Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-17
BY DON S. MARREN.

With plans for the development nj
me proposed civic center group al
buildings TO house the administratiN,
activities of the District government
now rapidly taking concrete form il
me minds of the cltN planners, the
Availability Of the suggested site fo'
me center at comparatively low cost
looms as a promising factor in the
project.
A bill now being put into final form
Tor the District commissioners 10y Mai
J.. +. Atkins, Assistant Engineer Com
missioner, and which may shortly be
forwarded to Congress for approval
calls for the appropriation of funds
for the acquisition Of land lying on
the north side of PENNSYLVANIA ave
nue. between Third and seventh
streets. and bounded on the north by
Louisiana avenue. u street and IN
diana avenue.
From the first discussion of the need
OF a new home for the municipal ac-
uNitieS. this site has been pointed To
ny city planners as most logical, due
10 its central location opposite the
great Federal building projects south
of Pennsylvania avenue. the need of
improving the appearance of the north
side of the Avenue and other factors.
From a practical point of view, also.
it is attractive To those planning for
this development because of the pres
ent low value and probable low cost.
comparatively speaking. of this sec
ton of downtown property.
Site Has Low Valuation.
Contrary to conditions in many Of
the numerous cities of the United
States which in recent years have
planned or proceeded with the deVe-
opment of civic centers. the site for
the Washington municipal group now
is occupied largely by old buildings Of
small initial cost and of relatively
very low valuation i'm comparison with
the high value of other downtown
property. While property values in
the better developed downtown section
have more than doubled in the past 10
or 10 years. according to William T..
Richards. District tax assessor, the
property in the proposed civic center
site has been virtually stationary in
value. This is with the exception. Of
course, of the two or three modern
buildings TO be found in this area.
A study of assessments on property
in this section in comparison with
other downtown squares SubstantiateS
this point. Land in the area proposed
vldeG into six squares, containing 220
parcels of land. the present total as
sessment of which. according 10 fig
ures of the tax assessor, amounts to
s.. 5S7. 0S7. In marked contrast to this
figure, the total assessment placed on
property having virtually the same
area, lying between Twelfth md Fiji
teenth streets T. and H streets. Mr..
Richards points out. amounts To the
huge figure Of S70.4f9.S70, or nearly
u times that of the proposed site for
the civic center.
Assessments on the various squares
in the civic center site are as follows:
Square 49O. containing 81 lots. $3.50, 743
for the land. S4S5.500 for improve
ments. with a total of SSG6.243: square
AL. containing 81 lots, SS14.722 for
land, S54S200 for improvements, with
a total assessment of 81 1862 922: square
533, containing 45 lots. S255.606 for
land, 1910, 500 for Improvements. with
a total assessment of $5e6 .206: reSer-
walton 10, containing 81 lots, $585,375
for the land, S455,S00 for improve
ments, with a total assessment of
S1.041, 17J; square 459, containing p
lots. S335,273 for land. 1886, 900 for inn
provements, with a total assessment
of S52e.173, and square 400. contain
ing Il lots. S755,56S for land. $2S2, 500
for improvements. with total assess
ment of 81 OPS 36S, making a grand
total assessment for the site of
S5,3S7. 0s7.
$4,000 900 Limit Planned.
Plans now being prepared for the
consideration of the Commissioners
and subsequently of Congress, pro-
yided the city heads indorse them,
call for the appropriation by Con
rress of a fund of between $4,000, 600