The Washington herald., 1922-06-25
PLAN BREAKING
GROUND FOR new
WALKER HOTEL
Project of City's Greatest
HOstelry to Get Start
This Week.
HISTORIC SITE
Company Anticipates Finish.
ing Structure for Shriner
Convention Next Summer.

Marking the start of the largest
private enterprise ever inaugurated
in Washington. ground will be
broken this week for the palatial
Hotel walker, to he located on
Connecticut avenus. De Sales and
Seventeenth streets. and to cost,
according to revised plans. nearly
ss,OOO.OOO.
The building will occupy a space
OF 153 feet on Connecticut avenue,
ass feet on De Sales street and 14O
feet on Seventeenth street. The
section on Connecticut avenue will
be eleven stories and the Seven
teenth street section will be eight
stories. All of the first two floors
will be devoted to public rooms,
restaurants. ballroom. reception
rooms and the like, with a prone
about 400 feet long.
An interesting bit OF history
which shows remarkable enhance
ment in real estate values in the
city Of Washington is disclosed by
abstract of title which shows that
the two blocks of ground between
teenth street. and running from l.
street and De Sales street. and
from De Sales street to NJ street,
were conveyed in 1851 by the
United States to Nathaniel Carusi.
the consideration being s5.0Ss. He
in turn conveyed the property to
the Sisters of the Visitation. in
1867. the consideration being $751;
900. These two blocks now repre-
sent a valuation in excess of s5,-
100000.
The architect is Robert F. Beres-
ford. With Mr.. Beresford is asso-
ciated the nationally known firm of
Warren and Wetmore. probably the
most prominent firm of architects
in the country. Warren and Wet
more designed and built the Ritz
Carlton, the Ambassador. the Van
derbilt. the Commodore. the Bilt-
more and numerous other famous
New York hotels. the Ritz Carlton
at Atlantic City. the Carlton at
Montreal and the new westchester
Biltmore Country Club at Rye, N.
Y. The Grand Central station in
New York is another of the firms
big achievements.
Foundations for this great struc-
ture will go down to bed rock,
forty feet below the curb line.
Some idea of the size of the
building may be gained by COM
parison. In cubical contents 1t
would equal a row of 300 average
six-room brick houses. fifteen
blocks long. 1t is more than twice
the size of the Southern Building:
aDproXimately as long az tha II 6
Treasury Building and over one
half as wide; it will cover more
than one-half the ground of the
L. S. Capitol building.
A feature that is typical of
Washingto beautiful trees sur
rounding the building, will be pre-
served.
The Allan z. Walker interests
have made tremendous prepara-
tions for the construction of this
magnificent edifice. 1t is hoped to
be able to complete it i'm time for
the great convention of the Shrfr-
-ers here next summer. although
formal opening will not occur until
early fall.
Though the hotel enterprise very
naturally holds the center of the
stage in the Allan L. Walker Com
pany activities. the company also
IS engaged in numerous other
building projects.
Prominent among these are two
large operations in fine homes in
Chevy Chase. Eight two-story
bungalows have been completed
and five have been sold. The op-
Grafton Will include eighteen bum