Tag: neighborhood history

WSIC-1950s Sell Off- George Basiliko

This is a book I never finished and I think I might have thrown out in my move from DC to Maryland, Family Properties: How the Struggle Over Race and Real Estate Transformed Chicago and Urban America. It had a lot of information and told a story of unfairness in white real estate investors selling properties in a former Jewish neighborhood to African Americans. The unfairness was that the buyers had really bad contracts, the houses were in poor shape and the buyers were set up to fail.

Until I started looking at the great sell off of Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) with 43-45 Bates Street NW, I thought such a thing was a corrupt Chicago thing. Nope. It happened here.

Prior to looking at this I’d been doing my Black Home Owners of Truxton Circle series and most things looked like they were on the up and up. Even prior to the records I found in the Recorder of Deeds on-line site, starting in the 1920s, I was aware of Black families in Truxton Circle who owned their homes, if not several other properties. They borrowed from financial institutions, such as the Perpetual Building Association and passes down or sold their homes in the natural course of living. Sometimes there was the odd foreclosure.

But this. This looked like a scam to me.

They sold half. HALF. Of the property to a buyer, whom I will assume was African American because in the 1950s, Truxton Circle was overwhelmingly Black. They all used the same lenders, Levin and Weightman. Then in a few years the property would go into foreclosure and would get sold to a man the Washington Post called a slum lord, George Basiliko. If the Black buyer managed to avoid foreclosure, for some reason they would eventually sell their half to George Basiliko.

June 22, 1959 George and Sophia Basiliko purchased a package of properties from a party of interests associated with the original three business men who purchased almost all the Washington Sanitary Improvement Company rentals. This is captured in documents #1959019387, 1959019395, 1959019388, 1959019389. And more in an August 5, 1959 document # 1959024641. These accounted for about 122 properties. And there were more packaged properties.

I’m not going to go into detail in this post as there are a lot of properties in documents 1959019387 to 1959019389, 1959019395 and 1959024641. If you read this blog, all three of you, there are many individual properties where all or half of it fall into Basiliko’s hands.

Then a load of federal money, laundered through the District of Columbia government, flooded into Basiliko’s pockets in the late 1960s and early 1970s. As seen in several posts, the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA) purchased poorly maintained Truxton Circle properties from Basiliko. In 1969 for a US House Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Home Financing Practices and Procedures an article about Basiliko was submitted. Basiliko came up a lot in the hearing.

The RLA, which got its funding from the US government (remember Home Rule doesn’t come until 1973), bought out Basiliko. It can be argued that he was able to off load the properties for far more than what they were worth. The DC government in the form of the RLA was a more generous buyer than any private investor buyer.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 16 O Street NW

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.

photo of property

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.

So we’re going to see what happened to 16 O St NW and see if/how it fits the pattern:

  • February 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold half of 16 O St NW to Clifford J. Bagnell.
  • February 1951 Mr. Bagnell borrowed $2,725 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • February 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold the other half of 16 O St NW to Gertrude and James Stancil.
  • February 1951 the Stancils borrowed $3,125 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • June 1956 the Stancils lost their half to foreclosure and the property returned to Evans, Taube and new partner Harry A. Badt via auction.
  • June 1956, as part of a larger property package, Harry Badt and his wife Jennie, transferred their interest in the property to Nathan Levins’ survivors.
  • June 1959 as part of a larger property package, Badt, Evans and Taube, and their wives, along with Nathan Levin’s survivors sell off their interest in 16 O St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • March 1962, widower Clifford J. Bagnell was released from his mortgage debt.
  • July 1971 the Basilikos sold their half of 16 O St NW to the Housing System Development and Construction Corp. as part of a larger property package.

Following Bagnell’s ownership into the 1980s there are some documents about condemnation and they are directed towards Bagnell and James Dale Davidson at an address in College Park, MD. Hunting Mr. Bagnell down I discovered he died May 1, 1963. His niece and sister-in-law were the only ones named as his survivors.

