Month: October 2023

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 49 Bates St NW:

• December 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 49 Bates NW to Alberta T. and Edward Simms.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) the Simms borrowed $2,900 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 49 Bates St NW to Clara and John Walker.
• Jan 1951 the Walkers borrowed $2,900 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• June 1958 the Simms lost their half to foreclosure and their half returned to Colonial Inv. (new partner Harry A. Badt, Evans and Taube) via an auction.
• June 1958, as part of a larger property sale, Harry and wife Jennie Badt sold/transferred their interest in the property to Nathan Levin’s survivors.
• June 1959, as part of a larger property package, Badt, Evans, Taube, the Levin survivors and their spouses, sold their half interest in 49 Bates St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• August 1962, the Walkers were released from their mortgage.
• December 1978 George Basiliko sold his half to Karen I. Jackson and Willie Joyner.
• May 1979 John Walker (Clara not mentioned) added his daughter Magnolia Johnnie Mae Walker to the deed.

Eventually both halves came under one owner in 1999. I prefer to end these histories in the 1970s and 1980s.

Does 49 Bates follow the usual WSIC house history? Sorta yes. There was a foreclosure and part of it was owned by George Basiliko. However, it was not owned by the DC Redevelopment Land Agency nor any of its private partners.

Since I have a little time, let’s look at John Walker. He shows up in the 1950 census. He was a South Carolina born African American janitor working at the Deptartment of Agriculture. Clara appears to have been a housewife and his them 22 year old daughter Magnolia was a typist at the Pentagon.

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 220 Bates St NW:

•  January 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 220 Bates NW to Samuel and Alice M. Carpenter.
• January 1951 the Carpenters borrowed $2,900 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• November 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 220 Bates St NW to Charlie R. and Melodee C. Motley.
• November 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) the Motleys borrowed $2,900 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• June 1953 the Carpenters lost their half of the building to foreclosure. Via an auction that half returned to the ownership of Evans, Levin and Taube.
• July 1953 Evans, Levin and Taube sold the foreclosed half to Mrs. Doris H. Smith.
• July 1953 Mrs. Smith borrowed $3,493.54 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• September 1955 Mrs. Smith sold her half back to Evans, Levin, and Taube.
• July 1957 the Motleys sold their half to Evans, Harry A. Badt and Taube.
• March 1959 the Motleys and Mrs. Smith were released from their mortgage.
• March 1959 Badt, Evans, Taube, Nathan Levin’s survivors, and their spouses, as part of a large property package sold 220 Bates St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• Around 1971-1973 George Basiliko, as part of a larger property package, sold 220 Bates to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.
• Around 1978 the DC Redevelopment Land Agency sold/transferred the property to the Bates Street Associates, Inc.

Just a side note- for document 2005039314 recorded 03/22/2005 it has UNKNOWN as the grantee and grantor.  It’s handwriting, and bad handwriting, but based on the names of previous owners and actors for a 2002 loan, I’d say one is Marvin Gitelson and the other EK Interiors.

So the summation of this story was there was one foreclosure and for some reason the owners sold the property back to Colonial Investment, who then sold it to the Basilikos, who then sold it to DC RLA who then put the Bates St. Assoc. in charge. When I was looking for something to tweet (I’m not calling it X until no one has any idea of what I’m talking about) that didn’t wind up in Basiliko’s hands, I couldn’t find anything immediately. So typically, things wind up in the hands of a man labeled a slumlord, thus making this slum history.    sigh

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 (later replaced by Harry A. Badt) 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 216 Bates St NW:

• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold the whole of 216 Bates St NW to David E. and Mary K. Butler.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Butlers borrowed $5,050 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• June 1954 the Bulters sold half of the property back to Evans, Levin, and Taube.
• June 1954 the Butlers sold half of the property back to Evans, Levin, and Taube.
• July 1954 the Butlers sold the other half of the property back to Evans, Levin, and Taube.
• March 1959 the Butlers were released from their debt.
• March 1959, as part of a larger property package, Evans, Taube, the survivors of Nathan Levin, and their spouses, sold 216 Bates St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• Sometime around 1971/1972 the Basilikos sold 216 Bates to the DC Redevelopment Agency. I cannot locate the document.
• In 1978 the DC Redevelopment Land Agency contracted with the Bates Street Associates, a private partner. Of the 30+ page document, the first couple of pages are missing…..
• Around 1978-ish the property was sold/transferred to Bates Street Associates, Inc.
• August 1980 the property was sold to its current owner.

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.