St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1954-05-21
Firm Building Sc
New Homes May
SET u. s. P0tfeTn

CONTINUED from page ~
tionai officer OF the Home Build
ers Assn. who incidentally hat
tried. unsuccessfully. four year
ago to build six ten-plexes In 81
Paul that would have been occu
pied on a racialiy mixed plan.
In Tilsen's l94s effort mortgag'
loans were relatively easy TO &c
but the banks wouldn't o. r. ,
loan for the apartments II theJ
were TO be occupied on non
segregated plan. They finally a
greed to approve the loan IL thre'
Of the buildings were for whites
and three for coIored, but Tilser
vetoed this.
In the 1854 program II was nee
easary for Mr.. Tiisen TO convincs
the FILA and the Veterans admin
istration that such a project wa,
feasible.
Construction Begins
After many conferences both n.
gencies gave their OK. and con-
struction was finally started. For
awhile II looked as though the
agencies were dragging their feet.
Most new housing In FILA or
veteran approved Such approval
means that the federal govern
ment UNDERWRITERS or guarantees a
loan made by bank or other
lending institution for home.
A most significant feature OF
the development IL that because
OF the good neighborhood and the
homes win be reasonably priced.
this win undoubtedly attract a
number of white families.
Housing surveys made by the
Minneapolis Urban League and
the Joint Committee For Equal
Opportunity showed conclusively
that there Ia a definite trend TO
increased segregation in housing.
Reason For Good Price
II should be mentioned here In
all fairness to the sellers and POI
tentiai buyers, that the reason the
homes are priced considerably less
than the same quality OF home In
other sections OF the city Ia that
for years the land on which some
Of the homes are being construct
ed was thought 10 be OF little
value because OF peat boys that
were supposed to be In the area.
Boring Reveals Error
However test boring revealed
that only a negligible portion of
the lots were 80 contaminated and
that II would be economically
feasible to pile these few lots and
proportion their cost in the over
all project and stlil own the land
at q considerable saving. Tilsen
says that the other major factor
OF the economy price is due 10
the fact that the homo are all
basicaliy the same floor plan with
many and varied exterior eleva-
tons. This sameness in the homes
provides for the greatest econo-
mics In materials and conatrnc-
ton costs. This means that the
builder In able TO pass on these
savings TO the purchaser.
Three Bedrooms
The homes are being built 10
strict FILA specifications and
have steel beams and all contain
three bedrooms.
Already large number of the
homes have been contracted for
and this Is tho first time in this
area a Negro purchaser has been
able to take advantage of the low
down payments and other advant-
ages when homes are advertised
for sale in other sections OF the
city but unobtainable as far IA
Negroes are concerned
People in the real estate bust
ness feel that this project win in
all probability effect the price of
the existing homes in the area.
WIN Effect Market
For some time INSCRIPTIONS
real estate firms and statesmen
have exploited the Negro market
by hiking the price OF homes that
Negroes could purchase.
Particularly has this been 80 in
south Minneapolis. where the price
has been raised sometimes as
much as thousand dollars when
offered for sale 10 Negro buyers
When the Tilsen homes are
ready, no doubt the price OF other
homes put up for sale will drop
70 their real market value.
rlson Top So. Paul Builder
Ed Tilscn Is reputed to be the
largest home builder In st, Paul
and IL credited for having had a
major part in the development oI
Highland Park. an exclusive resi-,
dental area In st. Paul and IN,
complete development OF ESSEX
Park In st pauls Eastside Of
over $50 homes in a price rangs
slightly higher than these homes
now available In Minneapolis.
He is looked upon by some per
sons in the home building field as
a ''neophyte or upstart" becaus,
he didn't start In the building
game until 1913.
But since that time he has wor
recognition both In the state ant