Evening Star Newspaper, March 30, 1935, Page 17

v | The Foening PRIVATE BUILDING IN MARCH IS BEST IN THREE YEARS Records Reveal Increase of 350 Per Cent Over Same Period Last Year. UNOFFICIAL FIGURES SET VALUE AT $1,554,982 Similar Improvement Is Noted in Arlington and Montgomery Counties. BY JAMES Y. NEWTON. March has been the best month in three years for private construction in Washington, showing an improve- ment of 350 per cent over March, 1934, examination of building records at_the District Building revealed. The increase in building activity, especially in the home construction field, has been so great that it amounts almost to & “boom.” The building and real estate industry has shown a similar improvement in nearby Arling- ton County Va. and Montgomery County, Md., and houses all around the city are going up at a rate remi- niscent of the days of the late "20s. The dollars and cents valuation of all types of private construction in the District for March, unofficial and exclusive of today, was $1554982. The figure for the entire month last year was $455,645, while in March, 1933, private construction in Wash- ington totaled $302,940. Three years ago the valuation of the month's operations was $1,258,330. The last March when construction valuation exceeded this month’s figure was 1931, when permits were issued for three sizable apartments, and a large warehouse, Increases Impressive. Residential building increases during this month, which ends tomorrow, have been even more impressive than the difference shown by its compari- son of valuations. Permits had been issued through yesterday in March for 148 one-family dwellings, and 50 small apartments and flats. March last year permits- were ob- tained for 42 one-family dwellings, and no apartments, while in March, 1933, there were only 25 one-family houses and three small apartments included in the permits issued by the | office of Building Inspector John W. Oehmann. The statistics for March building appear even more impressive upon examination of building records for former years. In April last year the valuation of construction was nearly three times greater than the March figure. The present month is not considered by construction men as one of the best building months, and an even more amazing improvement in the home building fleld here is looked for in April. However, the weather this month has been more favorable to constructon activity than the March of 1933 and last year. Fear tnat the city may again be overbuilt, a condition that existed when the depression set in, is dis- counted by real estate brokers, who declare that sales are keeping stride with building. An argument that small homes at least are not to re- main a drag on the market is fur- nished by Frank A. Simon, builder. He sold $5,000 homes “like hot cakes,” indeed reminiscent of boom times. Last Sunday Simon opened 20 new bungalows on Crescent place, out Massachusetts Ave. extended. He sold 10 houses opening day, and added four others to the “sold” list Monday and Tuesday. Permits for $443,295 in private con- struction, including new building and modernization work, were issued by Building Inspector Oehmann during the past week. Thirty-five single fam- ily dwellings and 19 flats were includ- ed in the list. In all, 110 permits were granted, the largest number since last Summer. Meadowbrook, Inc., of Chevy Chase, Md., obtained permits to build 12 homes in the District. Five of these will be erected in the 100 block of Em- (Continued on Page B-4, Column 1.) OPPORTUNITY —if offered to one or two young experienced house salesmen to join the organization of BOSS & PHELPS REALTORS 1117 K ST. N.W, THE HOUSE BEAUTIFUL $15,500 4316 18th St. N.W. A modern, all-brick home in a aflect neighborhood! A home ~co! all the refinements of [} much higher-priced residence. A step-down living room, one of the Jargest you ever saw; modern kitchen, recreation room, 2-car detached brick garage and electric refrigeration. Three large bed rooms apd 2 baths. -It expresses an air of quiet re- Minement so desirable in the place you can cal] HOME. Occupied less than one year. : Be Sure and Inspect Sunday. FRANK.S. PHILLIPS - Realtor = 927 15th St. DL 1411. In | WASHINGTON, D. C, SATURDAY, WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION Y PYEYY P Star MARCH 30, 1935 Attractive New Homes in Capital Purchased in Recent Realty Market 3500000 PLEDGED INHOUSING DRIVE More Than 5,000 Property | Owners Are Interviewed by Campaigners. ‘Workers in the Washington Better Housing Campaign passed the half million-dollar mark this week in their canvass to uncover $6,000,000 in resi- dential and commercial property mod- ernization work. Mrs. Alice B. Johnson of the Fed- eral Housing Administration field force | reported that the canvassers had inter- viewed 5,102 property owners, and ob- tained 1,430 pledges. The report cov- ered activity through Thursday. The foree of workers was ncreased by 10 during the week, bringing the total number of canvassers to 113. However, only about 55 men work each day as the force is divided into two shifts. Believing that the number of workers is still too small to properly canvass the city, officials of the cam- paign will make an effort to obtain 50 additional men within the next week. The local Better Housing