Evening star., 1928-04-14
BETTER Use ASKED
OF THROUGH LOTS
Changes in Zoning Regula-
tions Suggested by lnsti-
tute of Architects.

Changes in the coming regulations of
the District of Columbia affecting the
maximum heights of buildings which
may be erected on through" lots. or
those running from one street through
TO the next parallel street, were recon-
mended TO the coming commissioners
by the local chapter of the American
Institute OF Architects at its meeting
held Thursday evening at the Cosmos
Club.
In many cases Of through" lots the
maximum building heights vary widely.
The frontage of the property on one
street. for instance. may be soned for
oo-foot height and on the other street
frontage may be but 40-foot maximum
height In cases where such lots are
more than 100 feet deep the owner.
except under certain building code re-
strictions, may maintain at the higher
maximum height limit a building
erected on the property for depth OF
100 feet from the street frontage haV-
ing the higher limit. Thus in some
cases a building 90 feet high may De
erected on property zoned for 4o-toot
height. due TO the fact that the height
limit on the next street frontage was
90 feet and the building 100 feet or less
deep, the chapter pointed out.
Correction Is Proposed.
To correct this situation the chapter
az architects proposes that IN such
cases on the lower height limit street
frontage of a through" lot the build
ing be limited to the height limit Tor
that street frontage. but that the build
ing may be stepped up" in height un-
iii II attains the maximum height al
lowed under the limit for the other
frontage Of the through" lot.
Under such a plan, the architects
exnlained. there would be greater pro-
lection for owners Of property adjoln-
ing through lots on the side having the
lower height limit and also would make
possible greater cubic footage IN ouuo-
ings erected on through" lots due to
permission for stepping up the building
height from the lower to higher maxi
NUNS.
The chapter also adopted resolu-
tIon urging that the number OF stories
allowed under certain building height
coming restrictions be not specified. as
under the present regulations, and that
the number of floors in q building be
determined only in accordance with the
building code.
Present Limit on Stories.
At the present time, only IL stories
ere allowed under the l30-foot height
limit and IL stories in the ll0-foot
limit. However the chapter points out,
rnezzanine floors are being inserted by
builders. which. in effect, means adoi-
tional floors.
The meeting was addressed by Carl
Nose. sculptor, who has a class at the
Corcoran School of Art He pleaded
for closer relationship between the
architect and the sculptor and the use
of bona fide sculptors In construction OF
sculptured work on ornamental build
ingS. Fred P Murphy Of the Washing
ton chapter responded with the decla-
ration that architects generally are in
sympathy with the suggestion. There
is a difficulty. however. he said. IN the
matter of the cost of employing q
sculptor In such building operations.
Louis Justement, president Of the
chapter. presided over the business ses-
sion and Horace Peaslee took the chair
during the addresses.