Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-30
TAX SAVING SEEN
|NLONGER BLOCKS.
Short Squares, in subdlM-
sions May Be Done Away
With as Aid to Beauty.

Study Is being made by city plan. {,
ners of the possibilities of providing
for longer city blocks. while laying !
out new subdivisions. which are ex- !
pected to result in benefit not only to :
the property owners. but to the tax
payers. Members of the National
Park and Planning Commission nave ,
given some attention to this question,
and the co-ordinating committee OF
that commission, which considers
street changes, In the first instance,
has already made some steps in the
direction of carrying out the idea. -
While IL is realized that the Dis
| trfct of Columbia proper is rapidly be-
| Ing built up to it's dividing lines be-
tween the States, nevertheless in the
consideration OF regional planning. it
Is probable that they will give serious
consideration TO lengthening city
| blocks. which will do away with q
number Of cross streets The idea is
| made possible by the advent OF the
automobile, which he's made dists noes
| seem comparatively short, Ii was
pointed out, and there is no need now
| for the short city block.
Would Add to Beauty.
! While considering street changes in
areas where the thoroughfares are al
4
| highway plan, but not cut through as
streets, the committee is giving at
| tentiOn to the matter of longer
| squares.
/ With longer city blocks. IL is pointed
out, more beautiful city will become
| possible. Fewer cross streets in a
| given territory will permit the SUP
divider to get from three to fodr
more lots out of the area This bene-
1 add n
be passed along to the ultimate pur-
chaser. In turn, this increase in the
! number of lots would increase the
amount of taxable property. ground
4 and improvements, which would I'm
turn reduce the tax which must be
paid by others.
! The city would not he called upon
to use taxpayers money in the pave
| ment of so many streets, il is said
and thus would save the cost not only
OF constructing but of maintainipg.
| the streets which, under the old order
| of things, would have to be laid down
| The provision of long squares in
| the newer territories also would per-
nit the planners to retain much of
| the original beauties of the city.
| Where, for instance, a cross street
was intended, probably cut would
be necessitated, but IL the long square
do this. The longer street will permit
| the laying down of streets more in
conformity with the original topog-
raphy of the territory
1,00O-Foot Blocks Planned.
Many of the changes which now
are being made on the old highway
plan are In an effort to save the
beauties OF the original topography,
1.xI II l.
area along Conduit Road Immediate
ly west of Rock Creek Park, and In
the vicinity of Chevy Chase. Where
ever possible in these areas the squares
are being made longer, somewhere I'm
the neighborhood of 900 feet
While the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission acts IN
only an advisory capacity in the So
called metropolitan areas in Maryland
and Virginia. nevertheless the officials
| and residents in these areas have
| shown a whO1e-hearted desire to get
the benefit of the expert advice pro-
vided free by the Federal Govern
ment.
In laying out these new areas to
/ conform as far as practicable with
the layout of the Capital City proper,
efforts will be made to assure longer
blocks, and il is believed they will
develop into the most beautiful areas
of the regional district. which in
cludes Washington. Montgomery and
Prince Georges Counties, Md, and
Arlington County, Va.
Officials are jubilant over plans be-
ing made in Maryland for developing
the regional area, and the unanimity
of opinion in favor of 1t. They point
out. however. that some opposition
may he expected at first, but that
when the people are brought to see
the intangible increase in value tos
their property by the planning Of
boulevards, highways, Fairgrounds
and public parks, the opposition viii
fade out of the picture