The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 60

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 23, 1934 PAGE DEVOTED TO INTERESTS OF REAL ESTATE AND BUILDING DEPICTING ACTIVITY OF RESIDENTIAL MART IN THIS DISTRICT FOR LOWER 1 10 STATE HIKERS Central Properties Prominent in Deals; Coal Yards Conveyed Brokers Enlist Support of Public in Enactment of 4-point Program 6 a REALTY TRANSFERS ri HEADED BY TRADES 1 IN BUSINESS I uL CARRYING DEMAND Approach of the holiday season it having little, if any, adverse effect on real estate activity here. Sales transfers and leases last week scl counted for totals which compared favorably with those of the pre. ceding week, itself a period of brisj activity. Last week's central-city convey, ances included the transfer or ftj 4-story building, 1228 Chestnut st from L. B.

T. Hirsh to the 1223 Chestnut St. Corporation, subject to a mortgage of $273,000. A 4-point program for the reduction by legislation of taxation on real estate has been decided upon by the four real estate board of the city and the Taxpayer! and Consumers League. The plan will be presented to the coming session of the Legislature.

Its demands Include: 1. No school taxes on real estate. 2. Tax limitation on real estate to fix a minimum millage rate which taxing bodies cannot exceed for any purpose. 3.

A Constitutional convention to revise the present Constitution. 4. Abatement of tax penalties, Interest and costs on delinquent taxes and providing for the payment of delinquent taxes over a S-year period with the provision that current taxes must be paid during that time. Plans for enlisting the support of owners and citizens generally in the drive were formulated at a meeting yesterday in the headquarters of the Philadelphia Real Estate Board. They will be presented to the public by radio and other means.

Organizations Represented The meeting was presided over by John Q. Williams, chairman of the Tax Reduction Committee of the Philadelphia Board, and James H. Llvezly, head of the South Philadelphia Realty Board. The North Philadelphia Realty Board was represenied by Charles H. Seese, president; H.

Edward Fry and Aubrey Sheetz, Oscar Stern, Morris Levitt and Llvezly represented the downtown board. The Philadelphia Real Estate Board's representation included: Alfred Rosensteln, William H. Wilson, Horace Groslcln, Burton C. Simon, Samuel Reisman, A. K.

Prank, J. Rhea Craig, George W. Fmlen, Walter H. Phillips and Adolph B. Caspar, Gustav Wick, president, and Oscar G.

Bender, counsel, represented the taxpayers' league. A telegram from the National Association of Real Estate Boards was presented by John G. Williams Indicating that by reason of legal enactment In Ohio with regard to realty taxation the tax-making authorities there were obliged to give serious thought to new sources of revenue, with the result that a sales tax and an Increased rate on Intangibles were enacted, netting new revenue of sixty millions which was twenty millions In excess of the amount lost to the State by reason of the limitation of taxation on real estate. y) job -i 9 4. Dwelling on Green Hill Farms section of Over- ''HiV 'tfZVr 1 imJ if brook, sold by L.

Heppenstall through Howatd Mecke. rx Brick residence, Hampshire rd Drexel Park, erected t'T' VJ .1 Htfm4f', I PI recently by Philip Klau, KTT i L' a "wfwf oL Pi llftGte i JM mm HI I ul Mm renter sfiy -I Home built by Marlyn Construction Co on Beverly VI tim Beverly Hills, and sold by Edward Walsh to rfiflfi lOOmOll JITIIIT m-M 1 i 593B ASSESSMENT SEEKING HIGHEST SPAN CONSTRUCTION fc Mk, APPEALSENTERED ROUSING ST11RD Ell BEGIN IN 1928 nmi lad5Mfe-J lS hi Si Valuahons Fall Below Engineer Ci.es Delaware PSiM Total ofLastYear River Bridge as Leader foMfrl PnTIPtTfrl in Huge Program flBhjl jlR WMffi 3l Formal appeals from the 1935 assessment of real property during the period allotted for the filing of such claims totaled 5936, it was learned yesterday at the office of premises are assessed at $310,000 and have at lot 19 by 105 feet. Title to the hall building, with 20 by 150-foot lot, at 1900 Arch st passed during the week from the Society of Sons of St. George for Assistance of Englishmen to w. Fanger et al, trustees, U.

