Evening Star Newspaper, February 20, 1926, Page 15

REAL ESTATE ARCHITECTS OF GET HELPFE IDEAL HOMES UL SUGGESTIONS Plans for Five Demonstration Houses Show Latest in Building and Treatment of Surroundings. All Factions in Success of Movement. Suggestfons and sketches are con- tinuing to' pour into the mail of those Who are directing the ideal homes demonstration being sponsored by The Star' from the gene public and othergy interested in the under- taking. During the past week scores of fessages of approval of the project have been received and many persons have expressed a desire to take an active part in the planning of the nine types of model homes. Contractors and manufacturers of all types of various labor.spving de- Vices and Jatest household equipment have signified a desire to demon- strate their particular materials. All these matters have been referred to Willlam 1. Demming, who is the Architect serving in the capacity of Rdviser in regard to materials and equipment ‘Waiting on Plans. The builders are at present waiting for the architects to complete their plans. The nine architects have de- voted considerable time and energy during the past two weeks in per fecting their preliminary sketches Each architect has drawn two dis tinet designs for each indiwidual type, and the entire advisory committee of the Washington Chapter of the Amer- fean Institute of Architects has spent much time in discussing the various plans. New suggestions and new ideas Are constantly being rade and incor porated in them Every effort is heing made to in- Aure that the completed houses will be the last word in design and mod- ern construction according to their various types. The advisory commit- tee has heen enlarged by the tion of Arthur B. Heaton. known architect Visits to the sites. photographs. his- torical tradition. as well as surround ings. etc.. have been considered in @esigning the homes The problems have heen varied and many and have involved -considerable technical skill In regard to the house for the Stambaugh Construction Co. in Wyn- newood Park. Silver Spring, Md., as designed by Percy (. Adams. the first fmportance is the site. on a gently rolling and well wooded country, and which the older Washingtonians will recall was once the farm of Croshy 8. Noyes. The development of these acres for dwellings to serve the fast growing city has been so far accom plished without any use of the steam shovel or ugly devastations of trees that sometimes go hand in hand with progress. The house problem is there- fore well begun. and the siage set for & demonstration dwelling that can not fail to please. Mr. Adams has cothpleted the sketches for a desizn in the colonial styvle that seems to fit at once into the landscape. House 8t Lee Heights. Another small house is to be built &t Lee Heights. Va.. for Ruby Lee Mijnar, Ward Brown. architect. The lot is on a corner. aproximately 70 by 150 feet, with streets on the south and east sides. The grade of the lot falls toward the east and takes the direction of the length of the lot. Ad vantage is taken of this srade tn basement windows on the east north sides of the house. By using some of the earth from the cellar excavation a terrace is planned to run across the south or front of the house, thereby keeping this part of the house close to the ground so that one may step down one step from the entrance and porc The living room and porch h. southern and western exposure, the dining room a southern and ern exposure, the best for The entrance door is recs that one may be under cove waiting an answer to the door. entrance hall. containing the and coat closets, ha: the living and dining and ve a and stairs direct access to ooms, Well Arranged Kitchen. The kitchen has two windows, a store closet fce box may be placed. convenient ac- cess to the service vard and basement The basement contains the heating plant. laundry and servants’ toilet. The second floor contains three bed- rooms, one hath and one linen closet. The largest bedroom, over the living room, has a fireplace and four win- dows 'and two closets, a very pleasant and convenient arrangement for a married couple. A small storage space in the attic is reached through a hatch in the second- floor ceiling. The garage Is placed near the house and convenient to the street on the east. The long side of the garage makes a good background for plant- ing. This and the east side of the house form two sides of an inclosure of which the other two sides are a picket fence., making an excellent place for a small garden and a place for a ®hild to play, biles. There is a short drive at the east end of the house for the delivery of coal. As this house is in Virginia, it seems appropriate to sive it some of the character and flavor of the small Virginia houses of the best period. This has been done, making 1t conform with all modern ments. well placed in which an Rrueninger House. Coming bac kto the District and pro- ceeding out Sixteenth street to Alaska avenue we find the site of the model house to be buflt by L. E. Brueninger & Sons from a design by Victor Mindeleff. 