Evening Star Newspaper, February 21, 1931, Page 17

REAL ESTATE CONSTRUCTION MAY PASS LAST FEBRUARY’S MARK Stimulation Expected From Decline in Materials’ Cost—$101,500 New Building Projects in Capital Approved for Week. P month. corresponding month of last At the time this statement was made the Bureau of Labor Sta- | ROSPECT that residentjal building throughout the major por- tion of the United States will show a gain in February over the year is suggested in the weekly re- port of F. W. Dodge Corporation for the first two weeks of this tistics, Department of Labor, reported that the trend of wholesale prices for building materials was further downward during the past month. Reduction of this important phase of construction costs is calculated to'stimulate new construction and repair and remodeling | operations. | Lumber, paint and certain other building materials declined 1ni price last month, house furnishing goods also moved downward, with slight declines in furnishings. Brick prices remained practically sta- tionary. Structural stéel advahced in price. | Meanwhile, during the p:la;t‘ ring B Ry week, plans for new private bui | ing projects in the District of Co- cost of $101,500 were approved by | CALLED CHEERFUL. filed by the Commissariat of the | Holy Land for the construction of | a one-story brick church hall at| 1340 Quincy street northeast, to B E | Year of Returning Prosperity cost $65,000. iy Is Visioned by Leading Architects. lumbia having a total estimated the building inspector. In addi- | | tion an application for permit was February contracts for residential building in the 37 States east of the Rockies are running ahead of a year ago, the Dodge report says, and adds that “if the remainder of the month holds to the record already established | Predictiohs that 1931 will be a year | this important construction class may of returning prosperity are made b)" be expected to show its first gain since | leading architects in statements on con- August, 1928, over the corresponding | gitions in New York City and other sec- | B O e save tadus that the most | tions made public through the American | i Institute of Architects. | interesting development suggesting business improvement is the slight but | . Harvey Wiley Corbett of New York, glearly marked change in the trend of | pairman of the Architectural Commis- | sion of the Chicago World Fair of 1933 | uilding contracts. It estimates that | and designer of notable structures here thus far during February is maintained he: Fpenin Concealed Flood L;ghts Planned to Illuminate i Parts of Structure. LOBBY AND DISPLAY FIRST FLOOR FEATURES |Old Quarters at 14th and| B to Make Way for Federal Buildings. ONSTRUCTION of the modern | new home of the Potomac Electric Power Co. at_the northeast corner of Tenth and E streets, at a cost of ap- proximately $1,100,000, is rapidly near- ing completion and the public utility is planning shortly to move into its new quarters. The present headquarters of the con cern at Fourteenth and B streets has been acquired by the Federal Govern- ment and the structure there is nmcmg‘ a large group of buildings in that sec- | tion of the Government triangle scheduled to be razed in the near future to make way for new Federal struc- | tures. Monumental Type Building. The new power company building on | Tenth street, just to the south of the old Ford Theater, where President Lin- coln was shot, is of the monumental type, with the entire visible exterfor of the structure finished in limestone. It | is of nine stories, having a frontage of 172 feet on E street and 87 feet on Tenth street. The limestone treatment was selected, it has been pointed out, with & view | to making the building conform'to the thought of members of the Fine Arts| Commission for private structures in | the vicinity of the Federal develop- ments. The base of the building and thes eI g %taf' " SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1931 BUILDING NEWS Suburbs I CAPITAL ESCAPES EVILS OF ‘ARCHITECTURAL MOBS’ .St. Louisan Describes Effects Upon Rhythm and Beauty of Excess of Skyscrapers Which Are Attractions of New York and Chicago. F skyscrapers are as bad for a eity as pictured in a satirical lampoon on high buildings by Louis La Beaume of St. Louis, a director of the American Institute of