S. S.Olymi pia Ship Post No. 2383, V. F. VV.

of the U. S. The consideration was $60,000. The assessed valuation is A. J.

Baeder took title from 0 Roberts et al. to the 2-story garage, 2iuo sansom suoject to a mortgage of $7000. The property has a lot 19 by 55 feet. Other Central Deals Other central properties traded were: Store and dwelling, dwell and stable, 524-26 Spruce Lena C. Carson to M.

Schenkel, for a con sideration Indicated by stamps as dwelling, 1804 Delancey James R. Harris to B. R. Moore, for $7000, subject to a mortgage of 000, reconveyed to Elizabeth S. Har ris, and store building.

126 Dock Morris Wolf to H. Miller. Coal yards located at 25th st. and Washington 73d st. southeast of Grays Keystone st.

north east of Cottman and on the right of way of the Philadelphia, Ger- mantown and Chestnut Hill Railroad, were conveyed by David Mann to Daromann, Inc. Stamps on the deed indicated a considera tion of 188,000. Assessed at $34,000, a garaae with store front, 1804 to 1816 s. 60th st, was transforred from H. Y.

Gold- farb to Dr. William D. Gordon, State Secretary of Banking, subject to a mortgage of $40,000. The property has a lot 96 feet by irregular. The 2-story garage, 6011 Ludlow st assessed $65,000, was acquired by A.

E. Jaiver from Harry Gendezer, It has a lot 120 feet by irregular. STATION FOR HATBORO The Reading Company is taking bids, due December 28, for construc tion of a new passenger station in Hatboro. Twenty-five building firms are estimating on the project. The proposed improvement will ba of brick, with stone base, and will measure 20 by 55 feet.

It will re place an old wooden structure which has served as a station for a num ber of years. Plans include a 100-foot steel platform shelter and con crete Dlatform and walks, ins waiting room will be 18 by 25 feet, Clark Dillenback is engineer for tne ODeration. Hatboro Is the terminus ot ins Reading's electrified New Hope branch. AWARDSJF0R WEEK Contracts for 32 operations in this city and vicinity were awarded dur ing the week ending December 18, according to a survey of new build ing projects prepared by the F. W.

Dodge Corporation. The awards were for improvements classified as follows: Nine residences, five residences (alterations), one stores (alterations1, five sehnnlK (alterations), one manu facturing nlant one bank, one hosnital (alterations, two fac tories (alterations), three gasoline service stations, one barn, one office building. Sells Four Houses The Erlen Realty representing James F. Nolen Sons, reports the sale of th homes. 1955.

1975 and ioro Prnflolrf si tnRawlaild W. Carroll, Benjamin Du Bree and George N. Skilton, respectively. Mr $4250 each, and the residence at J4a0 Andrsws ave. to John A.

Mahony for $4975. day season now approaching. "Architecture of the night is becoming a reality in at least par" of modern well illuminated communities. This is not alone due to properly lighted streets, boulevards and roads, but to the rapidly growing tendency to illuminate the exteriors of buildings and other structures as well as fountains, sculpture and landscaping. "From a practical and aesthetic standpoint this is bringing about a profound change in the night aspect of cities and their suur; particularly during the Yuleuc-e season.

Nothing can -add more the charm of a city and the cnetr of Its citizens than gaylv ed buildings and colorfully hghtco streets at Christmas time. "Upon architects, inumlnatinf engineers and landscape architect falls the chief responsibility in con nection with all new buildmP. street layouts, parks and provide adequate facilities manent Illumination and for aura tlve Christmas and other spec ai lighting. In collaboration officials, building owners and ma-gers and with storekeepers householders, much can be dow produce purposeful effects that be alluring through their design ano colorful arrangement." wCaij sione house, Lakeside ave. near Cheltenham avc.

constructed lijsgj 1 illotson and bought by Herbert M. btoigct I nrnnnm minnnnr of the city. "Still more unfavorable are the the Board of Revision of Taxes. This aggregate, It was pointed out, waa considerably short 4of the total of a year ago. With approximately 474,000 individual assessments on the books of assessors, the 5936 appeals, If repre senting separate valuations, would Indicate that only slightly more than one per cent, of the total number of assessments failed to meet with approval of property own ers.