5 The site furnished for this project is an exceptionally desirable situation on the west side of Alaska avenue at its intersection with Thirteenth and Hemlock streets. It affords an ideal southwestern exposure for the front entrance and suggests a design that also would present an attractive ap- pearance, on the opposite side, toward Hemlock street, approximating a tri- angle with two sides on the streets named. The surface is elevated from three to five feet above the sidewalk, which descends uniformly in a north- eastern direction along the main front around the corner and thence west along Hemlock street. Incidentally, these grades favor the adoption of the built-in type of garage. Makes for Simplicity. The term ‘“colonial” as applied to the proposed type of dwelling on this pite & interpreted by the architect as pufMiciently general to allow some lati tude of choice in arrangement and ap- pearance of the various forms as- mumed by this style in varfous rections of the country. It has seemed to the architect that what might be called the Intermediate type that prevailed In Pennsylvania, Long Island and mround old New York City would have eertain definite advantages for this project, not the least being ‘a certain sconomy that could be achieved with its simplicity and plainness while per- mitting the use of a beamed celling, homelike fireplace and unusually di- rect treatment of woodwork, all result- ng in a simple charm, both outside and inside, with more intimate free- flom 1n choice and combination of va- rious materials locally avallable than would be permissible, perhaps, in in- terpreting efther the more Northern or maore Southern types. Masonry sw safe from automo- | require- | stucco was frequently combined with prevalling wood construction on the | older bufldings of the region named. | The price limit imposed and the high quality of workmanship required will conspire 10 keep the size of this house fairly compact, but still will permit of a rather elongated plan that will uti lize the peculiar advantages of the lot and its varfous street exposures. In the way of accommodations it is pro- posed to have on the second floor three bedrooms and two baths, with ample closets and necessary accessories. The first fioor will have an unusually large living room, with open fireplace and beamed ceiling. opening through French doors onto a paved and co ered porch, commanding a wide view where the above-named streets inter- sect. A full size dining room. with completely equipped kitchen, and a stair hall with outside window light will complete the accommodations on this level. which will, on the south- east, or main entrance. side be kept as close as practicable to the finish grade. The cellar rooms and garage will de- rive most of their light and ventila tion from the Hemlock street side. The roof surfaces will be unbroken | by dormers, an economy in first cost as well as in future maintenance. and incidentally an aid in securing the de- sired low sheltering effect character- istic of the style. Site of Miller Hon | W.C.and A. N. Miller have chosen | in their community, Wesley Heights, | a piece of property at the southwest | corner of Hawthorne street and Forty- | fifth place, and there propose to erect a brick house along G lines, from designs by Delos H. , "he front entrance faces north, with sarage entrance on the east from the side street and kitchen vard west, while to the south the gradual falling slope of the zround presents opportunity for that free and dignified garden setting so characteristic of the American country house of the eight- eenth centur: Taste now is mare diversified and less apt to hold to one mode of ex- pression and Americans today demand nothing more positively than variety. And the result todav is that the term “‘colonial” or even “Georgian"—which is architecturally confined to strict limitations—is generally meant to sus- kest rather than to define. The final test is that the modern interpretation of a style be “in good taste® or “pleas- ing to the eve.” For the house in Weslev Heights | the general dimensions and individual sizes of rooms are such as will meet the needs of the medium-sized family | without crowding or interference, and | | at the same time without unnecessary expense. With such a problem. the study of intimate details is important Doors and windows, walls, lintels and chimnevs must be patterned out of available Materials to give delight to the eve and distinction to the dwelling | | Another Detached House. | The fifth of the detached houses be- {ing planned is that of Hedges & Mid dleton, at Thirty-fifth street and Mas. |sachusetts avenue, Robert F. Beres. {ford. architect. The proper planning of a house to Isnit the site selected is a matter of |prime importance. A house that is !well planned for certain location might be very unsuitable for another location. | of the factol idered in plan ning this house it may be mentioned first that the lot faces west. with an |aturactive view over a small public park and thence to Massachusetts ave- nue bevond. It was felt. therefore, that the living room should be on the |south side with south windows, a west | window to take in the view over the | s. | park and French doors at the east end |leading on to the living porch, which | will overlook the garden on the rear portion of the lot. The dining room should face prefer- |ably toward the east and south, to re- ceive the morning sun and to be shel- tered from the hot afternoon sun in Summer. The western sun is of no ad- | vantage in a dining room in Winter. | because the evening meal is eaten after sunset. Therefore. the dining room | has been placed