Architects, Washington has much to be thankful for, due to the definite restrictions here on the height of buildings. Here in the National Capital there are no skyscrapers and will not be unless there is a change in current zoning regulations which New home of the Potomac Electric Power Co., corner of Tenth and E streets, erected at a cost of about $1,100,000, and ring completion. The old F:ord Theats s seen just to the PICK-UP FORECAST | IN SMALL HOUSING New York Co-operative Official Sees Low Materials and Greater | Labor Efficiency. A definite pick-up in small-home con- struction for completion next Fall is predicted by Willard K. Denton, vice WALSH TO BE SPEAKER Massachusetts Senator on Balti- more Realty Program. BALTIMORE, February 21.—United | States Senator David I. Walsh of Massa- ' chusetts will be the speaker at the an- nual banquet and entertainment of the Real Estate Board tonight at the Lord Baltimore Hotel. Robert R. Carman, former United States district_attorney, will be the toastmaster and Peyton B. Strobel, president of the board, will preside. Among the guests will be Gov. Ritchie | it north of ths new building. JOHN H. BARTLETT BUYS F ST BRICK Store Build;gfi-tfis;o Goes at $100,000 to Former Governor of New Hampshire. The three-story brick store bullding | at 940 P street has been purchased from Isidore Young for a consideration | set 130 as the maximum permitted height. tures may be erected to by the Commissioners. Towers and superstruc- greater heights, provided they are approved Washington thus has been committed to what is regarded rather generally as a reasonably low height limit on private buildin the Federal Government in its buildin, gs, and g program here has kept 'within this standard in limiting the height of new Federal structures. There are, however, many ad- vocates of skyscrapers to be found, who deny that tall buildings are to blame for traffic congestion and other city troubles and who pro- test that a well designed skyscrap- er is a magnificent sight. Height Race Criticized. __The race to build “the highest build- ing in the world,” in progress in New York and Chicago, brings scathing criti- cism from Mr. La Beaume, who de- clares that lure of size is beguiling builders away from appreciation of the pfiner points in architecture. Here is what this director of the American Institute of Architects says about skyscrapers: “Our American cities are li¢e mobs, architectural mobs, with each building fighting its neighbor for a place in the sun,” he asserts. “That is just the point, we say; we must have light and air. But in the juggle there is eternal sbadow. Only in the tree tops, where the parrots squawk and the monkeys chatter, is there sunlight. The big trees choke the little trees, and one day there will be no more light except where the thick growth ends. “Whither is this frenzy for bigness leading us? Why should we be so im- lmuses. They are called on to admire the skyline, serried and jagged, and | changing every year as the rank, un- tended growth increases. They climb to the top of the Chrysler or Wool- worth building, and from those eerie heights look down on something not unlike a vast neglected asparagus bed, with bristling stalks upstanding in crass disorder. | “Descending they find themselves in the mazes of a jungle. Great blooms or‘muom‘y tower above them, strange shi weird forms, majestic but ominous. They suck their life from the depths of the earth, and seem to choke and strangle the little growths about them. The city teems with life. | So does an anthill, so does a beehive, | but the beehive and the anthill are masterpieces of order and of architec- tural design by comparison. | “There is beauty in crowds massed | In order. Rows upon rows of people, in ‘l vast arena, or marching in rhythm, | are impressive. But the rhythm broken | and the crowd becomes a mob.” | B sz | $15,000,000 WORK SEEN i Speclal Dispatch to The Star. | | BALTIMORE, February 21.