WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 14 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.

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 14 O Street NW went as so:

  • February 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 14 O St NW Marguerite and Vincent J. Edmondson.
  • February 1951 the Edmondsons borrowed $3,375 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • February 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold the other half of 14 O St NW to Annie W. and William J. Jackson Jr.
  • February 1951 the Jacksons borrowed $3,375 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • 08/03/1956 the Edmondsons sold their half to Mary Dyson Lane.
  • December 1955 (recorded January 1958) the Jacksons sold their half back to Evans, Levin and Taube.
  • February 1960 the Edmondsons were foreclosed upon and the property returned to Evans, Taube and new partner Harry A. Badt. Mary Dayson Lane’s name appears in later documents relating to building’s condemnation in 1977.
  • February 1960 (recorded in May) the Badts transferred/sold their interest in 14 O St NW to Levin’s survivors as part of a larger property package.
  • November 1961 Badt, Evan, Taube, their wives (for legal reasons) and the survivors of Levin (and their spouses) sold 14 O St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko as part of a larger property package.
  • In 1971 George Basiliko sold part(?) 14 O St NW to Housing System Development and Construction Corp as part of a larger property package.
  • April 1978 George Basiliko sold (his remaining interest?) in 14 O St NW to the O Street Properties Partnership.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 224 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 look at the post WSIC history of 224 Q St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded 1/18/51) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 224 Q St NW to Sarah B. Carroll.
  • December 1950 (recorded 1/18/1951) the widow Sarah Carroll borrowed $3,125 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • December 1950 (recorded 1/18/51) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 224 Q St NW to Christine B. and Jesse J. Carter.
  • December 1950 (recorded 1/18/1951) the Carters borrowed $3,125 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • August 1953 Mrs. Carroll lost her half of 224 Q St NW to foreclosure and via auction, it was returned to Evans, Taube and Levin.
  • September 1953 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 224 Q St NW to Freda A. and Zollie Lumberger. *Side note- they were a Black couple. See Zollie’s brother’s obit w/ picture.
  • September 1953 the Lumbergers borrowed $3,888.43 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • July 1954 the Carters lost their half of the property to foreclosure and via auction, it was returned to Evans, Levin, and Taube.
  • June 1959 as part of a larger package, Evans, Taube, new partner Harry A. Badt (and their wives) and Levin’s survivors sell their interest in 200 Q St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • April 1969 the Lumbergers settled their debt with trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.

It appears that this property was not sold to RLA and I can’t tell if and when it was consolidated under one owner.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 210 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 look at the post WSIC history of 210 Q St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded 1/18/1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold 210 Q St NW to Samuel H. and Virginia B. Divers.
  • December 1950 (recorded 1/18/1951) the Divers borrowed $6,250 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • February 1959 (recorded 6/18/1959) the Divers lose their home to foreclosure and Evans, Taube and new partner Harry A. Badt regain 210 Q St NW via auction.
  • February 1959 (recorded 9/23/1959) as part of a larger property package, Badt & his wife transfer interest in 210 Q St NW to Levin’s survivors.
  • November 1961 (recorded 1/5/1962), as part of a larger package, Evans, Taube, Badt (and their wives) and Levin’s survivors sell their interest in 210 Q St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • July 1970, as part of a larger property package, the Basilikos sell the property to the District of Columbia Redevelopment Land Agency.

And so this follows the usual story of foreclosure, transfer to George Basiliko and then Basiliko’s sell off to RLA in possibly a sweetheart deal.