Evening star., 1928-11-21
1a)-FOOT AVENUE
HOTELS OPPOSED
Planning Commission Objects
to High Buildings Opposite
Federal Structures.

The National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission today registered its
firm objection to the building of 130-
foot height hotel on the north side
of Pennsylvania avenue facing build
ings to be included in the Federal
building programs for the Mall-Penn-
sylvania avenue triangle.
The protest came at a meeting OF the
zoning Commission, at which a propo-
Sition was discussed to change the zon-
ing of the ground on which the Ma
tional Hotel, at Pennsylvania avenue
and Sixth street, Is located from 90
foot CD" area to first commercial 110-
permit building 1870 feet high with
setbacks at the 90-foot and 110-foot
levels. Edward w. Darling, jr., archi-
tect, said that clients he represented
intended to build large hotel on this
location, with rates attractive to tour
lists, He said that his clients did not
desire to do anything to interfere with
the Federal Building program and that
the highest point on the hotel would
come 40 feet below the perspective line
from the. top of the Capitol to the top
Of the high buildings on F street and
that the highest point in the building
WOulQ De OIL Ie6L UdCk OAA GAAC SAAASJA
vania avenue lot line.
Model Is Shown.
Mr.. Darling had previously set up
in the hearing room a large block
model showing the proposed structure,
which would be built in three main
blocks, with the chief entrance on
Sixth street.
Mai. Carey Brown, engineer OF the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, stated that this proposition
had been discussed at the November
meeting of the commission. Owing to
the tendency of the so-called Ship
stead bill to regulate the architecture
of buildings on the north side OF Penn
sylvania avenue, Maj. Brown said, the
planning commission felt that 1t would
be most unfortunate to allow any
change in the Zoning at this time.
Moreover Mai. Brown declared that
the building of this hotel would inter-
fere with the work on the proposed
municipal CENTER which is expected 10
be grouped around the present District
Supreme Court building north OF the
National Hotel
Planning Harmonious Designs.
Mai. Brown said that the American
Institute of Architects was now en-
gagged in developing architectural de-
signs for buildings on the north side OF
the Avenue along lines that would be
harmonious with the proposed Federal
buildings on the south side. These de-
signs. he said. would be submitted to
The planning commission, for use in ar
irving at a decision as to the kind OF
architecture to be allowed on the north
side Of the Avenue should the Ship
stead bill be enacted into law.
E. w. Darling, ST., said that on be-
half of the owners Of the property ne
wished that the plans for the hotel
could be submitted to the institute OF
architects for their approval.
A storm of protest was caused by
petition to change from residential "C
area to first commercial &c" area the
property at 1901 Hobart street. Mrs.
Burnita Shelton Matthews, an attorney,
made an eloquent plea for this change
on behalf of client who owns the
house and resides in it. Mrs. Matthew's
pointed out that although the mousse
fronts on Hobart street, more tnan Two @
and a half times the length OF the
Hobart street frontage is on Mount
Pleasant street, which is now practically
ali zoned commercial. She said that
the Zoning Commission had allowed the
erection Of a gasoline filling station
within 10 feet Of the entrance to her
clients property, and that this had SO
damaged It's value as residence tnat
there was no way for her to save ner
investment in 1t other than by having
It zoned commercial and selling It.
Many Opposed to Change.
When Chairman william B. Ladue
of the commission asked II anybody
was present to oppose the change about
40 persons, or nearly everybody IN the
room, arose. Col. Ladue suggested that
they elect a spokesman, and M. w.
Lewis of 1916 Mount Pleasant street,
chairman of the zoning committee OF
the Mount Pleasant Citizens Associa-
ton, was named.
Mr.. Lewis said that the proposed
change was just one step toward COM
mercializing Mount Pleasant street To-
ward the south and the beautiful park
areas there.
The community did not want to run
the risk of having Sixteenth street ana
it's neighborhood further marred by
commercial properties, he said.
Twenty-Five residents in the vicinity
of 1920 First street opposed changing
the zoning of that property from first
to second commercial area to allow the
construction of additional unloading
sheds on the dairy property OF aaIfy IL
Black.
Witnesses said that there was much
noise in the early hours of the morn
ing from banging he milk cans now,
and that allowing the unloading shed
area to be increased would simply in
| crease this noise There was no oppo-
sition registered to proposed change
| from residential 60-foot "B" area to first
commercial 90-foot &c" area Of the
property at 208 Massachusetts, avenue
northeast, nor any to projected change
| from 60-foot &c" area to 90-foot &c"
area of the property at 301 to 327 First
| street northeast.
| A proposal to change from residential
| to first commercial the Zoning of Gal
B street and 638 North Carolina ave-
nue. southeast, however, brought forth
objections.
Property owners said that this Sec
ton had enough stores.