Evening star., 1924-11-15
BUILDING RUSH MAY
LAST YEAR LONGER
Many Houses and Business
Structures Still Needed to
Fill Demand. .
ny J. C, ROYLE.

special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. November 15.-Build-
ers, contractors and building material
mon count on at least one more year
OF heavy construction before the
country settles down to steady
basis Of replacement and regular ex-
pansion. The war left terrific build
ing shortage in the United States.
Heavy programs Of construction have
cut this down until by January
there will be a shortage which It will
require about $4,000, 900 worth Of
taken as q criterion. the replacement
OF this shortage will require only
about another IL months.
Tho figures above were compiled az
a result OF a national survey en-
bracing 52s cities. A little over
$4,000 100000 must be expended to
meet the requirements for residences
In various towns throughout the
country. Commercial types of build
inss call for $1.130,s6l. 900 and neces-
sary public structures will coat about
3s70.370.000. This shortage Is outside
the needs arising from normal growth
and Improvement and represents the
tag end OF the construction program
necessitated by discontinuance Of
building during the war years.
Normal Growth Very Heavy.
Normal growth Is no inconsider-
able item and should be suff,cient to
keep the construction industry from
excessive worry for years to come.
For example. nearly $s00.000,000 VIII
be spent during the next two years
for churches, hospitals. charitable
and educational institutions. This
sum is not included in the actual
shortages now existing.
Neither do these figures include the
rural activities necessitated by re-
placement Of farm building. houses.
barns, Silos and sheds. These needs
will require millions OF feet Of lum-
Der and heavy quantities OF cement.
but the labor involved will be pro.
vided largely by the farmers them
selves and their employees. Shortages
are not general even in cities as a
whole. In some locations OF the larg-
er centers dwellings are needed. In
other sections of the same city. the
saturation point already has been
reached.
New Hoases Still Needed.
The eastern division OF the coun-
try. the most heavily populated, re-
ports a total shortage OF S2.Sl2,510,-
600 in buildings. The deficit In the
Central West will necessitate ex-
penditure of s1.14s.o0o.ooo. o. The
shortage in the western states
In the South, the total Is &307.4s6.000.
As to Cities. the most acute needs
are found in New York. Chicago.
Philadelphia. Milwaukee, San Fran
cisco. Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and
Denver.
In,many cities an apparent need for
dwellings, has been satisfied by con-
struction in adjacent suburban terri
tory. "Out to the suburbs" is a cry
which repr resents q very distinct
movement throughout the country.
The mental viewpoint OF many citi-
zens is that with automobile, train
and bus transportation readily avail
able, they no longer face the neces-
sity Of living near their work in a
populous center, where rents and
costs are high.
The feeling has led TO the expend-
iture OF millions OF dollars for sub
urban homes. and while real estate
values In the outskirts OF large cities
have increased In the last two years.
they have not risen TO a point where
they approach the values in the cities,
which must be accompanied by high
rents to yield an adequate return on
Investments
For example, one Of the latest real
estate deals in New York was made
on the basis OF 1904 q square foot.
Such q piece Of property could not by
any possibility be utilised for dwell
ings, except by those SO wealthy that
expense has ceased to be an object.
This migratory tendency has also had
a decided effect on the sale of auto
mobiles, and Is daily confirming the
assertion Of Mr.. Ford and others that
the saturation point still Is far OF
so far as automobile ownership y
concerted, although there Is at pres-
ent in this country an automobile or
truck in commission for every siy
and q half Inhabitants.