—Munici- | pal construction work under the Pub- if the ddily average of contracts let |and abroad, described the outlook as itraves d the entran el 3 | architraves aroun e entrance on |president and treasurer of Railroad Co-|and Mayor Broening. of approximately $100,000 by John H. |, occaq by swollen magnitude? At the the improvement for the month will amount to a 27 per cent increase over | January. This, it says, is far more than the normal seasonal advance. New Building Permits. Building permits issued in Washing- ton during the past week include the | following: National Association for Relief of Destitute Colored Women and Children, | Inc, owners and builders; Victor R. Daly, designer; to erect brick addition and make repairs, 731 to 733 Etclid | street; to cost $25,500. Steuart Bros, Inc, owners; J. R. Cadle, designer; L. B. Fellows, builder; to erect three 2-story brick dwellings. | 1835 to 1839 Bay street southeast; to | €ust $12,000. L. W. Giles, architect; E. N. Hamilton, builder; erect one 2-story brick dwelling, 3408 Patterson street; to cost $10,000. G. 8. Seek, owner and builder; Claughton West, architect; to erect one two-story brick nad frame dwelling, 1436 Holly street; to cost $8,000. Fussell Young Ite Cream Co. own- | ers; McCormick Co., designers; W. E.| Mooney, builder; o erect one 1-story | brick addition to ice cream plant, make | city. “very cheerful M. H. Furbringer of Memphis, Tenn., a director of the institute, declared, fol- lowing a trip through the Southwest, that “just as the automobile industry led the country out of the depression of 1920, the building industry will lead the march back to normalcy in 1931.” Improved Housing Advised. New York's greatest building need, according to Mrs. Corbett, is impro ment in housing, a clearing up of the tenements within the confines of the New York, he added, never catches up with its needs in normal times Sometimes it gets a little ahead of the general movement in one par- | ticular fleld, but_oncoming waves of | population cause it to fall back. “A good many important building contracts are going to be let in the next two or three months,” Mr. Corbett said. to | “The building industry is always an in- dication of trade revival, for the reason that building requires time. Better Building Is Seen. “A man cannot just suddenly start a building because he wants more busi- ness. He must look ahead, visualize the future, and be prepared for revised | business conditions. A revival in build- | ing is the first assurance of business repairs and alterations, 1310 Wisconsin avenue; to cost $8,000. acobson Bros., owners and buildefs; | George S, White, designer; to erect one 2-story brick and stone dwelling, 5419 Nebraska avenue; to cost $7,000. Jacobson Bros., owners and builders; | George S. White, designer; to erect one | 2-story brick and stucco dwelling, 5415 | Nebraska avenue; to cost $7,000. Breuninger & Phifer, owners and | ;o el dwelling, 3300 Military road; to cost| $7,100. | .100. | industrial Savings Bank, owners and | builders; L. W. Giles, architect; to erect | one 2-story brick flat, 334 V street; to cost. $4,000. George M. Hostetler, owner, designer | and builder; to make repairs and alter- | ations, 3412’ O street; to cost $2,000. | M. Connor, owner; A. C. Minnix, de- | signer and builder; to erect one 1-story brick addition, 1304 Belmont street; to cost $1.800. . " Zoslow, owner: Jullus Wenlg, | architect; Samuel Alpher, builder; to| erect, one 3-story brick front, make re- pairs and alterations, 625 E street; to cost. $2,000. owner and builde: erect_one | vil designer; to 2-story brick addition, 1124 North Capi- tol street; to cost $1,500. 1320 Monroe St. N.W. In Sacred Heart Parish and a strictly white neighborhood. This is a 20-ft., 6-room home in good condition, and is selling $2,500 less than cost to present owner. No room for garage. Open All Day Sunday Inspect this today. Phillips & Canby, Inc. Ezclusive Investment Bldg. Realtors Nat’l 4600 3355 Military Road CHEVY CHASE $13,975 Detached A solidly con- All B .C]( structed home of =T best materials Colonial thronghout; slate roof, all oak floors; complete weather strip- ping; fire- place; wide front porch, GARAGE, deep level lot on beautiful paved street 24 blocks SUNDAY from Connecticut AND MONDAY Ave, southern & exposure. BOSS and PHELPS 1417 K Street National 9300 open SATURDAY AFTERNOON ALL DAY men thinking in terms of the future. Indications in the building industry are | that this depression will pass.” Mr. Furbringer expressed the opinion that, although greater attention will be | paid to building homes during the new buflding era that is at hand, there also | will be a