Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-23
MOST BEAUTIFUL
CITY IN WORLD,
ARCHITECTS GOAL
Institute Dedicates Itself to
Task as Three-Day Con-
vention Opens.
DEVELO PMENT OF PARKS
EMPHASIZED BY PEASLEE
Urges Cramton Bill Enactment and
Legislation to Give Planning
Commission Free Hand.

and the awakening of the Nations
architects to this end was the task
the sixty-second annual convention of
the American Institute of Architects set
for itself today as it opened its three
day session at the Mayf1ower Hotel. Re-
peatedly speakers paid tribute to the
National Capital and promised aid in
furthering its cause.
Millions for public buildings In the
city but not enough for parks was the
thought stressed by Horace w. Peaslee
of Washington, chairman of the COM
mittee on the National Capital, in pre-
Senting that report Asserting that
amazing progress" has been achieved
in the development Of the Federal city,
Mr.. Peaslee recounted various projects
now under way here, but warned that
"the most urgent situation in need OF
support IL the development OF the park
system"
Champion Bill Passage Urged.
Urging immediate enactment of the
Champion Park bill, Mr.. Peaslee said:
THE present million dollars year is
but drop in the bucket in the carry
ing out of the great schemes, because
the desired land is being either wiped
out by development, with elimination
of irreplacable tree growth, or its value
is approaching so rapidly that it cam
not be purchased. At the present rate
of purchase, even if the land were not
made useless for park purposes 1t would
take 40 years and a corresponding
number of millions to acquire 1t.
Legislation should be enacted to free
the hand of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission in the clos
ing of dedicated streets which have not
been developed, and of making neces-
sary changes in the highway plans
within the old city limits, in order to
provide the necessary arteries for traf-
&c, Nothing can be done in the matter
of planning for a street car extension
or correlation until the competing lines
have been merged. There is also the
development of the water front, espe-
cially the Washington Channel, the
plans for which should be gotten under
way at once and co-ordinated with the
general plan"
Touching the topic Of too high build
ings, Mr.. Peaslee said that the most
striking illustration of this was that
of Pennsylvania avenue. with Federal
buildings of six stories on the south
side averaging 97.5 feet high, while
those on the north are free to go to ITO
feet with the special privilege possibility
of 1875, more or less"
idea Called Preposterous.
"The idea is preposterous in any
we'll ordered scheme of planning" the
report continued. 1T is imperative that
attention and action should be focused
upon this situation Immediately before
it is too late, and it is the obvious duty
of the profession to take the initiative -
1.-TWO courses present themselves for
consideration. One is reconsideration
at the special session of Congress Of
the Snipstead bill for the regulation Of
the height and exterior design and
construction of private and seni-publiC
buildings in certain areas of the Ma
tional Capital
1.-THE second course is a thorough
study of the coming regulations by the
ablest specialist obtainable under di-
rection of the Planning Commission in
accordance with the authority granted
that commission and the act which au-
thorized it, or restudy under the joint
supervision of the planning and coming
commissions.
IF the institute agrees with the an
alysis of the situation as presented by
this committee, it Is recommended that
it be brought officially to the attention
of the President, the members of Con-
gress and the commissions concerned
and that every effort be made to OBJ
tain action at the earliest possible mo-
ment.
"It would seem that no more fitting
tribute could be made to the Father
of His Country than to have accom-
plished, by the time of the bi-centen-
NAL of 1882, at least all of the ground
work necessary to produce the great
Capital which L'Enfant had the ca
pacity to envision more than century
ahead of his day and generation"
Capitol Dome Stressed.
Stressing the Importance of maintain
ing the dominance of the Capitol dome
over the National Capital by restricting
the height of buildings, Lieut.. Col
u. S. Grant, 3d. director of the Office
of Public Buildings and Public Parks
told the institute that "if the building:
along and G streets and the neighbor'
ing vicinity of the business section
which stands on ridge, were general
ly developed to height of 100 feet
the skyline here would be about feet
higher than the main roof line OF thu
Capitol, and the Capitol itself woulc
GfEIltudLIy 6RPCdAS WHICH, CCSAA AAOAAA WIN
north and northwest, as sunk in a hol.
low, instead of as the House on the
Hill The dome of the Capitol which
the designers intended should dominate
the city and should rise above 1t from
whatever direction it is viewed, would
be lost in the wilderness of, penthouse
and smaller towers and plnnacles."
The need for expansion OF the pari
properties was cited by Col. Grant, anc
| he summed up the situation in this
way:
| for an appropriation of little more
than 81 ,O00, 900, and this appropriation
| has been received only once. The com.
MISSIONS estimate indicates that The
| land needed would now cost nearly $751;
600 900 If purchased within five years
It's cost is increasing at the rate OF be.
tween and 10 per cent, or nearly
| ST, 10000 a year. It is evident thai
with the appropriation now authorized
/ the land cannot be supplied at a rate
| enlial to the rate at which its cost /
| Increasing. The economic justification
| for the CHAMPION bill (H. r. 26), which
proposes to lend to the District $751;
OOO,0 900 for the purchase OF park land
must therefore be patent to all.
/ The convention was called to ordel
by President G. Herrick Hammond @
Chicago. In his address he made ref
erence to the cooperation he has re
ceived in advancing the interests of TIL
organization
M. B. Medary, chairman of the com
mittee on public work. laid before thu
institute the findings of that body ant
asserted that the time would seem to b
right for extending some OF the func
lions Of the public buildings commission
/ beyond the District of Columbia.
1 Speakers Mt last nights meeting 2
"