The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-02-13
URGES PLANNED
SUBURBS

= S )
Outlying shopping districts that
are growing up rapidly with the
development OF the modern Ameri-
can city can make or break prop
erty values as they are carefully
planned and controlled or allowed
to grow helter.skelters according 20
j. G. Nichols, Of Kansas City, Mo-,
director Of the National Association
Of Real Estate Boards and q mem
Der of the associations committee
on planning metropolitan areas. IN
an article printed in the current ls-
sue OF the Journal OF Land ana
Public Utility Economics. THIS
planning committee Is cooperating
with the American city Planning
Institute in studying methods OF
control for regions just outside
clty's corporate limits.
Automobile congestion IN down
town streets. the Riling up OF popu-
lafion into the air in outlying large
apartment house centers, ana the
creating OF night life in the out
lying suburban centers through mo-
ton picture theaters and other
amusement places, are bringing
about s large development OF SUD
urban shopping centers, Mr.. Nlchols
points out, the control OF which =
vital ia preserving the beauty ana
In serving the best interests OF tho
city fl the future.
ssrn American cities Of any consid
cradle size our new outlying 5usi.
ness cel1ters frequently are bec0m-
ing the ug1iest, most unsightly ma
disorderly spots of the entire city
Mr. Nichols says. New traffic
Threats Of congestion are being
created that will sooner or later
can for the expenditure Of gigantic
sums of public funds to relieve.
Buildings of every color, size. shape
and design are being huddled To-
gether
Glarfng BiIIboaras
"a mixture OF glaring biIlbparda.
11nsightlv rubbish dumps. hideous
rears. urkempt alleys, dirty loading
docks. unrelated, uncongenial mix
lures OF shops of every type and
use. shacks and shanties mixed
with good buildings, great masses 0I
unpainted common Drlck wills
reared beside the little shop building
that Il OF good design are brinsirR
about disorder and tinattrac
that threaten to mar the beauty OF
the residential regions o. America
cities.
Millions Of dollars are lost IN
American cities from the unneces-
sary shifting OF property uses, the
article uofnfs out The abandon.
Y,,anf Of formerly beautiful residen-
fIal areas. neglected and blighted
former business sections, should
arouse everyone in q determination
to protect the appearance Of dis
CITY as well as the property values
themselves. -.
less than 100 feet in width, is the
first specific requirement ME-.
Nichols lays down in the develop
rnent of shopping centers. ne
having width should be at least
"a FEET and preferably as great as
- feet. in order to give diagOnal
rarlxfng Tor autobomiles. thereby IN
s.reasirsg two and one-haif times tne-
fyarIing area on the streets
ssThe provision Of loading and un-
ioading courts in the interior OF
is,ainess center blocks Is desirable
IN order to relieve the front streets
OF all delivery trucks, ne noins.
.AlIevs should be wide enough 20
allow three lines Of truck traffic
Far blocks that are not Of suffi-
Gent size to allow these interior
:sThese new shopping centers
.houId be built horizontally and
esr.f vertically" the article warns,
m advocating control Of building
heights. eft IL difficult to make
outlying stores pay rental above
the second story. Moreover every
additional story in shopping cen.
ter increases in direct proportion
the amount Of traffic In 'front.' OF
the building"
Shops Massed
Massing of the shops into con-
tfnuoIs blocks radiating from ont
center, as opposed to the string
street development where continuous
shops are built on each side OF
street one or two miles IN lehEtn'
n advised to overcome the TRAFFIC
d,fficulties that result from the in.
creased flow of travel that the
string business street invites. Group
ing OF related shops with attention
to variety of building fronts to give
interest to the street will add TO
The aftraetiveness of the district.
sControI Of the design OF buildings
erected on a vacant lot in a snop-
ming center should be as carefully
eafeguarded as it is in the case OF
restrictions on residences in high
class subdivisions today" Mr.. Mich
oils affirms, adding that park ue'
veIopment may also be made an In.
tegral part OF new business centers.
"In the long run. good planning
a good business" Mr.. Nichols points
out.
"America has an opportunity in
this new era Of building outlying
shopping centers. 1t Is possible to
make these shopping centers dis
tinctive and appealing in appearances,
indiVidualistic and attractive in de-
sign and layout, affording character
and color to the general appearance
of the city. Cleanliness and good
order. reasonable uniformity and
harmony Of design, height and ele-
walton, will go Har to e make our
American cities more attractive,
smore appealing, and of unquestloned
value to the people who live in these
cities. Out Of this order and clean,
illness will come a practical beauty
OF great intangible value to the
spirit, patriotism, and well-being Of
any community"
gMHnI N ~ lIR nEARe