Evening Star Newspaper, December 15, 1934, Page 15

“ ‘@TI)BZ WEEK'S BUILDING PERMITS REVEAL BIC LOCAL CAIN $338,848 Represents $68,- 000 Increase in Private Construction. EASING OF MONEY THOUGHT CHIEF CAUSE Branch Library on R Street, Cost- ing $140,000, Among Projects on List of Ochmann. Building construction in Washing- ton showed another large increasc during the past week as permits for $338,848 in new building, alterations and repairs were issued at the office of District Building Inspector John W. Oehmann. Although the total valuation was swelled considerably by the inclusion of ‘a permit for erection of a public library branch at 3260 R street, the value of purely private construction was approximately $68,000 more than last week's. Permits for erection of homes con- tinued to show the way to other forms of construction. The right to build 21 dwellings was granted by Col. Oeh- mann during the week, almost as ‘many as were constructed in the en- tire month of December, 1933. Washington Real Estate Board figures show that 27 dwellings were built last December. Easing of Money. ‘The easing of mortgage money, due largely to the operation of the mutual mortgage insurance program of the Federal Housing Administration, Is given chief credit by Washington real estate men for the increased activity in the home construction business. An- other important factor in Washing- ton also is the shortage of rental gpace and the consequent rising of rent. The library branch on R street is being constructed by Bahen & Wright, under guidance of the municipal architect. It is estimated that struc- ture will cost $140,000. It will be brick and two stories in height. The largest private building permit was issued to Jerome S. Murray Co., Inc.. for erection of three 2-story brick and cinder block homes in the 4500 block of South Dakota avénue northeast. They will cost about $8,000 - each. The firm of W. C. & A. N. Miller obtained permifs for erection of five homes on Forty-ninth and Van Ness streets. The five permits had a total valuation of about $54,000. Louis R. Moss gnd G. E. MacNeil were named the architects. More Important Permits. More important of the permits is- sued during the week are as follows: District of Columbia, owners; municipal architect, the architect; Bahen and Wright, Bladensburg road end District of Columbia line, build- ers; to erect one 2-story brick public library, 3260 R street; to cost $140,- 000. Jerome S. Murray Co., Inc., 4539 South Dakota avenue northeast, own- ers and builders; C. B. White, de- signer; w erect three 2-story brick and cinder block dwellings, 4524, 4526 and 4528 South Dakota avenue north- east; to cost $8,000 each. E. B. Young. 1625 West Virginia avenue nertheast, owner and builder; George T. Sentmyers, architect: to erect three 2-story brick apartments, 1211 and 1215 Penn street north- east; to cost $18,000. W. C. & A. N. Miller, 1119 Seven- teenth street, owners and builders; G. E. MacN-il, ar t; to erect one 2-story brick and stone dwelling, 3601 Forty-ninth street; to cost $16.300. W. C. & A. N. Miller, 1119 Seven- teenth street, owners and builders; G. E. MacNeil, architect; to erect one 2-story_stone and frame dwelling, 3615 Forty-ninth street; to cost $12,000. Frances £. Cost, 310 East Capitol street, owner; J. A. Moore, 414 Seward square southeasi, designer and build- er; to erect three 2-story brick dwell- ings. 1609, 1611 and 1613 Nineteenth street southeast; to cost $11,000. Adelaide A. Brown, 2464 Sixth street, owner; L. W. Giles, architect; H. Poretsky, 521 Irving street, build- er; to erect one 2-story brick dwell- ing, 1218 Kearney street northeast; to cost. $10,000. W. C. & A. N. Miller, 1119 Seven- teenth street, owners and builders; G. E. MacNeil, architect; to erect one 2-story brick dwelling, 4118 Forty- ninth street; to cost $9,583. Upper left: New home of Geor- gian Colonial design at 3850 Ma- comb street, purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Phillips. The house