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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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).

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.

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 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.

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).

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.

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). Let’s see what happens at 1529 3rd St. NW.

• December 1950 (recorded Jan 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 1529 3rd St NW to divorcee Elizabeth Ashby and widow Nannie Grace Jones.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 1951) Ashby and Jones borrowed $4,250 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• December 1950 (recorded 1/18/1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 1529 3rd St NW to Grant A. and Myrtle T. Dungee.
• December 1950 (recorded 1/18/1951) the Dungees borrowed $4,400 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• June 1957 (recorded in 1958) the Dungees sold 1529 3rd St NW back to Evans, Taube and new partner Harry A. Badt.
• 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 1529 3rd St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• May 1962 the Dungee’s are released from their debt to Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• August 1962 Ms. Ashby and Mrs. Jones are released from their debt to Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• July 1975, Nannie Grace Jones, the surviving tenant, sold her half of 1529 3rd St NW to George Basiliko. (Doc 7500024652)

Basiliko did not sell this property to DC’s Redevelopment Land Agency.

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.

Unlike many properties in this series, I’ve already featured this address before. 141 Bates St NW- Newspaper Search from last year is interesting. It will be even more interesting when adding the land records component.

So as usual we will start off with the three fellows the Washington Sanitary Improvement Company sold the properties to, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars in 1950. Then they will sell two halves of the property to two different African American households who borrow the money from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman. After that it’s a bingo game with foreclosures, George Basiliko and the DC Redevelopment Land Agency. Let’s see what happens with 141 Bates Street NW.

• January 12, 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 141 Bates St NW to Bertha, Robert and Thelma Freeman
• January 1951 the Freemans borrowed $3,025 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• December 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold the other one-half of 141 Bates St NW to Eva M. Richards.
• December 1951 Mrs. Richards borrowed $3,025 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• February 1954 the Freemans borrow $977.33 from the Columbia Federal Savings and Loan.
• In October 1954 the Freemans sold their half back to Evans, Levin and Taube.
• December 1961 there was a foreclosure against the Freemans and the property returned to Evans, Taube and Levin’s survivors via an auction. Not sure how that worked.
• November 1961 as part of a larger package, Evans, Taube, Badt (and their wives) and Levin’s survivors sell their interest in 141 Bates St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• June 1964, Mrs. Richards sold her half to George Basiliko.
• July 1970, as part of a larger package, the Basilikos sell to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.

And here are the newspaper mentions during this time (1951-1970):

Marriage License Applications– Evening Star, August 19, 1954, Page B-14. Harold Freeman, 18, 141 Bates st n.w. and Jo Stewart, 18, 1364 1st st s.w.

Deaths-Wilson, Eva L.– Evening Star, October 25, 1954, Page A-18. Eva L. Wilson died after a lengthy illness at 141-A Bates st. n.w.

Auction Sales- Thos. J. Owen & Son, Auctioneers– Evening Star, December 20, 1961, Page C-16; December 15, 1961, Page D-7.  Auction for Sq. 552 lot 35 (141 Bates St NW), appears minimum price was $8,000.