Evening Star Newspaper, November 29, 1930, Page 15

REAL ESTATE WASHINGT ON,...D. 0., Lhe Fpenin enin giuf’ SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1930. | BUILDIN NEWS TIME TO BUILD HOMES SEEN IN REDUCED COSTS Materials Cheaper Thap in Several Years, Realtor Points Qut—Supply Plentiful i | of going ahead, according to H. of Laber Reported n Nation, F you own a lot which you have been planning to improve or il you intend to build a home, present economic factors are in favor U. Nelson, Chicago, executive sec- retary of the National Association of Real Estate Boards. Building material costs are lower than they. have been for years. Money for building has accum: recent inactive months, waiting f ulated in savings institutions over or sound investment opportumty“ Skilled labor is more readily available than has been the case for| ears. Today a home that normally would cost $6,000 to build can {e built for $4,200, H S. Wanzer, president of the California Building Loan League, states. Figures compiled by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that building material costs are now lower than they have been at any time in the period covered by the present index, which s back to 1926. The bureau’s index for wholesale prices of build- | g materials takes 1926 prices as equaling 100 on its scale. | For the years following 1926 whole- sale prices are shown to have reached their peak in March, 1929, when the bureau’s index figure was 98.8. In Oc- tober, 1929, the month of the stock market crash, the figure was 97.8. The figure showed only small variations for & number of ensuing months. April Shows Decline. The present lowered costs begin to be indicated in the April index, Mr. Nelson points out, and the lowering has been a comparatively rapid movement. The index for May was 92.9, for June 90. for July 88.9, for August 87.4, for Sep- tember 868, and for Ocfober 858, a decrease of 12 points over October of a year ago and a decrease of 13 points over the figure for March of 1929. Retail prices should be found to accord in general with the wholesale trend. As to cific materials, lumber, according to ‘August wholesale index figure of the | Department of Labor, is down 13.1} points from its price of a year ago; brick is down 7.1 points: cement down 0.3 points; structural steel is down 15.3 points; paint materials are down 9.1 points and other building materials are down 6.7 points. “Prices of building materials have been reduced from 15 to 60 per cent, compared with 1923 costs” B. C Forbes, observer of financial and eco- nomic trends, declares, ‘“‘Residential oosts are lower by 25 to 35 per cent. | dsumber is selling at 25 per cent under | 1925 prices; cement, rock and sand, the | three ingredients of concrete, at almost .50 per cent under prices five years ago. | | HOME OWNERS GET CHANGE IN CONTEST Prizes to Be Given for Let- ters Telling How They Acquired Dwellings. | The Naiional Association of Real Estate Boards, believing that tales of how individual families achieved home ownership will spur cther families to the same end, today announced a contest for the most interesting letters on how homes have been acquired and wiil award $350 in cash priges for the six | best letters submitted. “We believe that thousands of little homes in far-flung corners of this coun-. try could bear witness to countless sto- ries of ambition and sacrifice,” said Leonard P. Reaume, Detroit, president of the realty association. “One of the rules of the contest pro- | vides for the inclusion of actual figures in the l-tters submitted. These figures, showing actual transactions, with an ‘Wiring and electrical supplics are down more than 20 per cent: plumbing mate- rials are 10 to 15 per cent cheaper. Brick is 35 per cent cheapcr than in| 1925: roof tile 40 per cent less. Plaster | has dropped 40 per cent: wood lath, 50 | per cent; metal lath, 30 per cent. Labor Supply Plentiful. | “There is a plentiful supply of skilled workers, ‘producing approximately 20| per cent more, due to modern inven-| tions, than in 1923—an important fac- | tor in costs.” | F. W. Dodge res on contracts | awarded in the 37 States east of the| Rockies (approximately 90 per cent of the United States total) show that for September residential building increased | 19 per cent over August. This con- trasts with a us seasonal decrease of from 7 to 10 prr cent. The reports show the total velume for September as only 17 per cent below September, 1929 —a gain of 33 per cent wh-n compared with th- averags Cecrease for the pre- | c2ding eight menths. Dodge figures for | Octcber show an increase of more than six million dollars over the ' figure for | September in total residential construc- tion. