Evening journal., 1922-02-23
Union GARDENS
MODEL Village
Mayor Feels Chamber of
Commerce is Looking
After City's Interests
RESTRICTED, SAY
GERTH'S EXPERTS

1T is apparent that the Chamber
Of Commerce is looking after the in
terests OF Wilmington I'm the sale Of
the Union Park Gardens homes. l
am glad the Chamber is doing so,
and feel fully justined in entrust-
ing the matter entirely to it,
This statement was made today
by Mayor Harvey. when approached
for his opinion concerning the sale
OF the Gardens properties by Gerth's
Realty Experts. auctioneers, under
commission by the Il. S. Shipping
Board and Emergency Fleet Corpor-
alton. The auction will begin at /
o'clock, next Monday afternoon. in
the Auditorium Eleventh street
near Madison.
The Shipping Board has this
property for sale and Gerth's Realty
Expert auctioneers, are here TO
liquidate Il.
Here is the story about Union Park
Gardens which every resident Of
Wilmington should know.
on the outskirts OF Wilmington
is "War Village" which cost the
United States Government about So
$50. 900 to build. 1t It one OF the
best OF hundreds projected in a time
Of war preparation on mammoth
scale. But unlike many OF these
war workers communities. the prop
erty chosen for development is ideal
~ located for permanent residences,
and there Is also a consistent eie-
ment OF permanency throughout the
whole development Of the commune
ity. The houses are well built. sub
stantial, tasteful and convenient and
constructed Of the best material.
They cost the Government a great
deal more than they should have
cost, the price of materials and labor
both being at the peak and contrac-
tors being paid ten per cent. of costs
which, as anybody can see, is bad
business in time OF peace or war, for
the more contract costs the more
the contractor reaps. However. the
price OF labor has not been cut in
half nor the cost Of building ma
terials dropped appreciably, or at
any rate nowhere near the mark
that would permit a homcsecker to
build at present prices homo for
the same amount he will be able
to buy one OF these homes that go
under the hammer February %.
But the u. S. Government was not
building with any thought of selling.
Union Park Gardens was built to
house war workers. And the idea
NJ fbn EaVorpr,o,t ,.~a- ., mob,
these war workers communities so
attractive. so comfortable and con-
venient and healthful. that those
who occupied them would be able to
give the best that was In them to
/ their country
BE that as IL may. Union Park
Gardens Is there for the beholder to
see for himself. Il is one OF the few
war, villages that was really COM
pleted in every detail and completed
just before the war itself was over.
Since that time the houses have
found willing tenants. 1t has been
haven Of young mothers for two
years.
The United States shipping Board
and Emergency Fleet Corporation
no longer have any need of Union
Park Gardens so they have chosen
Gerth's Realty Experts to dispose
OF II to the highest bidder II is an
opportunity that has not come to
every city. and never comes but
once in n life time.
As TO the story that the shipping
Board would remove the restrictions
on this property in selling it-this
Is a great mistake. Tho land goes
with the house. When a buyer pays
three or four or Ave thousand dol
lars for lhouse. the plot OF ground
Il occupies goes with IT,
In considering the purchase OF
real property. one must bear In mind
that after all. real estate values are
only comparative a home like the
Winchester mansion. Market and
Eleventh streets. right here in our
town would. n set on Riverside
Drive or on Fifth Avenue. New York
! City cost a prohibitive price. The
point is for the would-he purchaser
to take the trouble to compare real
estate values before buying.
When &c is cheaper to own your
own home than Il Is to pay rent "a
somebody else. why not own It?