was built and sold by Frank 8. Phillips, realtor. Upper right: Center-hall Colonial home at 6304 Beechwood drive, sold by J. Wesley Buchanan, Inc., for G. F. Mikkelson & Son, to Edgar B. Young. Below: Mrs. Louise Jacobs bought this home, 5120 Chevy Chase park- way, from the Electrical Workers’ Benefit Association, through the office of Maury & Mohler, realtors. —Star Staff Photos. PRIVATE BUILDING BLAMED BY ICKES Says Government Forced to Act With Enterprise Lagging Behind. Declaring that the Government has had to assume the work of construct- ing and operating low-cost housing because pirvate enterprise could not or would not operate the job, Secretary of Interior Ickes, in an explanation of the Federal housing program pub- lished in this week’s issue of the New Republic, calls for a greatly expanded appropriation for housing, to provide every American family with a home fit for a human being. “Our much-vaunted private initia- tive, as so often happens when the goal is a social good instead of a pri- vate profit,” Mr. Ickes says in the article, “was unable or unwilling to undertake much that was worth-while ‘With the failure of private enterprise to provide low-cost housing, even with Government aid, the housing division decided it would have to do its own constructing and operating.” Look Far Into Future. “The housing division of P. W. A. is looking much farther into the fu- ture than the expenditure on housing projects of the mere $150,000,000 that has been allocated to it to date for that purpose. We hope, under the so- cially-minded leadership of President Roosevelt, the housing program will be greatly expanded next year. We ven- ture to envisage future years when the country will be so impressed with the desirability of decent housing for all of our citizens, and so convinced, on the basis of past experience, that de- sirable housing can be achieved at a cost within the reach of all, that the Nation, as well as the States and mu- nicipalities, will join in a movement that will provide a home, fif for hu- l;rb'mn beings, for every American fam- Mr. Ickes maintains in the article that there is little argument about the desirability of decent housing at low rentals. “The sleazy and slovenly American slum is a potent testimonial of itself,” he says. “But there is ap- parently a strong diversity of oginion as to how to go about getting such housing.” Answering the critics, termed “theorists who would clear slums be- tween courses at conference lunch- eons”—who have attacked the P. W. A. for its slowness in getting its hous- beni WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION WASHINGTON, D. C, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1934, ot T R B ¥ timateas & Short Life for Skyscrapers Foreseen in Rapid Progress| The Empire State Building, the| Chrysler Building, the Metropolitan | Tower and the Woolworth Building are likely to be torn down within 50 or 75 years because of obsolescence, according to William Orr Ludlow or the New York Chapter of the Ameri- | can Institute of Architects. “Structurally they would probably | last 1,000 years, but actually their end | will come perhaps sooner than we think,” says Mr. Ludlow, architect of | the Arnold Constable Tower, Johns- Manville Building, the New York Times Annex and other New York structures. “These magnificent build- ings, with all their appeal of pride and glamour, will disappear just as| soon as they become commercially un- profitable.” New inventions for convenience and comfort are among the factors which will make skyscrapers unprofitable within 50 or 75 years, Mr. Ludlow de- clares. Other forces, he explains, will be decentralization, or the spreading out of the population horizontally; the airplane; new business methods, making quick personal contacts less necessary; new ideas regarding sun- | light and air conditioning; new styles of architecture; new and cheaper methods and materials of construction, | and constant and rapid change of the character