T112 actual percentage, how ever, is somewhat larger due to the iact mat in cases 01 small row houses one appeal might Include several properties. The Board of Revision of Taxes is now engaged in the consideration of these appeals and the 1935 asses. 1 sors' books will be open to the pub. 11c January 25. Next year, for the first time since 1925.

Philadelphia realty will have a valuation tor taxation purposes under threa billion dollars. The slash of about $175,000,000, made by the Beard of Revision of Taxes for the coming year, will bring the total valuation for 1935 to approximately $2,890,000,000, which is slight ly above the level of a decade ago. This year's total realty Valuation was $3,071,877,946. Award for Alterations Contract for alterations to residence at 2402 N. 18th st the has been awarded to Carr Courtney.

Thomas G. Aitken is the owner. mi mm i i i iia condition, that 60 ner cent, nlns II KPfll I I I ill condition, that 60 per cent, plus need minor or structural repairs, 01 need minor or structural repairs, Ml VI IIIHU bl I.UIVI1U LAUDS FACJORY AID Better housing, more beautiful effects in architecture and lower costs In home building have all been made possible through the development and widespread use of synthetic building materials which were unknown to our early forebears, says Herbert Abraham, chairman of the Asphalt Industry Code Authority. "Many of the products developed in research laboratories set a new standard for longevity in use and 'are more efficient than the mate-' rials which early settlers found at hand," Mr. Abraham points out.

"This higher quality and greater Usefulness makes for better housing and partly accounts for the fact that American homes ae recognized by all the world as superior In comfort and utility. "Reproduction of period styles of architecture in small houses would be difficult and costly, except for the use of materials manufactured In quantity under modern factory control." SHOWING ELEVATOR Franklin Institute Display ing Lift Constructed by Local Company A new innovation In modern home comfort and convenience Is being displayed to the public in the museum of the Franklin Institute. It is an elevator designed for vertical transportation In the home and, aside from the simplicity of design, is an invaluable aid to phy sical well-being by eliminating the necessity of climbing stairs, The equipment on exhibit and now being operated for visitors to the Hall of Mechanisms in the Insti'ute was built especially for demonstra tion in the museum by a prominent local concern. Officials of the Institute, alter inspecting the apparatus, believe it will take its place among the mod crn mechanical and electrical neces sities for the home. Just as elec trie refrigeration and automatic heating have advanced to the field of popular use, so it is believed the home elevator will become a me chanical feature of residences to be constructed In the future.

The lift on exhibit at the Institute is like those in public buildings, except smaller In proportion. The control is so simple that a child can use it with safety, it is pointed out. The machine is U-grooved, double wrap traction type, with electric brake and motor. The car and counterweight are suspended from four cables having a high factor of safety. Also the car is equipped with a device that immediately gvlps the steel guides and supports the car should an emergency arise.

In a residence all the equipment Is entirely supported by a steel tower which extends the full height of travel and rests upon footings in the. basement, thus relieving the building of ai: strain The elevator operates on the usual lighting cur rent, DWELL S.G Administration Encouraging Development of Stable Areas Only The cultivation of home building and community planning on a plane in keeping with the highest standards of modern housing in America is a major objective of the Federal Housing Administration in extending Its mutual mortgage in surance program to neighborhood developments, according to a circular covering sub-divisions just issued by the administration. In line with the policy of Ad ministrator James A. Moflolt in the encouragement of home building, the Federal Housing Administration will not encourage by insurance, the making of mortgages on property located in areas doomed to decline in desirability or where dwelling project will burden the city with costs of a "meaningless dispersion of services and population." On the other hand, it was pointed out, the administration will favor the development of satisfactory, stable neighborhoods and encourage orderly expansion of the urban pattern. Due to the surplus of undeveloped or partially developed sub-divisions existing in the country today, tlv economic soundless of building up new urban areas at this time is tiuestionable.

the Federal Housing Administration points out. Soundness a Factor 'There is generally an enormous eKcess of subdivided lots in this country over the number for which absorption might reasonably be an ticipaled in the next few decades, the administration says In its in st ructions to insuring offices. "Only the soundest new neighborhoods can compete successfully and De bunt up completely. Only by the process of abandoning those areas which are plainly superfluous or premature, by consistently developing those which are ripe for use and by regulating the number of additional lota placed on the market, may the present chaotic situation be reduced -to order, and possibilities of achieving security for needed new neighborhoods be realized." The policy of the Federal Housing Administration will be to take cognizance of any condition which produces unusual risk in real estate investment and mortgage lending, but at the same time not stand in the way of new construction and of desirable urban expansion. The Federal Housing Administration is prepared to assi.st In the development of areas which both are needed to care for increas ing population or changing modes ol living, and are so located and planned as to offer the prospect of continuing desirability tor residen tial purposes.