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tabulates reports from 286 cities, re- ports estimated cost for residential building construction as shown in build | ing permits to have taken for October an upturn of 1 per cent. Pinancial journals g:nerally at this view the recent advance in copper as a move of outstanding significance as forecasting a tendency toward a coming stabilization of prices generally. ‘They point out also as an interesting | indication for gen-ral business the * October reports of chrin stores, which show for 15 of the chains an appre- ciable increase in business over the Sep- | tember totals. Money for financing needed hom- building is accumulating. It is plentiful and cheap and waiting for an opportunity of safe investment, ‘Truman l?o Morgan, president of the F. W. Dodge Corporation, says, in a recent article in the Real Estate Record | and Builders’ Guide. | “According to the Pinancial World the accumulation in banks is now at' the maximum amount ever recorded in our history,” Mr. Morgan points out. “During the past quarter century our tion has ine 43 per cent, while the wealth or purchasing power of the workers has increased 300 per cent. During 1929 the public invested more than eight and one half billions in building and loan associations, or more than 10 times the amount invested in 1906. | Life Insurance Rises. | “Life insurance jumped last y:ar to| seven and one-half times the amount written in 1906. Interest rates on com- | mercial paper turned downward about & year ago. A month or two later the | bond market tcek a definite swing up- | ward and has continued steadily up | 1930. These are the customary | first indications of easing money condi- | tions that usually result in increased residential builling. Surveys mads of vacarnicies have revealed normal vacancy | conditions in many citles of various' sizes and in varfous sections of the country.” Savings bank deposits for the State of New York for $eptember were the largest for any of the preceding five years for which monthly reports are aveilable, with the single exception of 1926, according to a compilation made by the Savings Bankers’ Association of New York. “A'l of which means that from banks and insurance companies money is now able for sound. w-ll conceived .” the realtor states. 4322 15th St. N.W. CI5Eh Stineas Wabitar) A medern brick house 6 rooms & bath, in- closed sleeping pongh. Has just been newly $ainted: and paperved throughout. Paved street and alley. 'We can sell this home on terms to suit pur- chaser. OPEN SUNDAY For Your Inspettion ST Priced Under $10,000.00 L.E. Breunr'nger & Sons Frsherematit Bldg, National 2040 | mortgage or mortgages. owned home at the end of the road. may go a long way to convincing other people that if home owning has been practical and pessible for the contest- ants it can be practicai and possi- bie for them.” Six Prizes Are Listed. Six prizes will be awarded for the six most interesting letters. Seventy-five points will be given on the basis of in- terest of the experience and 25 points for originality of ideas and human in- terest anecdotes. The prize money of $35¢ will be divided as follows: First prize, $150; second prize, $75; third prize, $50; fourth prize, $25; fifth prize, $25; sixth prize, $25. The rules for the contest follow: Only home owners actually living in their homes at present can enter the contest. - The contest provides for letters of not more than 1,000 words on the subject, "How We Acquired Our Home.” People who have no families can enter the con- | test with the subject, “How I Acquired My Home.” The letters submitted must l:l)l'l'.lml the following descriptions: (a) Occupation of contestant or oc- cupation of head of the family, if wife submits lctter. (b) Size (in number of rooms) of | house and its total cost, including Income Is Specified. (c) Income of head of family. If incomes other than that of head of family were used in purchase of house mention them. (d) Complete description of how home was acquired, from beginning of venture, including how initial payment | was assembled. Twenty-five points will | be given for originality of ideas and | human icterest anecdotes of how initial | payment was saved or subsequent pay- | ments met. (e) All letters must be in the mail by | midnight, January 8, 1931, aédressed to | the Home Experience Contest Judgrs, | National Association of Real Estate | Boards, 59 East Van Buren street, Chi- | chago, Ill. Winners will be announced | n January 16, 1931, at the annual Mid- winter meeting of the association at St. Petersburg, Fla. (f) Letters must contain name, ad- dress and telephone number of contest ant printed in upper right-hand corner. }Aldm should be