concerted effort against cheap building. The blunders of thousands | who have found their homes obsolete | before they had finished paying for | | them will not be repeated, he pointed | out. . EIGHT BANKS REOPENED ASHEVILLE, N. C., February 21 (#)— | Eight Western North Carolina banks, closed last Fall, have reopened under | plans approved by the State Banking Department. The reopened banks are Bank of French Broad at Marshzall, Madison County; Swannanoa Bank & Trust Co. | Buncombe County; Bank of Clyde, Ha: wood County; Bank of Fletcher, Hei cey County, at Burnsville; Mars Hill, Madison County; Bank at Bryson City, Swain County, mi the Clay County Bank, at Hayes- Foxhall Village Adjoining Georgetown On the West—Only 10 Minutes from City Six Rooms Three Baths Some With Studio Furnished Model Home 1606 44th St. Open Dally § AM. to 6 PM. BOSS & PHELPS, 1417 K St NAtional 9300 5404 Broad Branch Road Chevy Chase, D. C. $14,850 Value Beyond ihe Cost A new detached, center hall colonial home of especially pleas- ing appcarance and _design. Numerous features have been in- corporated in this home that have never before been offered at this exceedingly low price. Large living room with den or library attached, guest lavatory on first floor, furnished break- fast alcove, clothes chute. Four bed rooms, two baths and extra lavatory and toflet on second floor. A large, bright attic that can be converted into a fine recreation room. Take advantage of your holi- day to Investigate this remark- able value. Open and Heated S y l_-n1llv and Monday from 10 AM. Untl 9 P.M. Drive to corner of Military Road and Broad Branch Road—home fis | ezt to corner. | J.WESLEY BUCHANAN | Chandler Bldg. | Met. 1143 Wis. 3732 both Tenth and E streets, will be fin- ished in black granite and bronze trim. | Plans are afoot to provide concealed | flood lights to illuminate portions of the | building at night. The first floor has & spaclous entrance lobby, display space for the | les department of the concern. in | addition to a commercial office quarters | and information departments. | A part of the first floor is two stories bigh, providing galleries to be used as display quarters. The walls of the lobby are finished in marble. Space for Employes. From the first to the eighth floors, | space will be devoted to the use of | employes of the power company. The | eighth floor will be of quarters of the officers of the company, with an ad- | joining library for legal books, records and a board room for the directors of | the concern. ‘The ninth floor will contain an audi- torium for the use of the employes and varfous organizations affiliated with the | electric industry. In the basement of the building is space for the housing of automobiles in_the use of the concern. The building was desfgned and built under supervision of Waddy B. Wood, | local architect and a fellow of the American Institute of Architects. | NEW]%EALTY CONCERN Montgomery County Company In- corporated Under State Law. Special Dispatch to The Star. i BALTIMORE, February 21.— The Southern Maryland Soll Co. of Brooke- | ville, Montgomery County, has been incorporated under the laws of Mary- land to generally deal in real estate. The capital stock consists of 100 shares, par value $100. James W. Brown of Brookeville, Logan Pingree of Wash- ington and Arthur C. Keefer of Mount | Rainier, Prince Georges County, are| the incorporators The Silver Spring Investment Co., Silver Spring, Montgomery County, also | has filed articles of incorporation to generally deal in real estate, with a capital stock of 1,000 shares, no par d Clagett of Silver Spring are the corporators. Chevy Chase $12.950 5610 324 St. New Colonial brick and frame—large lot with trees—6 rooms, 2 baths—2 porches— garage — beautifully paneled walls — bus line at door. Near new public_school. OUT- STANDING VALUE. Open Sunday Edw. H. Jones & Co., Inc. | 5520 Conn. Ave. Clev. 2300 operative Building & Loan Association, in New York, who asserts that such a condition will be manifested within & few weeks by people who are taking ad- vantage of the low cost of building ma- terials and greatef efficiency of labor. “Authorities on economics are agreed that this is the opportune time to buld | or buy a home” said Mr. Denton “Their opinions are based on the facts that building materials