So there was one foreclosure, check. Part was sold to George Basiliko, check and I don’t this the Housing System Dev. and Construction Corp had anything to do with RLA so, that’s a no.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 131 Bates Street NW

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.

photo of property

The history of 131 Bates St NW, plays out as so:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold all of 131 Bates St NW to James C. and Florie Gordon.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 1951) the Gordons borrowed $5,050 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • November 1952, the Gordons sold 131 Bates to a Miss Edith E. Matthews. Matthews then sold half of 131 Bates to James C. Gordon “unmarried”, splitting the property.
  • November 1952 Matthews sold the other half of 131 Bates to Evans, Levin and Taube.
  • November 1952 the unmarried (not sure what happened to Florie) James C. Gordon borrowed $3,058.21 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • February 1953 Evans, Levin and Taube sold their half of the property to Frank and Earlene H. Fowler.
  • Feb 1953 the Fowlers borrowed $3,211.06 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • March 1953 Florie and James are released from the December 1950 debt.
  • May 1954, James C. Gordon loses his half to foreclosure and via an  auction it returns to Evans, Levin and Taube.
  • June 1959, as part of a larger property package, new partner Harry A. Badt, his wife, partners Evans and Taube, and their wives, along with Nathan Levin’s survivors sell off their interest in 131 Bates St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • March 1970 the Fowlers were released from their debt.
  • December 1971, the Basilikos and the Fowlers sold their halves of 131 Bates St NW to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.

Let’s go down the checklist. Foreclosure, check. Sold to George Basiliko, check. Sold to DC RLA, check.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 132 Q Street NW

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.

photo of property

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 the history of 132 Q St NW and see if it fits the pattern:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold half of 132 Q St NW to Ocea M. Coltrane.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Mrs. Coltrane borrowed $3,250 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 132 Q St NW to Charles O. and Juanita L. Wallace.
  • December 1950 the Wallaces borrow $3,400 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • June 1954 Mrs. Coltrane lost her half to foreclosure. Through an auction the property returned to Evans, Levin and Taube.
  • August 1956 the Wallace family loses their half to foreclosure as well and via an auction it returns to Evans, Taube, and new partner Harry A. Badt.
  • August 1956 as part of a larger property package, partner Harry Badt & his wife transfer their interest in the property to the survivors of Nathan Levin.
  • March 1959, as part of a larger package the Colonial Investment team (Evans, Badt, their wives, and Levin’s survivors) sell their interest in 132 Q St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • Sometime before 1978 George Basiliko transferred/sold 132 to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.

So all the boxes were checked. Foreclosure, double-check. Sold to George Basiliko, check. Sold to DC RLA, check.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 136 Q Street NW

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.

photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 136 Q St NW:

  •  January 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 136 Q St NW to Emma and William Allen.
  • January 1951 the Allens borrowed $3,150 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 136 Q St NW to Mamie and Roland F. Hawkins.
  • Jan 1951 Mitchell borrowed $3,150 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • July 1951 the Hawkins sold their property to Otha N. and Rosa M. Currie. Unfortunately……
  • February 1955, their half was foreclosed upon by Levin and Weightman and returned, via an auction, to Evans, Levin and Taube. But before that…..
  • July 1954, the Allens lost their home to foreclosure and via an auction, return to Evans, Levin and Taube.
  • March 1959 Evans and Taube (and their wives) and the survivors of Nathan Levin, as part of a larger property package, sold 136 Q St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • Sometime between 1968 and 1978 Basiliko sold 136 Q St to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.

Now we go down the checklist of the things that happen with properties like this. Foreclosure, checked twice. Transfer to George Basiliko, check. Eventual ownership by the DC RLA, check.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 1509 3rd Street NW

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.

photo of property

Let’s see the ownership history of 1509 3rd St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 1509 3rd St NW to widow Mary A. Jackson.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Mrs. Jackson borrowed $3,375 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 1509 3rd St NW to Woodrow W. Jackson. I do not know if he and Mary were related.
  • Jan 1951 Mr. Jackson borrowed $3,525 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • February 1960 Mr. Jackson lost his half to foreclosure. The property returned to Evans, Taube, and new partner Harry A. Badt via an auction.
  • February 1960, as part of a larger property package, Harry Badt & his wife transfer a portion of their interest in this and other properties to Levin’s survivors.
  • November 1961, (recorded 1/5/1962), as part of a larger package the Colonial Investment team (Evans, Badt, their wives, and Levin’s survivors) sell their interest in 1531 3rd St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • December 1962, Mary Jackson borrowed $950.00 from trustees Charles W. Morgan and Ralph O. Weed.
  • December 1963, Mary Jackson borrowed $2,650 from trustees A.J. Mascetta and Ralph O. Weed.
  • October 1967 Mrs. Jackson borrowed $1,183.68 from Mascetta & Weed for work done by Continental Contracting Co., Inc.
  • November 1967 she was released from her debt with Levin and Weightman.
  • September 1978, George Basiliko, as George Basiliko, Inc, sold his half of 1509 3rd St NW to Lewis L. Washington.
  • March 1983, Mrs. Jackson sold 1509A 3rd St NW to Fannie T. Johnson.
  • November 1984, Fannie T. and her husband Sylvester Johnson sold their half of the property to Lewis L. Washington bringing the property under one owner again.