Award for Service Station Contract for construction of the proposed service station. Church la. and Whitby Yeadon, has been awaroed to the Lam Buildine of thi city. The Sinclair Refinine Co. i the lessee.

William J. Scholl is lth owner, An era of unprecedented big bridge construction began with completion of the Delaware River Bridge between this city and Camden in Carlson S. Proctor, nationally known engineer and designer, last week told more than 200 engineers at a meeting in the Engineers' Club of Philadelphia held under the auspices of the local chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Construction of the project here marked the Introduction of more precise methods and accurately planned procedure and demonstrated a degree of general thoroughness not attained heretofore, Mr. Proctor stated.

Since 1927 such massive operations as the George Washington Bridge across the Hudson, the Kennebec River Bridge in New England, and the Huey Long Bridge across the Southern Mississippi have been started, he pointed out. The general development of bridge design and construction, from antiquity to modern times, was shown the engineers by means of stereoptican slides. One project emphasized was the eight-mile span which will link San Francisco's business district with Oakland. Sixth Largest Span Mr. Proctor cited the Delaware River Bridge as sixth on the list of the world's great bridges, calling attention to the fact that Us caissons, upon which the load of the piers are imposed, penetrated down through various strata of soil to bed rock attained at 75 feet below grade on the Philadelphia side, and 110 feet on the Camden side.

This variation in depth of location of rock illustrates the difference in level of hard substrata on the two sides of the Delaware. Charles A. Flanagan, chief of the Bureau of Building Inspection, was another speaker at the meeting. He spoke of the development which he had personally noted in bridge de sign, especially referring to the Thebes Bridge across the Mississippi, which was built in the first years of this century, and contrasted the construction of that excellent piece of bridge engineering with later and more modern structures. T'e also cited the more scientific use of ma terials of construction that are available.

Charles H. Stevens, chief engineer of the Department of City Transit, and H. M. Quimby, consulting en gineer and former city engineering official, also addressed the engi neers. Cross Office lease The office of Edgar G.

Cross reports leases to Individual tenants of the residential properties at 1951 Locust st 2142 St. James 1915 Ringgold 1920 Ringgold pl and 1917 Panama st. Dwelling Alteration General alterations are to be made to the residence, 26 Beneret ov Hamilton Vogdes for George Woodward, from plans by John i-ane evans. ARCHITECTS STRIVE FOR NIGHT BEAUTY East District Presents Darkest Picture of Relief Board Survey Housing conditions In the East Central area were found by Social Surveys, an agency of the State Emergency Relief Board, to be the poorest of twelve city districts so far studied. Reports of surveys of the other eleven sections already have been published.

The most recent area studied by the SERB unit embraced the 2d, 3d. 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 16th wards, including the section between Broad st. and the Delaware, from Poplar st. to Wash ington, comprising 1717.76 acres. The survey was under the direction of Ralph W.

Smith, project director. Following is the report, in part, on the findings of the East Central study: 'Information for this district was mainly gathered by the City Planning Commission, and by them transcribed to schedules used by Social Surveys in correlating the figures. High In Multiple Homes "Of all sections this East Central district contains the smallest percentage of single-family dwellings, 63 per as opposed to about 80 per cent, for most 'other districts. The section therefore runs high in multiple dwellings of the two-family to six-family varieties, yet has only 61 containing more than eight families. Add to this the fact that it contains 36 lodging houses, 290 rooming houses, 4505 of the store-and-dwelling type, and the character of the housing is revealed.