are at the low- | est prices in years and plenty of good workmen are available. “Many people have already taken the advice of experts and have started their own homes. There are indications that others will follow within the next few | weeks and that by the Fail of 1931 | thousands of new homes will have been | erected. | “Those who are contemplating homes | ergency Employment Committee at the | of their own should be sure to seek | competent, unbiased advice; if possible, | employ & good architect; select a good | bullder, and be sure that the mortgage, | which may be needed to help finance | the house, will not be a burden.” Smaller City Budget Urged. The Atlantic City Real Estate Board, | Atlantic City, N. J., on January 2 called the city budget too large and recom- mended that the City Commission “judiciously pare” the 1931 proposals. The board asked a definite reduction in the budget of a minimum of 10 per | cent, and that a further reduction of | 10 per cent be “prepared for” in 1932, | FUND FOR LABORATORY Navy Bill Carries $125,000 for Bellevue Project. The naval approprigtions bill, which is awalting consideration in the Senate today, carries an item of $125,000 put | in by the Senate Appropriations Com- mittee for extending the building of the Naval Research Laboratory at Bellevue, . C. The Senate committee reported with- out change the House item of $65.000 for the Naval Observatory in this city. 6603 East Ave. New detached brick. Lot 50x120. Two -car brick garage. All bedrooms are large. Two complete col- ored tile baths. Finished attic with cedar store room. Slate roof. Break- fast room. Large bright kitchen. Covered concrete porch. Six good closets. On concrete street, only 50 yds. off Bradley Lane, overlooking Golf Course. Open Saturday & Sunday after 11 AM. Turn lejt on Bradley Lane East Ave. FISCHER & COMPANY Dist. 0566 4 ASPEN CHEVY CHASE, MD. Slate roof doubly insulated with celotez and Cabot quilt- ino. Copper flashing, gutters and downspouts. All exterior walls furred. Bronze screens throughout. General Electric refrig. Sanitas on walls and ceil- ings of kitchen and baths. Rear stairwgy from kitchen to second flor. Tongue and groove subfioor- ing throughout. Silent type toilets. Heated recreation room with oak floor in attic, Built by Orville L. Rice. J. WESLEY Exclusive Broker Met. 1143 STREET A new, all-brick, de- tached home, just a few steps west of Conn. ave. Distinctive in design, of finest construction. Of convenient center-hall plan, with such unusual features as tile floored sun parlor adjoining living room, four large bed rooms and two tiled baths (one arranged to make a de- lightful library if desired). Priced below competition. Open and heated Satur- day, Sunday and Monday from 10° A.M. to 9 P.M. BUCHANAN Wis. 3732 ARCHITECTS JOBLESS Graduates of the foremost schools of | architecture here and abroad have been | thrust into the ranks of the unem- ployed. In the region of New York it is estimated that there are 3,000 archi- tects, and 12,000 architectural drafts- | men.” Investigation indicates that at | least 10 per cent of this number are | |in need. Among them are former uni- | versity teachers, practicing architects, | and men who have won prizes and | medals for outstanding achievement in | their profession, the American Insti- | tute of Architects reports. | Nearly 500 have registered at the bureau set up by the Architects’ Em. Architectural League Building, with | Julian Clarence Levi, fellow of the| American Institute of Architects, as| chairman, and Harvey Wiley Corbett, | chairman of the Architectural Com- | mission of the Chicago World Fair | of 1933, treasurer. | The ew York and_ Brooklyn chapters in the American Institute of | Architects, and the architectural so- cleties of Westchester, Long Island, and New Jersey, as well as kindred or- ganizations, are co-operating in the work of finding jobs. i this historic street. stairway. usual loveliness. Marie BOSS and PHELPS, Army and the N BOSS & Ave. to 117 K st north on Wisconsin Go turn right half block to home. 121 Prince St., Alexandria, Va. Price, $14’750 Open for Inspection Sunday, February 99nd, and Monday, February 23rd, From I to 6 P.M. This charming old home, erected in the 18th century, is one of a group recently restored on Its gentle grace and Co- lonial