Tag: neighborhood history

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 214 Bates St NW:

• December 1950 (recorded Feb 05, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 214 Bates St NW to Henry and Jessie Mae McCreary.
• December 1950 (recorded Feb 5, 1951) the McCrearys borrowed $2,525 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• December 1950 (recorded Feb 05, 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 214 Bates St NW to James A. Mattie O. Jones.
• Jan 1951 the Jones borrowed $2,525 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• August 1955 the McCreadys lost their half to foreclosure and via an auction it returned to Evans, Levin and Taube.
• August 1956 the Jones lost the other half to foreclosure and ownership went to new Colonial Investment Co partner Harry A. Badt, and Evans and Taube.
• August 1956, as part of a larger property package, Harry and wife Jennie Badt transfer their interest in 214 Bates St NW to Nathan Levin’s survivors.
• March 1959, as part of a larger package, Evans, Levin’s survivors, Taube and their spouses sold the property to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• Around 1971/1972 Basiliko sold the property to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA).
• June 1980 the DC RLA sold/transferred the property to the BSA Limited Partnership.

So there was the usual sad WSIC story with a house sold in halves, two foreclosures, then sold to landlord George Basiliko and then sold to the DC RLA.

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 212 Bates St NW:

• January 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 212 Bates NW to Addie L. and John F. Friday.
• January 1951 the Fridays borrowed $2,525 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• December 1950 (recorded 1/26/1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 212 Bates St NW to Curtis L. and Vertie F. Shuford.
• December 1950 the Shufords borrowed $2,525 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• July 1954 the Fridays lost their home to foreclosure. Via an auction ownership returned to Evans, Levin, and Taube.
• July 1954 the Shufords lost their half to foreclosure, too. Partners Evans, Levin and Taube got the property back via an auction.
• March 1959, as part of a larger property sale, Evans, Levin’s survivors, Taube and their spouses sold 212 Bates Street NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• Probably around 1971 George Basiliko sold 212 Bates to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). I can’t find the document.
• June 1980 the DC RLA, as part of a larger property package, sold 212 Bates St NW to the BSA Limited Partnership (Bates Street Associates).

So curiously, both buyers were foreclosed upon on July 1954. Five years later, in usual fashion for these stories, it was sold to George Basiliko. Another usual thing was Basiliko selling the property to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency, however I could not find that document. I know he sold it because later documents have the DC RLA as the owner. Then they sold it to a private partnership in one of those public private partnerships where the BSA was supposed to improve the property for sale.

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 210 Bates St NW:

• January 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 210 Bates NW to Morgan S. Brown Sr and his wife Herberth C. Brown.
• January 1951 the Browns borrowed $2,900 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 210 Bates St NW to Ozell and Juette Leathers.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Leathers borrowed $2,900 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• August 1959 the Browns were released from their mortgage.
• January 1961, the Leathers lost their half to foreclosure and ownership returned to Colonial Investment Co partners Harry A. Badt (Levin died), Evans and Taube.
• November 1961, as part of a large package, Badt, Evans, Taube, Nathan Levin’s survivors and their spouses, sold the foreclosed half of 210 Bates St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• October 1971, the Basilikos and widow Herberth C. Brown sold 210 Bates to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA).
• August 1979 the DC RLA, as part of a larger property package, sold 210 Bates to private partner Bates Street Associates, Inc.

This is another sad WSiC story, with a foreclosure in 1961. Of course the foreclosed property was sold to notorious landlord George Basiliko. He sold his half, as well as Mrs. Brown, to DC RLA which then passed it on to the Bates Street Associates.

I looked for the Leathers, and found them. Apparently Juette  gave in and accepted the conventional spelling of her name. Juliette Leathers died last year on January 15, 2022 and is buried in the same section of Quantico National Cemetery as her husband Ozell Sr. who died a few years earlier in 1999. Before dying they lived at and owned 1123 46th Pl SE, a modest little duplex. They bought the house in SE DC in 1978 so they were able to recover from that set back.

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 202 Bates St NW:

• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 202 Bates NW to Louis and Mattie C. Cunningham.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Cunninghams borrowed $2,525 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• December 1950 (recorded Feb 1, 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 202 Bates St NW to Frank and Nora Coleman.
• December 1950 (recorded Feb 1, 1951) the Colemans borrowed $2,525 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• May 1956 the Colemans lost their half to foreclosure and via an auction it returned to the ownership of Evans, Levin and Taube.
• June 1958 the Cunninghams lost their half to foreclosure and through an auction Colonial Investment partners Harry A. Badt, James B, Evans, and Nathaniel J. Taube.
• June 1958, as part of a property package, the Badts (Harry A. and wife Jennie) transfer/sold their interest in 202 Bates St NW to Nathan Levin’s survivors.
• March 1959, as part of a larger property package, Badt, Evans, Taube, Levin’s survivors, and their spouses sold 202 Bates St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• Between 1971/72 and 1982 Basiliko sold the house. I suspect to DC RLA but I can’t find the document for that and other properties.
• April 1982 the BSA Limited Partnership sold/ transferred the house to the District of Columbia government.
• January 1983 the District of Columbia government sold it to its current owner.