Campaign, it was announced, is sponsoring s poster contest for students in the senior high schools of the city, including those attending public, private and parochial institutions. The posters will be based on the property rehabilitation work. A first prize of $25 and a sec- ond prize of $15 will be awarded the winners. The contest may be entered at the various schools. James E. Woodruff, director of mod- ernization credits for the District, and ‘William J. Caldwell, field worker, have arranged an extensive schedule of speecn-making for the coming week. Monday night either Woodruff or Caldwell will address the Dupont Circle Citizens’ Association and the Takoma Park Citizens’ group. Wednesday night ‘Woodruff will speak before the Associ- ation of Oldest Inhabitants, while Caldwell will appear before the Cen- tral Citizens’ Association. Facing Rock Creek Park 4630 Broad Branch Rd. Forest Hills Surprisingly Low Priced Detacl er. Tonial; mneun living' ros nlu baths, cll hrnlee, “3car g front, containing over 1sooo Curtis Millwork and Lumber by W. T. Galliher & Bro. Open Sunday G. F. Mikkelson & Son Owners and Builders New Slate Roofed Brick “Colonial” Home 2627 Otis St. N.E. Roril oot st AAiE Stadbik: 3 Beautiful Chambers Real Fireplace in Big Living Room Lovely Dining Room Sanitas Walled Kitchen Frigidaire—Insulated Range Oxford Bnil(l- Furred Wlllo—C.m Screens Metal Weather Strips Light, Airy Basement @ Detached Brick Garage ® Large Landscaped Lot EUGENE H. PHIFER ®0 © 000000 o000 [ BULDING BOONS N MONTEONERY Figures Reveal Home Con-| struction Is Nearly Double " That of Last Year. BY E. K. STABLER. Staff Correspondent of The Star. ROCKVILLE, Md, March 30.— Montgomery County is the scene of home building activity such as it has | not known since the depression. Information obtained from the of- fice of the county building inspector | reveals that the amount expended for | building construction for the year end- | ing March 15 is nearly twice as much as last year’'s construction total, which in turn showed a 58 per cent gain over that of the preceding year. This is _exclusive of the county’s $880,000 public building construction program now nearing completion. 1 estate men in the eastern and western suburban areas, where the major part of the activity is taking place, are jubilant over the recent gains and point to indications of a still more rapid increase during the Spring and Summer months. A number of them report “more construction busi- ness in the past four months than we have had in the past four years.” Total Is $2,319,705. The county building construction to- | tal for the year ending March 15 is| $2,319,705, which is a gain of $1,049,379 over the $1,270,326 figure of March 15, | 1933, to March 15, 1934. This increase | is also represented by issuance of 677 | building permits within the past year | as compared with the total of 288 for | the year 1933 to 1934. Apportionment of the construction activity in the three county areas is as follows: Eastern suburban area, $999,- 455 and 357 permits in the past year as against $338,310 and 17 permits in the year preceding; western suburban area, $1,234,500 and 268 permits BEAUTIFUL WOODLAND SECTION TWO HOMES NEARING COMPLETION 6400 Block 31st St. N.W. Detached brick humes of exceptional beauty. Inspect and buy before completion and hfle the opportunity of selecting your own interior decorations. Several adjacent beautifully LARGE wooded lots upon which we will build a house of your own selection on the same liberal terms on which we sell completed homes, To Reach—Drive east on Ritten= house St. from Chevy Chase Circle to Utah Ave. Turn left one block 2o 313t St., turn right to property. WM. M. THROCKMORTON Realtors. ¥ Investment Bldg. Di. 6092 against $824,091 and 199 permits for the prior ?n upper county ares, $85,- 750 afid 52 permits against $107,925 and 72 permits for 1933-1934. The decreased activity in the upper county area is more than offset by the rapid increase in the two suburban areas represented by gain in the total number of permits for the three areas, which is 389, or a gain of approximate- ly 150 per cent over the 1933-1934 permit total. 15 New Homes Sold. Evidence of increased activity comes from the North Washington Realty Co., builders in the Silver Spring area, who report that during the past Wi ter they completed and sold 15 new | homes, whereas they have never before 1204 Longtfellow St. N.W. OPEN SUNDAY NEW-HOUSE CONDITION PAINTED AND PAPERED THROUGHOUT BE SURE TO SEE . A REAL BUY! . " &ix rnoms and bll.h two inclosed gfln painted und out New lhl d el home for yuumlr thn you en: Du! on terms, come and see this. L& Breuningers Sons Investment Blds. NAtL 2040, Near Glenbrook Road in NO. 5800—DE. 4897-R The Best Value We Have Ever Offered in a New Home In the Wooded Section of Edgemoor 5608 Edgemoor Lane, Md. BUILT BY MONROE WARREN This all-brick Colonial home has 6 bed rooms and 3 baths. Den and lavatory on first floor; living room, 14x28.6, with wood-burning fireplace. This is an All- Electric Health Kitchen home and is equipped with nutomntlc oil heat. Built-in 2-car garage. OPEN DAILY AND SUNDAY e L ans o usht” s wocks 15 Ross a Restricted Community. sold more than two homes during any one Winter season. This same concern has announced a Spring construction of 50 new homes, with an ad- | ditional 50 in prospect. Roofs Divert Lightning. Galvanized roofs, when securely ap- plied and properly grounded, provide Robert D. Hagner of Bethesda re- B ports that there are no rental vacan- m:;lned';k‘e&%:n:nxgm: ‘g‘unew&; cles in that section and that most of | No. 1512, issued by the United States the homes now under construction are | Department of Agriculture, Washing- priced in the neighborhood of $10,000. | wn’?