Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-14
Redeeming the Avenue.

Plans for the ideal Washington do
not comprise merely public buildings
and park developments. They include
private improvements, which are per-
haps Of greater importance, because
of their greater number and the
greater space they NIL. In the mat
ter of PENNSYLVANIA avenue, the Capt.
tails chief thoroughfare and its most
famous and conspicuous, there can he
no consecutive and consistent private
development unless and until the Gov
eminent forecloses it's virtual mort
gage upon the lands which have been
by general assent p,e-empted for pub
lie building purposes.
Whether the project for developing
n wide boulevard on the north side Of
the Mall is carried out or not. Penn
syivania avenue will remain the main
street of Washington. If the Govern
ment takes all that remains Of the
great triangle formed by it and the
Mall and Fifteenth street. the north
side will await private development.
1t will surely come.
At present. with uncertainty affect
ing all owners of property on the Ave
nue. there can be no forward move
ment. The blight OF possible taking
affects all those on the south side.
That blight extends. as to the eastern
portion Of the Capitol Urea sury
stretch, to the north side. There must
lie a definition of the purposes of the
United States in the matter of those
areas before there can he any adj
vance toward the ideal of great, dig
nifed, handsomely improved thor
oughfare that has been entertained
by Washington for many years
The time has come to determine this
question. A public building program
has been adopted by Congress calling
for the expenditure OF $50 900 900 in
this city during a period of years.
Two buildings are planned for early
construction, both to he placed within
the MallAvenue triangle. The larg-
est ever designed for Government use
n
site for it was chosen initially within
the Mall. but the appropriateness of
that location has been realized and
there is now strong advocacy of a
pennsylvania avenue situation The
President has emphatically expressed
his opposition to further encroach.
ment upon the parks for building pur-
poses.
NO matter what the plans for Mall
treatment may he, or what buildings
al museum character are placed
there in the future. there should he
n" more department Office constrlIc-
tionS within that area. The fact that
the department Of Agriculture was
wrongly located there many years ago.
and by ingenious ARA ngement wings
were added to il without actual
junction in contemplation of an en-.
hr2ed building. should not now affect
the general principle that the park is
no place for a strictly Office building.
BY placing the Commerce Building
on the site most recently proposed
that between Seventh and Tenth
streets, the Avenue and the Mall. the
Government viii he keeping it's pledge
"f many Years to put the great tri-
angle TO practical use and to the end
Of the proper development Of the CAPT
tai Such a selection would he. with
the constructions now immediately in
hand. Very small space in proper
ton Yet to he acquired beyond that
already built upon and that assuredly
necessary for annex and extension
purposes in the near future.
Development OF the south side of
IernsN lNana avenue by the erection
u artistic public buildings will assure
the attainment of the ideal of a great
thorouehfare. significant in detail and
III the whole. 1t will stimulate private
construction; it will restore the old
balance of business in Washington.
II will purge the city of an unsightlv
condition that distreSses Washing.
tonians and shocks visitors.