Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-23
Projected Construction on E
Street Northwest.
PERMIT APPLIED FOR
CONTENTION OVER THE WIDTH
OF THoRoUGHFARE.
Argument in Favor of Structure 100
Feet in Height-Matter I'm
der Consideration.

The promoters of the project to erect
modern eleven-story hotel building on the
site of the present Hotel Lawrence, just
west Of the National Theater on e street
between 18th and 18th streets. appeared be-
fore the District Commissioners this morn
ing to present their argument on the subject
of the maximum height to be allowed for
the structure. Messrs. Albert Carry and
Robert Portner propose to erect the hotel
They were represented at the hearing this
morning by Mr.. Alexander H. Bell, their
attorney, and by Mr.. c. A. Didden, their
architect. Mr.. Carry was also present. as
was Mr.. A. B. Duvall, the corporation coun-
sci and legal adviser Of the Commissioners
A communication was addressed to the
Commissioners recently In which the own
ers Of the hotel property asked whether or
not they would be allowed to build to the
maximum height of 100 feet, which Is allow
ed on Pennsylvania avenue, or whether
they were to be limited by the width be-
tween the north line of E street and the
triangular parking which fronts a part of
the property, which is 80 feet. The build
Ing inspector reported in favor of allowing
a height Of 1870 feet.
The Commissioners next referred the mat
ter to the corporation counsel. who render
ed an opinion in which he quoted the build
Ing law saying all buildings must be lin
their front. He said that the west "a feet
of the Hotel Lawrence lot fronts on Penn
sylvanfa avenue and that 130 feet would be
allowed there. but the remaining 46 feet
front faces the triangular reservation and
must be considered as being on E street,
and a maximum Of only 80 feet could be
allowed.
Did Not Agree With Ruling.
Mr. Bell wrote to the Commissioners say
ing he did not agree with the ruling Of the
counsel, and requested a hearing, which
was set for this morning. In opening his
argument Mr.. Bell called attention to the
fact that the lot on which 1t is proposed to
erect the hotel Is an original lot. laid out
when the plans for the city were drawn up
prior to the establishment of the seat Of
government here in 1900. AS such a lot it
is described being situated on the north
line of E street. The south line Of e street.
he declared, is described as marking the
northern boundary of the square in which
the Southern railroad offices are located.
Between this established north line Of E
street and the south line of the same thor
oughfare, between 18th and 14th streets, the
width Is 315 feet
''Of course we do not ask for permission
to build a structure 375 feet high," said
Mr. Bell" for the law says that in no case
shall building exceed 100 feet We 10 ask
for the maximum height allowed on Penn
sylvania avenue, however. for that avenue
lines of E street in front Of our property"
The Triangular Reservation.
Mr.. Bell argued that the triangular reser-
walton in front of a part Of the lot and ex-
tending down to 18th street was taken over
by the United States as part of the street
space. It was not needed for street pur-
poses, however, and was developed into a
park. Under no circumstances. he declared,
could this piece of parking be understood
to constitute the south line of E street. for
that line is fixed in describing the Southern
railway square, south Of Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. 1t Is only in the later maps of the
city, he declared. that the triangle appears
parking space. If it were paved over
by the United States, as might be the case
at some future time, then, he argued there
would be question of it's being part of
the street A case similar to this was cited
at Pennsylvania avenue and 10th street,
where the statue of Benjamin Franklin
stands. There the triangle formed by the
intersection of D street with the avenue has
been paved over and maximum height
would be allowed to a structure at the
northwest corner of 10th and D streets.
Mr.. Bell said no street or building lines
have been established along the triangle
In front of the proposed hotel property
The street formed by the north line of the
triangle and the north line of street is
but half street The triangle cannot bring
tue Two lkeu lilies Ol Il StTeets one On
the north side of Pennsylvania avenue
and the other on the south side, any closer
together. Mr.. Bell said the first reference
he could find to the triangle was in 1894.
Prior to that time 1t was evidently consid-
cred as part Of the roadway.
Fronts on E Street.
It was argued that all Of the property In
the square with the Lawrence Hotel facing
south is actually fronting on E street, de-
spite the fact that many Of the trades
people at the western end of the block
designate their places Of business as 'front.'
ing on Pennsylvania avenue. The same
was the case in the Southern railway block
and the old power house square opposite.
The northern frontageS of those squares are
officially on E street.
Mr.. BELL made another plea for the allow
ance OF the maximum height. He said the
corporation counsel had decided that por-
ton of the lot fronted on Pennsylvania
avenue and portion on E street If this
was the case then the property must be re-
garded as corner property. At corners the
law allows as a maximum height the
height that would be allowed on the wider
street.
while there are no angles to our lot"
continued the attorney, I'VE face partly on
one street and partly on another. There
fore we are in the same category as a.
corner lot and should be allowed the maxi
mum height. 1t would be absurd to allow
us to build twenty-four feet of our front
UP to 1870 feet and say we should not build
the remainder higher than ninety feet"
The Commissioners took the matter
under consideration.