elegance have lasting appeal. privilege it is to go through an old home like this—with its quaint furnishings and its many rarely beautiful antiques! The color scheme of the drawing room is soft violet and yellow. The entrance hall is in the Empire period. On the walls are copies of old French papers. I upstairs library faces a delicate and original Bed rooms—one in plum, yellow and blue, and another in cool greens and white —Ilend added character to a house of most un- M. Jackson are the decorators. Fort Bayard Park (St. A’ The structure, architecture and exquisite interior decorating of these homes lend a dignity and charm that make them most desirable for those who want the best at a moderate price. believe them to have an especial appeal for those in the service of the We know there is genuine value in these houses. Model Home—4444 Faraday Place N.W. Completely Furnished for $1,165 Prices, $10,950—$12,500 Small Cash Payments—Balance Like Rent s Parish) 15 minutes to center Bartlett, former Hampshire and former First Asststant Pestmaster General, it was announced this week. The transaction was handled through the Teal estate department of ti Washington Loan & Trust Co. This is the third downtown property purchased during the past year by Mr. Bartlett. Last December it is reported h. was the purchaser of the three-story | | business structure at 1338 G street for a consideration of approximately $150 000 and in June of last year the three- story brick ‘and stone building at 1307 | F street for a reported consideration | of approximately $300,000. The trans- action was handled through the offices | of the Washington Loan & Trust Co. | and Shannon & Luchs, Inc. Dovble-Froat English Group Hemes FOXALL 8ix and Eight Rooms One, Two and Three Baths Furnished Model Home 4400 Volta Place N. .W WAVERLY TAYLOR, She 199 & STREET NA What a The E. Smoot and Caroline 1417 K Street N.W. From past experience we National 9800 west to 45th Mtreet, elty. PHELPS Fessenden Btree Governor of New circus children gaze with wonder on | 1931 the fat woman, and bumpkins marvel | at the muscles of the strong man. But | must life be forever just a circus? ‘Step | this way, ladies and gentlemen, cries the barker, ‘and gaze upon the tallest building th the world, Ten million tons of steel compose its bones. Ten thousand pairs of hands bolted it to- gether. | " “The architecture of New York 1s undeniably fascinating. Visitors from serener places are awed by its cyclopean Fine Homes Two baths Model Frigidaire Wooded T0 REACH SUBDIVISION— Drive Chevy Chase, Md. New English type home, W y 3 . C and chureh: o e Drive three blocks 10 Pastyd: Opea Daily Heated | lic Improvement Commission during probably will total Vi | $15.000.,000. N o Of this amount $6,000,000 in con- tracts was outstanding at the end of January. H. Webster Smith, chairman of the commission, authorized the statement that about $9,000,000 would be let to contractors during the year. At the end of January, according to the report, there was about $3,800,000 in contracting work under and ‘nenrlv another $3,000,000 had been paid for work completed. Beerhwonod Chevy Chase, Maryland Forest Trees Real Values EXHIBIT HOUSE 6317 Beechwood Drive A charming Colonial home SOMETHING REALLY DIFFERENT Six large, bright rooms Servant's shower kitchen Screen! Screened concrete porc]’l Two-car attached garage corner lot Homes from $17,000 to $30,000 out Connecticut Avenue to Thorn and turn left, west, two blocks fo Becehuaod Drive Houses are open every day until dark. G. F. MIKKELSON & SON Owners & Builders, 200 W. Thornapple Street Wisconsin 4255 Wisconsin 3018 4513 Ridge St.. Chevy Chase, Md. $10.950 * $12.550 a stone’s throw north of the Che; Chase Club grounds. There are 6 sizable rooms—living room 2§ ft. by 131 ft., open fireplace with mantel of Caen stone; the walls are covered with Sanitas and three coats of paint, which makes an unusual effect; dini space; kitchen is equipped with cal woman, Three sizable and well lighted bed stippled, room has very good wall nets that appeal to rooms, tile Large side, covered porch, bronze screens. Lot 50 ft. to stores, schools, transportation ‘'ompare this home and BUY. guty Comnectiout Avenue to Bradiey Lane, turn West \ venue, North short block to Ridge Street o, M. & R‘.‘I?.Warren gf?fi;g