of occupancy of neighbor- hoods. The Suburb of Contentment HOMES ON 1, ACRE SITES Model home open daily and Sunday until 6 P.M | “Almost any one of these causes may | destroy the usefulness of our present skyscrapers,” Mr. Ludlow continued. | “Commercial buildings erected 50 | | years ago not only look antiquated, but, because they lack the conveni- | ences of newer buildings and are m‘ outmoded neighborhoods, are anti- | quated. i “The commercial buildings of 75 years ago have almost disappeared and the few that remain are liabili- ties. Today new gadgets, new styles, new methods, new things for con- venience and comfort are coming much faster than they did 50 or 75| years ago. Obsolescence will come even quicker than formerly. I “The airplane alone may make the present skyscraper out of date. Ver- tical landing may require flat-top | buildings with top entrances, landing | platforms for each building, or great | isolated tower terminals, making new city centers, and causing the aban-| donment of the old, just as the rail 39,450 CHEVY CHASE, D. C. 3004 McKinley St. NEW BRICK — TWO BATHS Fully detached, 6 rooms, kitchen with ventilator. cadinet space, 7 closets, hall, 2 fireplaces, attic, double rear vorches. Slate roof, furred walls. large Ample Recreation room, detached ga- rage are two other features of this house, situated on deep lot, mear transportation and school. iom Saturday P.M. and Sunday | |OWNER, GEORGIA 1361 | road terminals have done and are likely to do again. “Tenants will do just exactly what they have always done. They will| forsake old buildings for new, partly because the character of the neighbor- hood has changed, partly because they want the latest conveniences, and partly just because every one takes a new thing for an old if the price is the same. “Every generation thinks that its things are the ‘last word,’ but we may be quite sure that what we have today will be no more acceptable to our grandchildren than the things of our grandfathers are to us— including skyscrapers.” Trees Aid Property Value. Have you a cherished tree that is dying? Intelligent surgery may yet save it. Look over all of the trees on your property for broken limbs, dry rot and boring parasites. Re- member that fine, healthy trees add to the value of your property. $4,950 ALL BRICK Rosedale Park Bethesda, Md. 4503 Maple Ave. A beautiful bungalow with 5 gen- erous rooms, slate roof, open fire- place, insulated attic over entire house, electric kitchen, wonderful bath and modern in every respect. Can Be Purchased on Terms. A Marvelous Value Open Saturday Afternoon and All Day Sunday Phillips & Canby, Inc. Na. 4600 Investment Bldg. 'BUILDING PERMITS TOTAL $482.03% Arlington Figure for Three Months Interpreted as Comeback. By a Staff Correspondent of The Star. ARLINGTON COUNTY COQURT HOUSE, Va., December 15.—Building permits issued here during the past | three months show a total value of | $482,003.95 and, according to observ- |ers, reflect the “come-back” being |staged by Arlington County as a suburban residential area. Residential construction alone dur- |ing the three months was valued at $420,450, and includes building of | more than 100 new homes. Ogtober's permits called for construction of 50 | homes at the cost of $212,950, the records of the office of County Man- ! ager Roy S. Braden show. ‘The largest single permit issued during the three months’ period was for construction of the airship hangar at Washington Airport at a cost of $25,950. The complete figures month follow: September, dwellings, 23, valued at $97,400; business buildings, $4,800; alterations and repairs, $5,361; acces- sory buildings, $4,375; total, $111,936. October, dwellings, 50, $212950; business, $33,500; alterations and re- pairs, $1,750; accessory buildings, $3,510; total, $251,710. November, dwellings, 29, $110,100; business, $400; alterations and re- pairs, $3,007.95; accessory buildings, $4,850; total, $118,357.95. | for each | A Rare Offer 20-ft. Brick