Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27
CITY REALTY IS
MAKING 4 RAPID
Ascent IN PRICE
Values of Business Property
Double and Residence
Lots Follow Lead
INVESTMENTS PROFITABLE
Expansion Of Business District One
of Most Promising Signs Of
the Times.

~ URING the last few years Rock
Island has passed the point where
II is possible to transact practic-
ally all it's retail business on Second
avenue. Those who are interested In
the ultimate welfare Of the city have
been glad to note the recent rapid
growth of the business district. 1t
means a great deal for the future.
The fact that Third avenue, and
Seventeenth, Eighteenth, Nineteenth
and Twentieth streets are more and
more being devoted to retailing does
not mean that Second avenue is to be
there will never be less than now.
They will continue to grow and the
business done on that thoroughfare
will be greater as Rock Island becomes
larger, but events have made 1t appar-
ent that more room is needed for the
| transaction OF business and the growth
that has begun is bound to continue in.
definitely, to the great advantage of all.
MAKES VALUES GROW.
This business expansion is one of
the main reasons for the we'll maintain
ed advance In real estate values all
over the city. There has been no time
in Rock Islands history when real es-
tate has been more active and prices
have increased more rapidly than dur
ing the last 10 years. The value of
lots, taking the city from end to end,
has mounted from so to 100 per cent.
and in many cases even higher. Bust
ness property easily commands twice
as much per front foot now as 1t did
in 1902, while residence lots anywhere
within the limits of the city have been
and still are safe and profitable invest
ments
Within the last year what was virtu-
ally the last acre property within the
city's boundaries that was open to pur-
chase or suitable for residence pur-
poses has been plated and placed on
the market. 1t Is now almost impossi-
bic to find desirable residence lots any.
where that can be bought for less than
$40 per front foot. and the price, even
in the outlying additions, is generally
much higher.
REASONS FOR ADVANCE.
Reasons for growing property val
ues are to be found not only In the in
crease of population, but in the rapid
extension of improved streets, side
walks, sewers, water and gas mains.
electric power and light wires, and
! street railway lines. Sewer, water, gas
: and light are now within reach Of near
ly every block in the corporate limits.
Ten years ago practically half the
clty's area was without these modern
necessities. the sewer service being es-
peclally inadequate by comparison.
The maximum value of business
frontage in the city is a matter of
speculation, for the reason that there
have not been enough transactions in
Second avenue propert! lately to fur
nish a basis for figures. The best bus
mess property is not on the market.
There are practically no empty store
rooms In the city, and desirable resi-.
dences are exceedingly hard to find by
the renter and command a good fig.
moderate priced dwellings to rent, even
though larger and larger percentage
of those employed In the city, taking
advantage of the improved street rail
way facilities. are removing farther
from the business center
Several modern fats have been con
structed during the last 10 years, and
seldom are there any empty apart
&. ments. AS a rule, they are rented Il
q new tenant before the old one va
Gates. Another development of ths
:. period has been a large addition tc
!. the modern Office quarters, which were
!. SO much needed a decade ago.
SUBURBS FOLLOW LEAD.
The advance IN city values have beer
accompanied by a corresponding In
crease in figures upon land lying alons
t the southern border, as far south al
Rock river.