The Washington times., 1902-02-02
OPINIONS VARY ON
SKYSCRAPER BILL
1t Would Limit Buildings
Height to 70 Feet.
The Matter of Income From Office
Structures, II Is Thought. Would
Adjust Itself.

The bill advocated by the Senate Dis
trict Committee to limit the height of all
buildings in the District of Columbia to
20 feet is causing great discussion among
real estate men. Some of them are of
the opinion that the action of the COM
mittee is excellent, and that If the bill
is passed it will tend toward the better
ment of the architectural beauty of the
city, while others consider that its pass
age and enforcement would be an arbi-
trary display of power.
Floor space Considered.
This latter class argue that a man is
entitled TO erect building of any height
he chooses on his own ground, so long
as II is perfectly safe, and he does not
encroach upon the rights of his neighbors.
They furthermore point out that build
ing restricted to 20 feet In height will not
contain enough floor space TO make its
rental profitable when the cost of the
ground upon which 1t is built is taken
into consideration. There are many, how
ever, VINO take the view that "sky-scrap-
ers' and high buildings are not needed
in Washington, and perhaps never will he
on account of the large amount of unim-
pTOhtU IaHu III lHt City-
Mr.. Sunders' Opinion.
Mr. William H. Saunders. 1407 f Street,
in discussing the question yesterday, said:
The good taste of the Senate District
private enterprises should overtop and
dwarf public buildings Still an investor
seeks the best means of securing good
IL f,Ata
fere with this SO long as his enterprise
is established in conformity with safety
and good taste"
MIR. Thomas G. Hensey, 1900 F Street,
said:
such an arbitrary law will neces-
sarily depreciate the value of cer-
tain properties. If the law were made
somewhat elastic, SO as to apply to the
conditions and needs of particular To-
calities, it would not work public hard
ship You cannot without injustice, make
law respecting the height of buildings
which will cover every part of the Dis
trict of Columbia"
Favors the Bill.
Mr. Fulton r. Gordon, 704 Fourteenth
Street, expressed himself as favoring the
passage of the bill.
There is plenty of room for Washing
ton to spread" he said, without build
ing skyscrapers. The necessity for them
does not exist as It does in towns like
Chicago and New York. The matter OF
the incomes derived from the rental is
one that will adjust itself. If more peo-
pie want Offices in the downtown busi-
ness portion the rents will rise"
Mr.. A. F. Fox. $40 Street, expressed
himself as favoring the passage of the
bill on grounds of architectural beauty.
He thought that new buildings which
are built should be constructed in har-
mony with the plans of the Parking Com
mission.
High Buildings Unnecessary.
Mr.. Edgar NJ. Moore, of the firm OF
Moore & Hill, III Fourteenth Street, said
that he did not consider the erection OF
high buildings in Washington a necessity.
He said:
There is enough unimproved and unoc-
cupied land to make the erection of sky
scrapers unnecessary. 1t is a fact that
only about two-thirds of the land in
Washington is improved. | am not TAX
ing the suberbs into consideration in
this estimate. mean the city proper"