Home 1877 Ingleside Terrace N.W. Overlooking Rock Creek Park Comparatively new all-brick hos in perfect condition, containi big rooms. bath with shower, tomatic ‘®as heat, front screened double rear porches. hard- wood floors. cedar closets. built-in garage. modern kitchen and other features Priced to Sell Now Terms You Can Easily Afford OPEN FOR INSPECTION Built by B. H. Gruver COMPROMISE | WITH QUALITY WHEN YOU PUR- CHASE YOUR HOME $3,000,000 IS EXPENDED ON HOMES IN MARYLAND State Director in Housing Drive Cites $500,000 Loaned by Banks as Basis of Estimate. Special Dispatch to The Star. BALTIMORE, December 15.—Be- tween $2,500,000 and $3,000,000 has been spent in Maryland for the im- provement and modernization of homes since the housing campaign was started here by the Federal Housing Administration, according to Arthur E. Hungerford, State director. Mr. Hungerford said he made this statement on the basis of $500,000 which has been put out by banks in the forms of loans under the terms of the housing act. “We estimate—and it is really more than an estimate, since we have checked it carefully—that for every dollar loaned by a bank from four to five dollars are spent from other sources—from private cash resources | or from building and loan associations or from private bankers,” he said. . Poor Approaches Hindrance. Business buildings, apartments and rooming houses with unattractive ap- proaches labor under a heavy handi- cap in their bid for patronage. ~ In most cases comparatively simple al- terations would remedy matters. The increase in custom would speedily re- my the loan needed for this renova- n. PAGE B—1 INCREASES IN RENT FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS PREDICTED Building and Loan League Committee Points OQut Ownership Advantages. REPETITION OF RISING CYCLE SEEN AS LIKELY Low Prices for Homes Cited as Method of Avoiding Higher Prices for Residences. Prediction that the present rise in rents of apartments and houses, noted throughout the country, will continue until at least 1937, was made today by the United States Building and Loan League, following a thor- ough study of rent cycles which have characterized American living costs since 1914. It was pointed out by the league's Home Building and Home Owning Committee, who made the study, that renting families now have the chance of a decade to cut down their cost of shelter by purchasing a home. L. W. Pellett, Newburgh, N. Y., com- mittee chairman, stated that rents paid for the average house or epart- ment are on their first sustained rise since the peak was reached in 1924, and added that there is no past experience to indicate that rents “will take a breathing spell before 1937 at the earliest.” “The committee has been studying (Continued on Page 3, Column 5.) —_— JUST COMPLETED New Detached Brick 314 Rittenhouse St. N.W. *9,750 This spacious new home rep- resents today’s finest value. Situated on a large lot (52x170) in a most convenient section (schools, stores, transportation, 1 block). Built by a master builder. Most ideally planned and mod- ernly equipped. Six good rooms, front and side porch, light airy cellar, extra storage room. It is truly a home value that deserves your inspection. Open Today and Daily Until 9 P.M. FLOYD E. DAVIS (0. 733 12th St. N.W. NAtI 0353 FOR IMMEDIATE SALE Present Owner Has Just Purchased Much Larger Home No. 2 Hesketh Street In the Finest Section of Chevy Chase, Maryland Just West of Circle $2,500 Above Existing Legitimate First Trust Nine Rooms—2 Baths Enclosed Sleeping Porch, Two Finished Rooms on Third Floor. Gas Heat—Large Frigidaire Spacious Lot—Beautifully Landscaped—2-Car Garage, Overhead Doors e PV E UV PUVVUVV PR One block from car line and near churches, schools (public and parochial), stores, movies, bank (And the Right to Vote) THIS IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY Open Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. HILLEGEIST 1621 K Nat. 8500 PINE LAWN A Gentleman’s Small Estate (2% Acres—Stable for 4 Horses) 6817 Glenbrook Road, Edgemoor, Md. Priced to Sell or Rent Bordering on the open countryside, nestled among whispering pines, this beautiful home offers everything desired—excellent neigh- borhood of quiet refinement. 