just north of the liv- ing porch, which gives it an eastern outlook over the garden and a south- ern exposure through the living porch. This plan naturally results in the kitchen being placed toward the north, which {s an advantage, because the north light is the most constant and diffused and, therefore, best for any kind of a workroom. It will be noticed that with this ar- rangement the living room, dining room and living porch are all sheltered (Continued on Twentieth Page.) Washington’s most beautiiu homes. —between Connecticut, Massac! struction. $8,000,000. Wooded villa site: St. and Cathedral Ave. You Run O much depends upon will go wrong. That's where Rose makes Rose Bre 2120-22 Ga. Ave. ¥ WASHINGTON, D. C, - to the | Containing seven million feet of forest-covered land, with six miles of improved streets. ‘The Triangle of Increasing Values Over 200 homes from $15,000 to $200,000 built and under con- Actual improvements and home values exceed homes, with lots from 50 to 115 feet front. Middaugh & Shannon, Inc. ESTABLISHED 1899 Riggs-Semmes Bldg., Dupont Circle, Potomac 2200 trouble—and if you don’t get that right the repairs gives Rose workmanship the advantage. | believe there’s a roofing condition that exists in Washington that we have not met—and conquered. . Rose roofs run into the thousands—and they are endurance tests—all of them. g You don’t have to. worry how the work will be . done—nor what’ll be the cost—if you put it up to us. Owr budget plon of payment that easy for D Difficulty of Site| Overcome in These Plans. Voegtlin Residence Is of Rural Spanish Archi- tecture. The problem of constructing and designing a beautiful house Is an intricate one at the best. The plan- ning and bullding to suit the owner and to meet all requirements of ar- chitectural beauty and bullding regu- lations call for a great amount of work. When, however., to this is add- ed the problem of a’ difficult site and an irregular lot the entire question becomes even more involved. The residence of Dr. Carl Voegtlin, 2530 Belmont road. in that section of the city known as Kalorama Heights. is a very fine example of the perfect adaptation of a difficult site. Lot Frontage Small. The frontage of the lot is rather small and irregular in outline on Bel- mont road. The grounds are ‘anly 30 feet in depth at one end. To this was added the desire of the owner to have the maximum amount of privacy on the street side. The proximity of Rock Creek Park in the rear, however, gave ample opportunity for unusual treatment of the garden. The problem of the lot was mei by extending the house along the entire frontage and keeping it shallow in depth, a task rather hard when mod- ern convenience is to be considerzd in the interior. The openings on th= street fromt are principally for serv ice entrances, while most of the open ings of the major rooms are toward | the park. | There 13 today a distinct revolution {in the question of the design of house fronts. Architects are inclined to consider making the front f the house face the most attractive view whether it be on the stfeet front or not, at the same time keeping the street front beautiful. Plenty of terracing is made possi ble by the slope of the lot from the street front to the park. Design Is Rural Spanish. The exterior design of the residence is hasically rural Spanish. The wall surfaces are vered with irregular light vellow stucco. The roof is of tile in order to conform with the general Spanish effect, and ix made | very pretty by a combination of greens and gravs. < All the exterior woodwork is stained a soft hrown. Some artistic wrought ironwork and insert tiling from California fs used. The Interior decorative scheme is most simple, the walls and ceilings of rough plaster work, with narrow woodwork effects stained dark. Pol- ished oak floors are also stained dark. The walls of the bathroom are of deep colored tiles, which form a very beautiful contrast with the white porcelain fixtures. A study of the accompanying plans will fully explain the Interior design. The architects are Rodier and | Kundzin. Mr. Rodier is one of the| members of the American Institute of | Architects selected to design one of | the demonstration homes sponsored by The Star. APARTMENT HOUSE SOLD. Building at Euclid and University Place Brings $150,000. The new apartment house at the southwest corner of University place and Euclid street was sold recently by McKeever & Goss to J. F. and Judith L. Steele for approximately $150,000. The structure is four stories high, containing 32 apartments. John J. MecInerney was the previous owner. PRECAUTION ADVISED. Architect Says Buildings S8hould Be Periodically Inspected. The supporting members of every structure, skyscraper as well as the brick tenement, should be examined periodically to determine the safety of the bullding. Alfred C. Bossom, well known architect, who has offered this suggestion, said that the loss of life in West Forty-seventh street, New York City, last Friday would not have occurred had there been inspec- tions because the weakness in the structure would have been discovered. Massachusetts Park 1 residential section of detached Includes what remains of husetts and Cathedral avenues. s, lots, central and side hall Park Office, 32d No Risk ose Roof a proper diagnosis of the experience comes in—and We don’t you COMPANY " North 847848 SLAG ROOF OVEL