‘D C. The Talk of Washington! NEW McKENDRIE HOMES Sample House, 518 Oneida N.W. ON'T miss seeing these homes if you want @ ALL BRICK the BEST in construction, features and finish. Step-down living room . . . sun room or library . . . breakfast room . . . ELECTRIC HEALTH KITCHEN with the latest steel cab- inets, range, refrigeration and outlets . . .3 large bed rooms, 2 beautiful tiled baths. A new-type recreation room with real fireplace . . . detached brick garage. New community, near schools, churches, stores . . . half block from bus service. Oriental Rugs by DRIVE Open Daily 9 pm. OUT RIGHT NOW! BEITZELL Tower Bldg. DI 3100 lnspect 3215 Tennyson St. N.W. Chevy Chase, D. C. Designed and Built to Suit the Most Discriminating ® All Brick, Center Hall Plan @ 3 Bedrooms, 2 Tiled Baths ® Rock Wool Insulation @ Caulked, Weather Stripped @ Electric Health Kitchen ® Built-in Garage ® All Walls Weatherproofed ® Furnished by Hutchison’s ° Stone Built Homes are Better Built [J Open for Inspection Daily and Sunday Located at Temnyson St. and 33d, 2 blocks morth of Rittenhouse St. Paul T. Stone, Inc. Owner-Builder 918 15th St. N.W. NA. os43 CL. 7098 Upper left: New home at 1338 Somerset place, which has been purchased as a parsonage by the Emory M. E. Church South. Rev. John J. Rives is pastor. The house was sold by Jacobson Bros., build- ers. Upper right: Bought by Mr. and Mrs. Walter W. Talcott from Paul T. Stone, Inc., builders, this house at 6121 Thirty-second place, has six rooms and two baths. Be- Jow: Mr. and Mrs. I. Lisann pur- chased this home, at 6223 Utah avenue, through the real estate offices of Frank S. Phillips and J. Garrett Beitzell. Star Staff Photos. l N master builder . . . in you! Six beautiful rooms . large living room and dining room . . . baths . . . See This New J. B. Tiffey Home 3336 TENNYSON STREET CHEVY CHASE, D. C. Center Hall, Detached, Brick Home This is the type of home that you have been looking for . . . built of choice materials by a PAGE B—1 13 APPLIGANTS SEEK O INSURE HOME MORTGAGES District Office of F. H. A. Swamped by Owners and Prospective Owners. DIRECTOR GILCHRIST INCREASES PERSONNEL Appraisal Fees Accepted From 52 Applicants, and Approval Is Expected. Applications for insured mortgages swamped the District office of the | Federal Housing Administration this | week as home owners and prospective home owners streamed in under Ad- ministrator James A. Moffett's revised application procedure. Joseph K. Gilchrist, F. H. A. direcs tor for the Capital. announced today that 219 persons, who either want to build homes under the mortgage in- surance plan or desire to refinance ex- | isting mortgages, were interviewed | during the first five days of the week. The revised application plan, whereby the application for mortgage money and insurance might apply to F. H. A. fleld offices as well as to financial in- stitutions from which the applicant expected to obtain the money, went into effect Monday. Force Is Augmented. The rush was so great in Director Gilchrist's office that he was forced to take on four additional workers, and obtain another room in which to work. The director said that & ma- jority of the applications appeared to be good from preliminary examina- (Continued on Page B-3, Column 3.) a location that will delight two colorful tiled modern kitchen ... fine recreation room ... modern oil heat . . . large finished attic . . . big landscaped lot . . . detached garage. ORIENTAL RUGS BY HINTLIAN SEE IT TODAY! Drive out Commecti- chu{ Chase Circle, on _Wester:: Ave., to Temnyson Street to home A lovely ho; living rofll—lfix iowith ern. m llth “on second floor. to mateh the house. Tower Bldg. DI. 3100 dining r l‘lll ‘Basemeni—concrete nnu Open Sunday 10 to 7 To inspect: Drive out Carroll Avenue to Washington Sanitarium — turn left on Flower Avenue to home. GOSS REALTY CO. 1405 Eye St. J. S. Eaton—Sales Dept. NA. 1353 Real Opportunity for Home Seeker or Investor to purchase on moderate terms a very cleverly planned and tastefully finished Detached Brick Duplex (to be completed within a few days) ona large wooded lot with towering trees adjoin- ing a beautiful public park with babbling brook 2 COMPLETE UNIT: 2 cozy living rooms 2 full tiled baths 2 farge bed rooms 2 labor-saving kitchenettes 2 nice-sized dinettes ONE unit already leased on Another prospective temant is monthly. 2 large covered porches, part of which could be com- verted into 2 additional bed rooms Large closets, automatic. oil burner Lot to be -nn:hnly land- scaped is of $45 ready to Ienu the other unit at $45 monthly if property is purchased by an investor. Owner is delaying acceptance for possible sale to a home seeker who des Let Rental Income Pay for the Property 25 Flower Avenue Takoma Park, Maryland 57,950. m M O S S REALTY $1,000 Cash $55 Monthly, Including Interest and Principal. Tower Bldg. Metro. 1776