address of the owned ome. (8) Officers of the real estate associa- tion will act as judges. Just Think of It— ‘The Star delivered to your door every e¢vening and Sunday morning at 1%c per day and 5¢ Sunday. Can you afford to be without this service this cost? Telephone National 5000 and de- livery will start at once. L Foxhall ‘i);llage 5 and 6 Bed Rooms 3 Tiled Baths $17,750 TO $24,500. A Villager says— “It was after careful investiga- tion that we selected FOXHALL VILLAGE as our home—the pri- mary factors which prompted us to buy being architectural beauty of design and superior work- manship in construction.” ROBERT C. DANIS, Architect. Model Hoime, 1606 44th St. Open 9"A.M. Until 9 P.M. BOSS & PHELPS 1417 K St NAtional 9300 Drive out_Que st. to Wis. ave.; north 1 block to Reser rd.; west to Vi 3 Trn et o 44th 8t 46 Bome o wast s1de. Federal Changes Impend New Post Office Site Is Next Operation on U. S. Schedule. OLD CENTER MARKET WILL BE DEMOLISHED War and Navy Depn‘rtmenta Separated From State Branch by New Plan. * Activities in clearing sites for new Federal Government buildings along® Pennsylvenia avenue and in the Mall to the south will be expanded early in the new year, revealing more concretely and on a larger scale the change that is destined for an immense section of downtown Washington. The next big operation to be defi- | nitely scheduled, barring any unforeseen change in the program, is the razing of the existing_old buildings between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets, C street and Pennsylvania avenue, which in- | " cludes the site of the new Post Office Department Building. Plan Center Market Razing. This will bring greatly increased ac- tivity to the Avenue side of the Mall triangle and accentuate the sweeping program that will do much to clean up the entire frontage of the south side of the Avenue from the Capitol to the | White House in time for the 1932 Wash- ington bicentennial celebrations here. The razing of the old Center Market structures between Seventh and Ninth | streets south of the Avenue is scheduled arted shortly after January 1, con! for this work already having been let. Workmen now are proceeding with clearing the triangle bounded by Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets. Penn- sylvania avenue and E street, just to the north of the new Commerce Building. Just when work will be started on the clearing of the site of the new Post Of- fice Department Building depends upon acquisition of title to the property. The awards made by the Condemnation | Commission in this case have been pro- | tested by property owners involved and as soon as final decision has been ren- | dered and title is passed to the Gov- ernment bids will be advertised for | clearing of the site. 1t is expected that this will be ac- | complished early in 1931. | New Post Office Planned. | Plans for the new Post Office Build ing, for which a maximum appropria- | tion of $10,300,000 has been authorized, now are being completed by William A. Delano, New York architect. It is believed actual construction of this building will be started some time during the ensuing year. The building will be of an {irregular shape, due to the place it will take in the architectural scheme for the whole triangle development. Both east and west sides of the building will be con- cave in shape. The eastern part will form a part of the great circle center- ing on Twelfth street, in the center of | which will rise a tall monument. A part of this circle already is seen in the raw brick facing of the corner of the Internal Revenue Building on Eleventh street just to the rear of the old Post Office Department Building, which is to be razed as the Federal con- struction program proceeds. A portion of the new building later to be erected on the site of the old Post Office Build- | ing will form the remainder of the cir- cular development. Other New Buildings Cited. The western exposure of the new Post Office Building. concave in shape, will overlook the Grand Plaza to be de- veloped in the space between this and || | other buildings in the larger end of the || triangle to the east of Fourteenth street. This plaza will be lavishly landscaped and treated with sunken gardens, foun- tains, yeflecting pools and walks, | When the new Post Office Depart- | ment Building is completed, the depart- || ment will move into its new home, and the old structure will be razed. ~This famous old building, it is recalled, rests upon wooden piles. Much water was found in the subsoil in the adjoining | tract to the south on which has been ' erected the new Internal Revenue Build- ing. It was found necessary in that site to place concrete piles deep into the eround to