Well that was short. Sold in parts, and both parts foreclosed upon and landing in the portfolio of a slumlord within 9 years.

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 200 Bates St NW:

• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 200 Bates St NW to Ida J. and James W. Grayson.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Graysons borrowed $3,025 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 200 Bates St NW to Cleo T. and William Willis.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Willis borrowed $3,025 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• August 1956 the Willis family lost their home to foreclosure and with an auction it returned to Evans, Taube and new partner Harry A. Badt.
• August 1956 (recorded 8/1958) as part of a larger property package, the Badts (Harry A. and wife Jennie) transferred their interest in 200 Bates St NW to Nathan Levin’s survivors.
• November 1961 the Graysons lost their half to foreclosure and via an auction the property went back to Evans, Taube and the Nathan Levin survivors.
• November 1961, as part of a larger property package, Evans, Taube, Levin’s survivors and their spouses sold 200 Bates St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• November 1971, the Basilikos sold 200 and 204 Bates Street NW (document 1971023182) to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA).
• Sometime after 1971 the DC RLA transferred or sold the property to the BSA Limited Partnership.
• April 1982 the BSA Limited Partnership sold the property back to the District of Columbia government.

Let’s go down the checklist: Property sold in halves, check. Foreclosures, check. George Basiliko ownership, check. DC RLA ownership, check. Just another sad WSIC story.

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there was the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 219 P St NW:

• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 219 P NW to Ethel M. and Jacob S. Miller.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Millers borrowed $3,250 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• February 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 219 P St NW to Arthur and Blumne Lipscomb.
• Feb 1951 Mitchell borrowed $3,400 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• January 1952 the Lipscombs transferred their half to Margaret Johnson who transferred it back to Arthur Lipscomb and Blumer Whitehead, who I will assume is the same person as Blumne Lipscomb.
• October 1961 the Millers are released from their mortgage, owning their half free and clear.
• April 1962 the Lipscomb mortgage is released.
• August 1970, Shellie F, Bowers administrator for the estate of Henry A. Lipscomb sold his interest to Elizabeth Edwards.
• August 1988, Elizabeth Edwards was noted to have a 1/4 interest in 219 P St, sold her interest, as well as the heir-at-law of Blumer Whitehead (died 6/30/1985) to Freda D. and Junella M. Gaines.

I have no idea what happened to the Millers. It’s safe to assume they died. They just disappeared. Junella A. Gaines was the heir of the Millers as there is a water sewer lien sent to them in 1986, two years before the other half of the house was sold her. There is a 2002 Quit Claim Deed stating that the Gaines were heirs of the Millers.

As we can see from the 2004 photo above, the house was abandoned and vacant in total. The city condemned the property in October of 2004 when it was owned by FDG Funding Services.

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 1537 3rd St NW:

• January 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold all of 1537 3rd St NW to Mattie and Walter Quarles.
• January 1951 the Quarles borrowed $7,050 from Colonial Capitol Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• October 1953 the Quarles lost their home to foreclosure. The property returned to Evans, Levin, and Taube via an auction.
• November 1953, Evans, Levin and Taube sold half of 1537 3rd St NW to divorcee Nettie Glover.
• November 1953, Glover borrowed $4,054.64 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• November 1953, Evans, Levins and Taube sold the other half to Marchel and Vera R. Davis.
• November 1953, Mr. and Mrs. Davis borrowed $4,054.65 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• November 1955, the Davis family lost their half to foreclosure and the property returned to Evans, Levin, and Taube via an auction.
• February 1958, Nettie Glover lost her half to foreclosure and the property returned to Evans, Taube, and new partner Harry A. Badt via an auction.
• February 1958, as part of a larger package,  the Badts (Harry & wife Jennie), transferred their interest in 1537 3rd St NW to Levin’s survivors.
• November 1961, as part of a large property package, Evans, Taube, the Levin survivors, and the Badts, as part of a larger property package, sold 1537 3rd St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• July 1970, as part of a very large property package, (document 1970011877) the Basilikos sold 1537 3rd St NW to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA).
• August 1979, as part of a large property package, DC RLA sold the property to the Bates Street Associates.

Okay, let’s check the WSIC checklist of sadness and doom.  Sold half of a house, eventually, check. Foreclosure, check, check and check. Sold to Basilikos who then sold to DC RLA, check and check.