The Washington times., 1923-03-08
PROT ESTS
HEARD At
HEARING
Petition to Erect Commercial
Sites viii Probably
Be Rejected.

Residents of Cleveland Park
crowded the board room of the Dis
trict Building today. and vigor.
ously protested to the District Zon.
Ing Commission against the cree
ton of stores on Connecticut I've
nue.. The commission held a hear
ing on two requests to change the
zoning of certain parts of Conncc-
ticut avenue near the entrance to
the Geological Park.
Harry Wardman, local builder,
who is erecting an apartment on
the west side of the avenue directly
In front Of the Zoo, was the first
witness to appear before the COM
mission. He was seeking permits
sion to erect stores on the first
floor OF his proposed apartment.
Claim Stores Needed.
residents of that section to these
stores, | wish to withdraw my APP
.plication, Wardman said He. how
ever. expressed the opinion that
stores were needed in that neigh-
borhood.
Edkar S. Kennedy, representing
Kennedy Brothers. who are seeking
to build stores on the first floor or
their proposed apartments at the
northeast corner Of Connecticut
avenue and Cathedral avenue, was
the next witness.
Kennedy pointed out that within
q short time ZOO families would
be added to this territory by the
erection of apar tnent houses.
"These people must be served,
Kennedy said. I'VE are not inter
ested in any financial gain for
erection OF stores would not mean
Additional money for JUS. But we
are interested in the neighborhood
and feel that it is in need of f5ev-
erai stores. Our proposed EStores
will not be unsightly."
Engineer Commissioner Charles
Keller. presiding at Nhe hearing,
asked Kennedy whether. in view
of the fact the stores proposed were
not money.making propositions, he
was opposed to having the stores
on the Wardman property instead
OF his property. He replied that
his property was near the center
Of the neigi1borhood, and would
probably be a better site for stores.
However, he finally wound up by
saying that either location would
be suitable to him.
Association Protests.
Harry Grove. representing the
Connecticut Avenue Citizens Asso-
citation, entered protest for the
organization.
%"Tf one store comes. others will
follow" he said There is no
need for stores in that neighbor-
hood: 1t would practically destroy
the beauty Of that entire section
of the city. Our organization Is
most vigorously opposed TO business
in that neighborhood."
The commission indicated the re-
quests of Messrs. Wardman and
Kennedy Brothers would be denied.
when residents of that neigh
borhood moved in they were well
aware there were no stores in
that section Keller said. ''They
probably bought the property for
it's exclusiveness."
Other persons spoke before the
commission vigorously. Directing to
the stores. William Reid, who said
ne represented four pieces Of
property in the neighborhood, OPP
posed any kind of stores.
IF you are going to allow stores
In that neiEhborhood, you IhlSH' as
wen abolish the coming commits
sion" he said, land let anybody
build stores wherever they want
to-
Those opposing the stores re
ferred to the development of Four
teenth street. declaring tina. the
residential section of Connecticut
avenue might likewise be destroyed.
Engineer Commissioner Keller said
the commission regretted the de-
gtFuction of the residential blocks
0nzFourteenth street.
Several othe~ small changes in
Eontng were considered.