The percentage of the store-and-dwelling type, 20 per cent, of 22.265 structures, is highest for the city. These figures point to many cases of undesirable living quarters, as do also the figures fori dwellings with court or tunnel en-! tranee, of which there are 2549. 1 Likewise, there is a higher percent- ae ol trim buildings than found! CTStHWiiaCT by ototflet 111) I LIU I IIRI ft III if 1 I in any other district near the centre facts that only some 18 per cent, of the total structures are In good and that 20.7 per cent, are unfit for use. In modern conveniences, too, the dwellings reported arc sadly lacking. No gs is installed In 12.5 per cent, of them, and 21.7 per cent, are without electricity.

Almost half of the dwellings, 10,106 of them, are without bathrooms, 8356 have no bathtubs, 228 have no running water, and 1165 are without heating apparatus. There are 9146, or 41 psr cent, without indoor waterclosets; 6131 with waterclosets in the yard. Vacancy Rate 19.7 Pc. "The 22,265 dwellings contain family accommodations, or household units, of which 23.946 are rented or for rent, and 6348 occupied by owners. The total of vacant units is 5965.

and the vacancy percentage is 19.7, highest for the city. "Figures for duration of occupancy show a great deal of shifting, for 2906 units had been occu pied less than six months at the time of making the survey. Only 7541 units, or 24.8 per cent, had been occupied for eight years or more by the present occupants. "Overcrowded and greatly overcrowded household units number 1152, a percentage of 4.7 against 2.9 per cent, for Northwest Philadelphia and 2.8 per cent, for Southwest Philadelphia, the sections next in point of crowding. "Information as to the value of owner-occupied units is not completely available.

Rentals, however, give a partial index to values and rentals are low. They run', in part: Less than $103128 units; $10 to $19.998555 units; $20 to $39.99 4496 units; $40 to $49.99460 units. Higher rentals are few. Only 54 rent for $125 or Designing Building Improvement Plans are being prepared by John Lester Sanger, New York City, for alterations to the administration building of the R. C.

A. Victor in Camden. N. J. The owner will take sub-bids.

Cub Rents Floor The 42d Ward Republican Club has rented from Bvron A. Thal- heimer, representing Beniamin Kaplan, the entire second floor of the premises at 5605-07 N. 5th st. League Head Sees Substantial Gain in Investment Over Year Ago The increasing ability of private capital to take over home financing and thus make Government participation in the field unnecessary is yhown by the practically unbroken rise in month to month volume of loans by representative building and loan associations from 1 January through October. This is pointed out by I.

Fried-lander, president of the U. S. Building and Loan League. Taking an identical cross section of associations, representing New England, East North Central, South Atlantic, West South Central and Pacific States, Mr. Friedlander finds thrit their October loan volume was more than twice that in January.

July was the only month in which the new advances to home owners did not exceed those of the month before, and the upward climb started again In August with a 20 per cent, increase over the July amount. On basis of these reports the total amount of lending by all building and loan associations during the first ten months is placed somewhere between $375,000,000 and $400,000,000, the League president points out. If the upward trend in loan volume is sustained until the end of the year, and there are many indications that this will be the ca.se, the total 1934 loans of associations will be considerably larger than their advances in 1933 which were $435,000,000. October and May of this, year were the months of largest increase in amount of loans. This is probably accounted for in May both by the seasonal influence of spring in building activities, and by the that the index of business activity rose somewhat in May over the April level.

Will Alter Store are to be made Alterations are to be made by wiinam M. Greenhouse to the store, 5723-37 N. Broad at. Public and private buildings must have exterior as well as interior lighting if a community is to be "beautiful by night," D. Knicker-backer Boyd, of this city, states In a report of the American Institute of Architects.

"The design of many types of buildings Is being greatly influenced by the prospect of their being viewed for 18 to 24 hours dally, instead of for only 12 hours, and under conditions of light and shadow which may be far different at night than during the day," Mr. Boyd points out. "Architects of important city buildings, whether monumental, commercial or industrial, can no longer think of them in terms and colors as affected only by sunlight. Such buildings must be designed for night effects in which the placement of the light sources is an equally important consideration. "This refers not only to so-called flood lighting, but to integral lighting units, that is, effects which may be obtained by placing concealed lights within the materials or ornamentation of the structure for their appearance value.

Added to these should be provision for exposed lighting and other means of application for temporary lighting effects on sal occasions, such aa th holi.