Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-26
GROUP EMBOD|ES
UNUSUAL FEATURES
Marietta Park Demonstra.
ton Community Built in
Italian Style.
RY &. l.. RODlER.


Designer of the Italian Community Group
Model Houses.
The community group of Star
model homes in Marietta Park. Fifth
and Longfellow streets, now being
built by Walter 4. DUNCAN, has had
a most unusual and interesting de
Nelopment. 1t was the last of the
units to get under way. because. dur
ing the month Of April and the greater
part of May, the construction OF a
trunk sewer line in Fifth street pre-
vented access to the site, and Mr..
DUNCAN was prevented from deliver
ing the building material at the site.
Immediately upon the completion of
this sewer. however. the builder began
operations with an unusually large
number of mechanics and laborers.
and this. together with his foresight
In placing his orders for material and
supplies we'll in advance, has resulted
in remarkably rapid progress. Ii will
he found. therefore, that while the
work has not reached the same adj
, vanced stage as the other projects,
there is no doubt that it will be com
pleted very soon after they are fin
ished
Because of the initial delay. deci-
dedly interesting ultra modern con-
Struction methods have been adopted.
Devices ordinarily applicable to very
large construction projects are belnS
used to speed up the work, and Wis
itors should he interested in noting
the rapid progress being made. For
example. a most ingenious device for
hoisting brick. mortar and other mate
rial. a motor tractor equipped with
cable drum is being used. Mortar
and concrete are being mixed mechan-
ically and tractors are employed for
removing the earth from the eXcaEa-
ton. The millwork, so far as is
practical, is being assembled in the
shop before delivery.
Built i'm Italian Style.
In design these houses are decid-
eddy different from the ordinary type
in similar developments. The style
chosen is Italian, not because 1t was
felt to be the most fitting for COM
munity groups. but for the purpose or
introducing the variety Of unusual
methods and material to which the
style so readily lends itself. me
plan, While more or less conventional
has been given much study, so that in
detail it reveals many Improvements
over the standard so-called box
plan. For instance, each house has
built into the basement full size
single-Car garage which will be vlrtu-
ally fireproof Instead of the usual
approach to a garage located unuer
the house. these are reached by a
very moderate incline. In the base
nent also is to be found a modern
toilet and the most up-to-date neat
ing and otWater apparatus
The main floor, which is supported
on steel construction, with an ample
margin of safety, is divided into living
room, dining room, kitchen and glazed
breakfast porch. These rooms are
plea santly grouped to give feellng
of spaciousness, which is further car
ried out by the unusually high cell
tnCs and the texture effect of the
mastered walls. On this floor the
woodwork is to be stained TO initiate
old American walnut and the OAK
floors are to be finished In DARK
color. The stairway leading to the
second floor is to have an ornamental
wrought iron balustrade, simple IN de-
siRn and effective in treatment.
Large Broom Closet.
At the head of the stairway, on the
SECOND floor. will be found a closet.
ample in size, in which may be stored
mopS, brooms, the vacuum cleaner
and other appliances. This Is 1ea-
ture which will save many steps for
the busy housewife and make easier
her daily tasks.
The master bedroom is located at
the front of the house and extends
across it's full width. Available Tor
use in connection with 1t are two I'M
usually large closets, convenience
not frequently found in houses OF THIS
size. Adjacent to this room Is the
bathroom. in which are Incorporated
several novel and attractive features,
among which is a cupboard for bath
linen 1t is plea singly finished with
colored tile.
In the rear on the second floor are
two bedrooms, each OF which has dl-
rect access to the sleeping porch-an
uncommon arrangement-and, In al
dition have large windows, which. even
IL the porch is glazed. will open direct
Nv on the outer air. 1t is generally the
case that when a sleeping porch Is
assed in, in row houses, that all or
the rear windows on that floor are in
closed and direct light and ventilation
is thus cut off The upstairs wood
work will be finished in Duco enamel
and the walls will be attractlVcly
papered. The oak floors Will be IN
their natural color and the electric
fixtures through the house will be in
complete harmony.
Ornamental Work Exceptional
The particularly unusual features
entering into the design of this house
are the ornamental, Wrought-iron
halustrades. the vari-colored roofing
tile and the ornamental stucco work.
The latter is being executed in the
studio of Mr. John Farley. one OF the
best-known craftsman in this country
for this particular type of work.
Never in the history OF the world
have so many people under common
government advanced so far in educa,
ton or in the accumulation of wealth
It is probable that the last so years
have seen greater economic and in
dustrial development than all the pre-
vious history of mankind. But 1t is a
common belief among members of the
architectural profession that domestic
architecture has not kept pace with
the other arts and with industry. par
ticularly the latter, in their progress
while industry has moved steadily for
ward during the last half century,
architecture has made gains and Suf
fered losses alternately. In the ag