support the foundation for that large structure. To the south of the new Post Office Building. in the site between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets, B street and a iine running about where C street now ‘ 2. | exists, will be erected a new building now_tentatively planned for eithet the | —_— | 5306 Reno Road (West of Conn. Ave. at Jocelyn St.) Price and Terms Especially Attractive Open Sunday Call Owner, Clev. 2630-J, or Nat. 8744 Dowble-Front English Group Homes FOXALL Six and Eight Rooms; One, Two and Three Baths $10.950 to $15.050 Model Home, 4400 Volta Place N.W. WAVERLY TAYLOR %2 192 Kk STREET NATL 1040 19,250 8 Large Rooms Colonial front porch, re- ception hall, dining room, kitchen equipped with Frigidaire: 4 bedrooms, built-in bath with shower, oak floors, natural wood trim, very deep back yard with garage. living room, sun parlor: BUILT" BY JAMESON § 2440 Jefferson St. N.W.& Modern—Substantial Open for Your Inspection Wm. M, Throckmorton 208 Investment Bldg. District 6093 in Downtown Are a | | war and Navy Building, to the west of | | the White House, for which an appro- | priation has been authorized. Waddy B. | | Wood, local architect and fellow of the | American Institute of Architects, how is | engaged in drawing plans for this work. | | The plan is to make the new facade | of the building & type more nearly forming a balance with the picture pre- sented by the Treasury Department | Building, to the east of the White House. The War and Navy Departments are | to be separated from the State Depart- | ment under the program of providing new and better homes for the Govern- | ment agencies here, and the Public | — NEW PROJECTS APPROVED IN WEEK COST $182,250 Industrial Plant for Buzzards Point, Five Dwellings and Remodeling Operations Included in List of Private Work, RIVATE building operations having an estimated nstru P cost of $182,250 were approved during the past we:ek byc"clgl-; John W. Oehmann, District building inspector. Included in plans approved were those for the construction of structures for the Gulf Refining Co. at Buzzards Point, estimate at Cor;‘nrucuon of five private dwellings and numegous i—l%g?ro'md remodelin ‘operations. projects in g inspector ructures. a brick and private construction Among the Jplans filed with the buildin were those for the construction of five two-story brick st conc'gl'.ee ogll“c:mpa.ny plax;s callx{or the construction of ge, one-story oil storage plant, an loading platform, necessary retaining wallspand boileroé?acrext.bu“dm.' $60,000 RESIDENCE | " asielr ™ . "o DESIGN IS APPROVED Young & Cwpenheimer, owners and Home Will Be Erected for William builders; George T. Santmyers, archi- | tect; to erect five two-story brick flats, Montgomery at 6300 Ne- braska Avenue, 1103 ul)“ll(:fll Holbrook terrace, north- east (lots to 45, square 4054); cost $35,200. poe Gulf Refininfi Co., owners, designers and builders; to erect one 1-story brick and concrete garage, 1707 Water street southwest (lots 1 to 8 and 10 to 15, square 662); to cost $22,000. Gulf Refining Co., owners, designers and builders; to erect one 1-story brick and concrete oil storage plant, 1724 South Capitol street (lot 4, square §-708); to cost $20,000. Gulf Refining Co., owners, designers | and builders; to erect one 1-story brick and concrete office, 1724 South Capitol | street (lot 4, square S-708); to cost $12,000. | Thomas E. Clark, owner: Upman & Adams, architects; T. Turner, builder; to erect one 1-story stone and |bHck showroom, 3407 Camsecticut ave- The Architects’ Advisory Council of | the District this week commended plans | for a dwelling proposed by Willian Mont- gomery at 6300 Nebraska avenue. The home, which was designed by Porter & Lockie, architects, will cost in excess of $50,000 and will contain 16 rooms. The council approved plans for a five-story apartment house to be erected at 1511 Pranklin street northeast by the Pranklid Apartment Co. David L Stern designed the proposed building. ‘Approval also was given to plans for | DUe (lot, scuth 25 feet lot 803, square the following dwellings: 5448 Nebraska | 2219); to cost $10.000. avenue, George T. Santmyers, architect; | Dea Farn, owner; Harold Hambright, E B. Johnson, owner; 3517-3519 Rod- |builder: to make repairs and alterations, man street, W. D. Sterrett, owner and | 519 Thirteenth street (lot 813), square cesigner, and 5707 Thitty-second street, [ 290): to cost $9,000. Charles E. Dillon, architect; P. J. Grady, | _Jacobson Bros., owners. designers and owner. (Continued on Second Page.) Buildings Commission is holding a hear- ing today for consideration of proposed locations for these structures. ° o Increased tobacco production this year is reported