SERVICE WING Stcowd Froon Pran avEwaLe Fiest Froow Puan LAWS GOVERNING INTEREST RATE ON SECOND MORTGAGES URGED Present Condition Brings Usury Laws, Never Intend- ed to Operate on Such Financing, Down on Investors in Several States, Survey Shows. Usury laws in the various States, adopted to protect the borrower who is faced with some dire necessity from the exactions of extortionate and un conscionable lenders, are having an effect never intended by the legislators upon the use of second mortgage loans in the purchase of homes. according to a detalled study of interest laws and junior financing which has just been made by the Natlonal Associa- tion of Real Estate Boards. The association’s study is the basis of its request that laws governing In- terest rates on second mortgages in States where much laws are in effect be adjusted 50 as to permit interest rates ‘on sacond mortgages to Corre- spond as nearly as possible to the actual cost of the type of financing in each locality. “Under the law of supply and de- 8th ST. = A HOME THE SAMPLE THAT FROM 1418 Eye St. N.W. 3700-5720 (Corner Madisoq) MEET ALL YOUR REQUIREMENTS YOU HAVE ONLY TO INSPECT THAT HERE IS INDEED A RE- MARKABLE SIX-ROOM POINT MEASURES UP TO YOUR IDEAL OF A HOME. 'METAL WEATHER STRIPPED AND SCREENED THRUOUT L.SANSBURY CO., Inc. mand the cost of such financing is, in most States of the Union, greater than the maximum interest rate permitted by the laws of those States to be | charged.” resolutions adopted by the association state. “The effect of this condition Is to keep out of the second mortgage busi- ness much capital that otherwise might be attracted into this form of investment.” Adjustment of the laws governing interest rates on second mortgages is needed If capital is to he drawn freely into service to finance the purchase of homes and if the cost of such finan- cing is to be kept as low as possible, the association points out. “Second mortgage financing. which has such a large part In making pos- mible the widest extension of home ownership, is legitimate and useful. 5702 THAT WILL HOUSE TO FIND HOME, EVERY STAND- Main 5904 But it is suffering under laws which were never intended to restrict mort- gage investment.' a report made to the mortgage and finance division by its committee on junior financing states. The report. made by Samuel N. Reep of Minneapolis, is based on a study of second mortgage financing in 25 cities, Present statutory maximums are gauged In amount to first mortgage financing, the report brings out. They ignore the fact that second mortgage credit, with the higher margin of risk necessarily invelved, is worth consid- erably more than first mortgage credit. worth more than the statutory max imums, eecond mortgage financing cannot be done on a business basis directly with the borrower unless it (Continued on Sixteenth Page. Price $17,500 Visit Exhibit House 2917 Cathedral Ave. Sunday or Monday or during the Week Because second mortgage credit is | HOME & GARDEN 15 BY ROGER W. BABSON. BABSON PARK. Fla. Fehruary 20.—Four factors favor high wages Restricted immigration continues to be in full force and is constantly be- coming more serious in reducing the supply of labor in this country. More- over, I see no immediate signs of Con Eress relaxing immigration restric- tlons, but rather there are slgns which will make the smuggling of labor Into the country more difficult Prolonging the school vears—hoth by Jegislation and custom —is constant ly tending to reduce the supply of ble labor. Formerly the ma ¥ of ho years of age, and in my opinion many of them were very much hetter f. 80 doing: hut this age is gradually be ing extended to 16 vears or 18 vears Although the State universities and high schools are a distinct handicap instead of help. to many young peo ple; vet the stvle now is to send all children to high school and as many as possible to gome university. Views on Work Dangerous. The prevalent fdea that work Is something to be avoided is also rals- ing havoc with the labor market, hoth by keeping people from doing an hon est day’s work, and by developing our most promising young men into clerks instead of producers. Our faulty edu catfonal system together with' the in difference of parents. is largely to blame for this condition. creasingly serious factor, day must be corrected. The raising and fmproving of the standard of living 18 a constant pres- sure on wage workers for higher wages. This pressure and some mands of the wife and the children for more and better things. This ¢ tion has al vs existed and is not to be deplored. ~ Dissatisfaction, among young people especially, is more prev alent today than ever hefore. This is a hard matter to tabulate satisfac torily, but it is a real factor in the wage situation. Factors Favoring Lower Wages. The greatest basic economic force at work tending to keep wages down is the constantly developing foreign competition For a while forelgn goods can be kept out of this country by a tariff war, but these foreign goods cannot be Kept out forever Trade is like a stream of water and a tariff war is like a dam: but neither trade nor water can be dammed for ever. Ultimately, the water flows over | the dam, or the dam breaks | Instance either the flowing aver or breaking of the dam would mean low- er wages in this country. The tremendous growth ment sales among wage of Wl cers ent than