera
tions have begun in all sections of the
city
The busiest section in all Topeka is
that embracing Kansas avenue from
the river to Fifth street. Roughly
speaking a half million dollars in i'm
provements are either actually being
made or are in contemplation Scores
of business buildings are being re-
modelled or redecorated and it is safe
to say that by the end of the present
year the transformation along Kansas
avenue will have the appearance of a
stroke of magic.
Origin of White Way.
The merchants and other business
men of this portion of the city have
got together and agreed to make their
establishments so attractive that they
will command the lions share of the
trade of the shops district as well as
a fair proportion of the business of the
city as whole.
More than a year ago several men
of the four hundred block got togeth-
er and the cry was: I'VE must have
more light Then they began to fig
ure on the installation of a lighting
system for that particular block.
Members of the Commercial club be-
came interested in the move, and soon
the agitation started, with w. w
Webb at the head of the forces. for
the Great White Way" which has be-
come a reality, and is attracting the
attention of the travelling public.
Numero valuable improvem ents
were actually made in this block in
1911. The result has been that prop
W advanced q e.
markable degree.
Values Have Increased.
For example, two years ago one
land man was offered $1,000 for the
property at Ala on the avenue. A few
days ago he refused $4,000 for the
same property. A year ago No. 40S
sold for $1,000; recently $500 was
offered the owner as an inducement to
sell Rents have gone up in cor
responding manner. The merchants
are enjoying a larger volume of trade.
Several entirely new firms are doing
business in the block, the latest being
Clement & Crawford, who have gone
into a remodeled building, 419-421
Kansas avenue, with a large stock of
dry goods The White House market
at No. 423, is an up to date establish
ment, and the Gibbs Clothing Co. at
433 in the same block is in a remodel
ed building.
The store at 4s5 Kansas avenue. oc
cupied by the Brunt Drug Co., was
built com parat1vely recently. Accord
ing to J. NJ. Brunt extensive improve
ments will be made in the store this
spring.
The ]. c. Williams furniture store
at AZ will be painted and otherwise
w. H. Stalon's furniture
store at 413 will be painted. The Star
grocery at All will be remodeled and
painted
The government sooner or later will
spend 100000 in the extension of the
present postoffice building on the
southeast corner of Kansas avenue and |
Fifth street.
Best Theater improvements.
On the southeast corner of the ave-
nue. and Fourth street Gordon Bros. |
are erecting an extension to their bus |
mess building. The building is being |
extended back to the alley. The seat |
ing capacity of the Best theater will /
be enlarged to 1000, and it is stated |
that the management of this place of i
amusement will add a vaudeville fea-
ture to their entertainment.
The excavation is being made for a /
modern two story building at 425-427 |
the site of the old Constitutional hall |
which Miss Mary Thompson is hav
ing erected at a cost of $4,000. There |
will be two store rooms on the first
floor of this structure. one of which
will he occupied by sporting goods
and hardware firm, while the other