Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-05
BUSINESS ENCRQACH|NC
UPON SITES Of HONEST
Returning Westinghouse See
Many Building Changes
in Progress.

The countless piles of building material
ana the numerous board fences before
houses. hotels and other structures all
over the city are certain evidence to the
returning Washingtonian and the visitor
from out OF town Of the great amount Of
building accomplished and to be done.
10 the average man or woman in the
street. hurrying by with unseeing eyes,
or glancinS with but casual interest,
these piles Of building material or board
FENCES mean little or nothing. so familiar
have these ugly Instructions become, as
they popped up here and there, UNDECIDED
because Of their familiarity from day to
day. But to the Washington stay-at-
homes these circumstances of building,
while more or less disturbing and annoy
Ing, should be an indication of the growth
OF the city perhaps more impressive than
the figures Of the building inspector and
certainly more nearly and frequently
brought home to the attention of citi-
zens.
The last fiscal year, as has been noted,
was record breaker in the amount of
building undertaken in this city, and
while the opening months Of the fiscal
year since the first Of July have not
been specially marked for activity along
these lines still what had been started
Is now being finished.
In the Business Sections.
1t is largely this process which is re-
sponsible for the bricks and mortar that
may De seen along the streets. The
principal business section is not free
from these evidences of change and of
growth, and those who have been away
during the past few months will see that
quite a good deal has been done.
The changes in the business section
have perhaps been more marked in the
localities which are extensions of the
main center. as for example. the 14th
street section, with the connecting street,
Connecticut avenue, and the region along
18th street north of Florida avenue
The intermediate section between the
southern end of Connecticut avenue and
10Th and H streets is showing the in
huence of recent changes in property
and the starting of new building enter
prises. and more especially that of the
new Arlington Hotel. The work of re-
moving the old structure that occupied
the site Of the proposed extensive hottie
building has not as yet been completed
There is. however, but little left Of the
old Arlington along Vermont avenue,
while the II and l street masonry fronts
are gradually disappearing. On the nOrtn
side of I street, which is built up with
residences, there are many indications of
the changes that precede the advance of
business
Not Starting Much New Work.
1t is apparent in this locality as we'll as
in tho others where business is taking the
place of homes that the physical changes
are not going to be all made at once Just
now there Is not much new work being
started, and that has been the case dur
ing the past month. The same is true of
another class of buildings, the apartment
house. WHICH stands at the head in the
list of building improvements during the
past fiscal year.
A number of these buildings are now in
various stages of construction, but COM
paratively few are being started. The
same condition prevails in regard to that
other important class of buildings, dwell
ling houses. At the same time the fall
season with it's demand for housing &C
commodations Of all kinds is showing
that the current supply of houses and Of
apartments Is not in excess of the de-
mand.
1t Is said by some brokers that the
they have known for some years back.
The market both for houses and for
apartments is unusually brisk and in con-
sequence there is a marked decrease in
vacancies.