formerly. In the old days, the wage worker needed to consider only the landlord and the grocer, when think of the piano, radio, phonograph clothing and varfous other things which he has purchased on the in stalment plan. T noticed only day that a Chicago firm s offering trips to FEurope, pavable $0 down and the balance over a period of years' Strike Threats Appear Needed. The faflure of the coal strike is causing strikes to ba unpopular at the moment and has resuited in labor organizations losing many members. Of course, wage workers ought to be able to get redress and secure higher wages without resorting to a but under the present set-up it seems necessary for them to at least h to threaten strike. Without threat, the average employer pay |tle attention to their demands, though employers are making a take in folloting this custom The cost of living ought to decline (this does not mean the standard of ab) the 1 al mis S went to work when 14| 1t is an in-| greatly inten- | sified by the constantly increasing de- | ndi- | In this | | instal makes them very much less indapend. | voting for a strike; but now he must | ike: | BUILDING WAVE NOW NEAR PEAK, MANY ECONOMISTS BELIEVE Babson Revicws Labor Situation and Factor Favor- ing Higher and Lower Wages—Sees Rapid Road Constructiont as Too Great Financial Drain. iving). Under these conditions it is | difficult for wages to advance and the | tendency is for lower wages. Statis- | tics ghow that wholesale prices are graduall although slowly, declining. This especially applies tn foodstuffs, Corn, cattle, hides, wool and eggs, all are tending lower. Retail prices in- | evitably follow wholesale prices. The reduction in living costs, which started twn vears ago. hut which was checked last year, should he resumed With | a world ‘wheat crop of four billion bushels in 1425, there should be a | general reduction in foodstuff prices +all along the line. Construction Work at Peak. Economists generally agree that building is at the peak and that the automobile industry is ahout reach- ing its peak. If this is =0, it means that the demand for skilled labor w gradually lessen as these two ind: | trles are the greatest emplovers | Ekilled labor today in America. course these same economists have been preaching for years that the automobile industry was at the satura- tion point. Whether or not they ars | now correct, only the future can tell Both the building industry and the X of | automobile industry are intimately bound up with employment and wages each depending on the other. | When one suffers both suffer. The great Increase in purchasing power, Which this country has been enjoying the past few ars has come largely from the wage workers Thelr in- creased purchases have heen the basis of their increased employment. Hence |any letup in these purchases would | mean unemployment for many. | Road Building Big Factor. Probably the greatest factor in tha wage situation. so far as It relates to i common labor. is road building. Every community, during the past 10 | years. has gone crazy over t penditures new nads. Without doubt new roads fnerease values and } are a great enjoyme it like any { ®00d thing, they can he overdons. | Ultimatelr, he the bullding of | new roads w e ed by in- sed taxes and a g off in_de- for tax-exempt bonds. The ill now hefore Cong and difficulties dey el i connec- tion with det Its or road distriet honds, are causing investors to be less interested in tax-exempt securi- | ties, especially when issued by road districts. Local taxes are now in- | creasing so rapidly and road honds are becoming so much more difficult to sell, that it is very probable thers will be a_curtailment road con- struction before long. Such a cur. tailment should release considerable | common labor. New Spirit Needed. The labor situation mayv never be solved, as it fundamentally is a moral rather than an economic question. | Surely it will never be solved by leg- islation, strikes, higher wages, or shorter hours. The solution of the problem will come only as both em. ployers and wage workers are changed at heart and adopt the golden rule. And the encourazing thing is that this s gradually takine place, for there s, today. a great improve ment in the attiinde of both em- | ployers and wage workers compared with prewar dayvs As I travel about the country and visit different industri me that the greatest of oldfashioned r tending to bring em workera together wage workers to hecor is ers and waga tendency of ners. Of had an indi | try through S | life insurar and the | Today, howeve a_distinet tendency for S to buy se- es for which they work. and in other companies as (Continued on Sixteenth Page eguards of Home and Money The famous English Village, the Phipps Estate, the Parmalee Estate, “Twin Oaks,” Wardman Park Hotel, Rock Creek Park and the great National Cathedral are faithful safeguards against encroachment that might cheapen property values of OODLEY PARK HOMES Seven rooms, two b&(hs, open fireplace in the living room, auto- matic storage hot-water heater, lavatory and shower adjoining the built-in garage in the basement. The interior decorative treatment will be done in accordance with the wishes of the purchaser. Sodded lawns, perennial shrubbery and open porches give these homes a lasting charm and distinction. $2,500 Cash—$125 Monthly 1430 K Street N.W. “Deal With a Realtor”