by Kentucky and | North Carolina. o Upper: Site of the new Post Office Department Building, between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets, Pennsylvania avenue and the approximate line of C street. which is to be cleared early in 1931 under the present plans of the Public Buildings Commission. Lowe:: Drawing of the new Post Office structure, showing | the great circle on Twelfth street, a prominent part of the Federal triangle | deyelopment. | Join the “Buy Now” Brigade A New 5-BED-ROOM HOME of English design in BURLEITH HEIGHTS After a Modest Cash Payment COSTS ONLY $100 PER MONTH A DESIRABLE APT. Of Comparable Size COSTS 8170 OR MORE PER MONTH Investigate now the unusual values offered here—and the vast advantages of investment and independence that apartment residence cannot provide, - Interstate Commerce Commission or the ' bounded by Ninth and Tenth streets, General Accounting Office. | B street and Pennsylvania ayenue. The new Archives Building is to be | ~Another Pennsylvania avenue project erected on the site of the old Center | in which action likely is to be witnessed Market, and the new Department of | during the coming year is the remodel- Justice Building is planned for a site | ing and resurfacing of the old State, 5923 4th St. NW. | Open Sunday From 1 to 9 P. M. ‘8,950 Easy Terms All-brick; semi-detached; four bed rooms; beau- tiful lot; paved street and alley. Drive out Fifth street to Peabody. Inspect the Exhibit Home— 3805 T St. N.W. Open Daily Until 9 P.M. boley Bron To_.er Bldg. Nar'l 9240 National Mortgage & Investment Corporation 1004 Vermont Ave. ANNOUNCING The Completion and Opening of the SECOND GROUP of Homes in A WARBEN DEVELOPMENT in Chevy Chase NOS. 100 TO 108 WEST CYPRESS STREET HERE will be found a variety and beauty of design probably never before approached in homes ranging in price from $15.950 to $17.500, in a location of such excellence. Each home is fully detached, set in beautifully landscaped grounds with small formal gardens; each contains six rooms and two baths; each has modern structural features and conveniences too numerous to detail here. Careful planning. aturdy construction, modern equipment (in- cluding electric refrigeration), and other advantages stamp these homes as outstanding values even in today's market, that may never be approached again in this generation for low building costs and low selling prices. Meadowbrook is a tract of nearly 70 acres of land lying be- tween Chevy Chase and Columbia Country Clubs, one block The Exhibit Home will be open for inspection all day Saturday and Sunday, and every day thereafter from 1 to 9 p.m. Phone Wisconsin 2764. west of Connecticut Avenue. YOU ARE INVITED to inspect these new homes today or at your Car];e!‘ convenience. You Will &nd your vifl;t weu wor‘}l While. Drive out Connecticut Avenue to Columbia Country Club, turn west (left) on West Cypress Street (Bethesda-Silver Spring Highway) one block to property. A Warren Development in Chevy Chase MEADOWBROOK Hundreds Have Marveled at This Unique Achievement A High-Ciass Home Completely Furnished for $1,165 . . . . T IS amazing to find that such a small sum can so adequately and beautifully furnish this roomy house. And this is no ordinary collec- tion, for everything—rugs, draperies, curtains and furniture—has been thoughtfully selected. with a careful eye to color scheme, and arranged in ex- quisite taste. FURNISHED HOUSE 4448 FARADAY PLACE NORTEWEST Fort Bayard Park In St. Ann’s Parish OPEN DAILY 9 AM. to 9 P.M. $10,950 Small Cash Payment—Balance Like Rent BOSS & PHELPS 417 K St. OWNERS National 9300 Go north on Wisconsin Ave., to Fescenden Street, west to 45th Street. turn right half block to home. minutes to center of city. Just short distance to street car and bus. There Is No Question As to the Value of These Bungalows in Woodridge, D. C. 3114 15th Street N.E. THEN NOW ago we sold bungalows Improved features consist of of this type for $6,500. Then Hot-Waf ter Heating Plant they were equipped with (Very Latest Type) kL e Ritter Hardwood Floors e Floors Small Sink One-piece Sink Wooden Drainboard (With ixer Faucet) ‘Wood Floors in Bath Electric fixtures and interior and Kitchen hardware that are found in No_ Garage homes costing $12,000 and up Compare the features we offer Bath and kitchen equipped with NOW in conveniences and added inlaid linoleum comforts. GARAGE 5 Rooms and Bath - $6,750 $500 Cssh $55 Per Month HOW TO REACH—Any car going east Get, off at 14th nd_ Ave. 8t. NE., walk t ng St., 5th St. Or, take Tarked “Woodrideest sot off u% 106k TEIN'E. Walk South to proverty: Open From 10:30 A.M. Until Dark M. & R. B. Warren Realtors and Builders = 3900 ConneZti\ut Ave. Cleveland 7330