Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-12
|SAYS ZONE RULES
RETARD BUILDING
Frank White, Architect,
Writes Commissioner Hen
drick His Views.

The new coming regulations, which
| restrict the height area and use Of
| all. structures, will retard building
| operations in Washington at a time
| when building activities should be
| going forward, in the opinion OF
| Frank White, architect 1914 F. street.
| In letter to Commissioner J. Thil-
| man Hendrick Mr. White expressed
! the belief that the coming regulations
| have reduced the value of much prop
| erty in The District and will tend to
| discourage construction projects.
y Explains Objections.
| The writer makes plea for re-
turn to the old building regulations,
| provision for light and ventilation
/ Mr.. White explains his objection to
| the coming law as follows:
All properties have always had
| their values figured from the stand
point of what they would produce.
| which to those familiar with the real,
{ " market is known to be the only
positive means of calculating a ground
value with few eXceptions); this
value under the new coming law has
| Deen very greatly reduced. and be-
lieving the old building regulations to
nave been as near perfect as it is
| possible to make regulations, as re-
gardlnS light and ventilation, / can
not see the advantage of further re-
ducing the production power of prop
| erty. There is no doubt in my mind
that the new regulations have been
carefully drawn with the intention of
doing the most good for the most peo-
| pie. but in SO doing the possibility of
fabortions in building still exists, and
| as they now stand the property of
! our city is placed under such severe
/ restrictions that building Shall auto
matically cease, as the property own
er, who has been paying taxes on his
property, assuming it to be worth a
| certain price, will be unable to dis
! pose of it at his figure for the sin,nIe
reason that the builder will not pav
what it was previously worth, for
being restricted as it is at present. il
| is only worth to him about two-thirds
of its former value.
! Refers to Apartments.
! Il speak principally of apartment
| house property. for which there is a
! great demand at present, but which
| under the existing regulations Will
| undoubtedly lie dormant, and at
| time above all times when We should
be preparing for the greatest build
! ing activity that Washington has ever
! known. We all want beautiful city.
but in this endeaVor we should not
overstep the lines of practicability
! venture to say that thousands of
\
useless and l cannot call to mind any
/ type of corner or triangular lot that
| will not be reduced approximately
| 33 1-3 per cent in value. This is sure
| ly tremendous burden for the prop
! erty owners of Washington. and
| doubt if they all fully realize just
| what has happened to them. The right
| to utilize the party wall as laid down
| by George Washington has also been
(, denied to great extent.
Competent to Speak.
Il am assuming that l am competent
| to speak intelligently on this subject.
| in view of my past experience in
! apartment house design. which tota Is
upward of 100000 900, all of which
| was laid out according to the old reg
. ulat:ons. and which from light and
| ventilation standpoint will bear in
spection by the most skeptical.
Il would therefore like to ask for
the benefit Of our city and all con-
cerned that although the coming law
remains in effect. allow our old regu-
! lations to become effective once again
and permit us to go ahead