from Suzanne Des Marais' Houses With Character blog: Flagler & W St NW back in the day

Bloomingdale resident Associate Broker with 10 Square Team at Keller Williams Capital Properties, Suzanne Des Marais, has started her own blog called Houses With Character.
 
Here is a recent post by local historian Brian Kraft.
     

Back in the Day: Flagler Pl NW & W St NW in Bloomingdale

Posted on November 17, 2012 by Brian

Our recent listing at 2205 Flagler Pl NW is already under contract, but we still wanted to share the rich history of part of this block.  Step back in time over a hundred years ago to read about a woman developer, a prolific pair of young architects, and the role that Bloomingdale played in landmark Fair Housing legislation.  Historian Brian Kraft provides the details below. 

A permit was issued to Lillie H. Mattern on February 7, 1906 to build the row of houses at 2203 to 2217 Flagler Place NW. A separate permit was issued at the same time for 127 W Street NW. The estimated cost to build all eight houses was $29,000, a typical sum for the time. The houses were completed in July 1906.
          
Developer Lillie H. Mattern dabbled in development in Washington between 1906 and 1910, almost exclusively in Bloomingdale and mostly on Flagler Place. In 1908 she built the row across the street,2208 to 2222 Flagler Place. Her husband, Harry J. Mattern, was in the real estate business. She used the architectural firm of Hunter and Bell for all of her projects.
     
Hunter & Bell are credited with the design of about 800 buildings from 1902 to 1918, including nearly 500 rowhouses. They designed 53 apartment houses ranging from luxury buildings to modest flats, most of which were commissioned by John L. Warren or his brother, Bates. Bates Warren was married in 1897 to the sister of George N. Bell, principal of Hunter & Bell.

...there is more to this blog post! Click here to read the entire entry.