So let’s see if we check the boxes. Halves sold, check. Foreclosure, check. Sold to Basiliko, check. Sold to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency, nope.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 1505 3rd Street NW

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.

photo of property

Let’s see the ownership history of 1505 3rd St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 1505 3rd St NW to Patricia E. & Sterling G. Brown.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Madden borrowed $3,375 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 1505 3rd St NW to James Mitchell.
  • Jan 1951 Mitchell borrowed $3,525 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • November 1957 Mitchell lost his half through foreclosure and the property returned to Evans, Taube, and new partner Harry A. Badt via an auction.
  • March 1958 the Browns also lost their half through foreclosure and the property returned to Evans, Taube, and Harry A. Badt via an auction.
  • November 1957 and March 1958, as part of a larger property package, Harry Badt & his wife transfer a portion of their interest in this and other properties to Levin’s survivors.
  • November 1961 (recorded 1/5/1962), as part of a larger package the Colonial Investment team (Evans, Badt, their wives, and Levin’s survivors) sell 1505 3rd St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • Sometime before 1980, the property fell into the hands of the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.

All boxes checked. Foreclosure, checked twice. Transfer to George Basiliko, check. Eventual ownership by the DC RLA, check.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 1535 3rd Street NW

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).

photo of property

Let’s see if 1535 3rd St NW fit this pattern:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold 1533 3rd St NW to Bernice T & Elsworth R. Turner.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 1951) the Turner’s borrowed $6,750 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • August 1958 the Turners lost their home to foreclosure.
  • August 1958, as part of a larger package, new partner Harry Badt & his wife transfer a portion of their interest in the property to the survivors of Nathan Levin.
  • November 1961 (recorded 1/5/1962), as part of a larger package the Colonial Investment team (Evans, Badt, their wives, and Levin’s survivors) sell their interest in 1535 3rd St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • July 1970, as part of a larger package, George Basilko sold 1535 3rd St NW to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.

So all the boxes were checked. Foreclosure, check. Sold to George Basiliko, check. Sold to DC RLA, check.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 1533 3rd Street NW

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.

photo of property

Let’s see the ownership history of 1533 3rd St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold 1533 3rd St NW to Nettie B. Madden, a widow.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Madden borrowed $6,750 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • September 1961 Madden borrowed $1,250 from trustees Leonard C. Collins and Thomas B. Lawrence.
  • December 1965 Madden was released from her debt to Levin and Weightman.
  • In October 1968, Madden’s survivors, Catherine M. Gainey, her husband Jerome Gainey, Dorothy M. Campbell and her husband William B. Campbell, sold 1533 3rd St NW to George Basiliko.
  • July 1970 Basiliko sold 1533 to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.
  • July 1974 The DC Board for the Condemnation of Insanitary Buildings condemned the property.

At first it looked like Mrs. Madden would save 1533 3rd St NW from the fate of so many other former WSIC homes. But alas, no. Her daughters Catherine and Dorothy sold it to landlord George Basiliko, who within a few years, sold it to RLA.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 1531 3rd Street NW

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).

photo of property

Let’s see what happened at 1531 3rd St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 1531 3rd St NW to William A. and Frances Ethel Guss.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 1951) the Guss’ borrowed $3,750 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • January 1951 (recorded 2/14/1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 1531 3rd St NW to Camille G. and William T. Stovall.
  • Jan 1951 the Stovalls borrow $3,900 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • Sadly in November 1955 the Stovalls lose their half to foreclosure. There was an auction and Evans, Levin and Taube got it back.
  • November 1961 (recorded 1/5/1962), as part of a larger package the Colonial Investment team (Evans, Badt, their wives, and Levin’s survivors) sell their interest in 1531 3rd St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • December 1961 the Guss loan was released and they owned their half free and clear.
  • January 1972 the DC Redevelopment Land Agency purchased/ obtained all of 1531 3rd St NW from George Basiliko, and the Guss survivors.

Frances Guss died April 6, 1955 and William A. Guss died September 2, 1969. Other signatories, besides the Basilikos, were Elaine F. Barber, her husband Cornell D. Barber, Melvin Guss,  Phyllis Robinson, and her husband Benjamin F. Robinson.