22 minutes by motor to the heart of the city—it is custom built of the best materials—it contains 11 William H. Saunders Co., Inc., 1519 K street, owners; C. B. White, de- signer; Paul T. Stone, 918 Fifteenth street, builder; to erect one 2-story brick and tile dwelling, 5723 Nebraska avenue; to cost $9,000. Henry Berliner, 2841 Tilden street, owner; Horace Peaslee, architect; A. C. Minnix, 1416 F street, builder; to crect one ?2-story tile and stucco addition, 2841 Tilden street; to cost $9.000. W.C. & A. N. Miller, 1119 Seven- teenth street, owners and builders; Louis R. Moss, BY’ChlelI to erect one —Continued on Puge 4, Column 1) _ All-Stone HOMES With Walls 15 in. Thick! $9,750 End Houses. $10.500 1320 Rittenhouse St. 3 Master Bed Rooms . . 2 Hollywood PIN e Pan Betreation Ho - tor gas furnacy SSlone Garage - s Electrolux_Gi Macie "Chet G » % Ran Dinette " Weatherstripped, ed, Screened WL_ ORI ) rooms, 4 baths, first floor lavatory—large porch, 2-car garage, stable for 4 horses—oil heat, electric refrigeration—flowers, boxwood, old- fashioned rose garden, shrubbery, evergreens, fruit trees, grape arbors, etc. Drive out Wisconsin Ave. to Edgemoor Lane (at Bank of Bethesda), turn left on Edgemoor Lane "5 ‘squares to' Glenbrook ~Road—ieft 2" Squares 19" property—drive in the driveway. Open Saturday and Sunday R. B. Warren Directions—Out Wisconsin Ave. to Bank of Bethesda and jollow car line road to Luzmanor signs. Just 23 minutes from the heart of the city. A Lovely Home Remarkably Priced Only 9,750 In Beautiful Chevy Chue_ Gardens 4707 Hunt Avenue Brick construction, attractive living room with French doors to spacious side porch; open fireplace, den, dining room, complete kitchen, three bed rooms, two baths (mas- ter's bed room with private bath); attic; garage; large attractively landscaped lot; transportation facilities and school lnlrby. To Reach: Out Wisconsin Avenue to Huni Avenue, opposite Chevy Chase Clud l course, turn left two blocks to pr Open for Inspection Wm. M. Throckmorton Investment Bldg. DIstrict 6092 NEW CHARLESTON COLONIAL HOME (Built by Frank J. W, UCHS 4437 LOWELL ST. WESLEY HEIGHTS offers EXPERT DESIGN FINE CONSTRUCTION PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT ESTABLISHED VALUE ALL-BRICK COLONIAL, SIX ROOMS, TWO BATHS, FIRST FLOOR LAVATORY. GAME ROCK [ One of the Finest Moderately Priced New Homes IN THE CITY 222 Emerson Street N.W. « + « Quality built and wonder- fully equipped throughout . . . Beamed Ceiling Living Room. Step-up Dining Room, DE LUXE MODERN ELECTRIC KITCHEN. Three big bed rooms, meodern bath with raised, built- in tub; tiled vanity in beautiful tiling and many other unusual features, including a Marine recreation room. only $8,850 Oy sen St. N“'.‘, right to home. Owner and Builder 1108 16th St. Don’t Miss This Fine Brick Home in Beautiful Glover Park MODERATE CASH PAY- MENT—TERMS LIKE RENT 4892 Chevy Chase Blvd., Chevy Chase, Md. Six beautiful rooms, tiled bath .. .flagstone porch, roof, furred walls, weatherstripped, inclosed radiation, kitchen, .lcch"iel refrige: gal y 50x115 adj g acre Government pa: never find its egual. $8,650 Lighted Evenings OPEN TODAY Ddu out Wisconsin Avenue Chevy Cha. 3¢ _Boulevard, spnnu Chevy Chase ourse, turn left Refrigerator o substantially built seven-room home—three splendid - with cedariclosets; rwom:.:mms.l.m built-in ceal bin—furnace set in- tollet. Steel beams—built-in garage—paved alley. Drive Out Now gooleu BTOJ'- Golf to home. GOSS REALTY CO. J. S. EATON, Sales Dept. 1408 Eye St. NAv1 1353 Open il 9 P.M. wd’r"}.’.',’.' }I:t' PM. SUIPRSAN Out Wisconsin Ave, to Calvert St. turn n:nc-lmt St. ta 39th St. and left on J Wesley Buchanan, Inc. 916 15th St. Realtors mqu Tower Bldg. NAtl. 9240