Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-23
FINE ARTS GROUP
COMMENDS CIVIC
BUILDING CHOICE
Projects Selected by Board of
Trade Jury for ArChitec-
turaI Tone Approved.
MEMBERS IMPRESSED,
DECLARES CHAIRMAN
Treatment of Water Tower at Fort
Reno Particularly Admired, 4,
Letter Advises.

Commentator for the architectural
design and general treatment of eight
local building projects completed during
the past two calendar years, which
we're selected by jury for the Wash
ington Board of Trade as being Of
"meritorious" character, is voiced by
the Commission of Fine Arts, following
study of the developments made at
the request of the trade body.
The eight developments were selected
by an impartial jury acting for the
Board of Trade, through its committee
, on municipal art, early this year, in keep
ing with its plan of centering public at
tention biennially on worthy additions
to the National Capital with a view to
promoting general ARCHITECTURAL enhance
ment of the Capital by private develop
ers. Since its Inauguration number
of years ago, the plan has been copied
by number of other cities OF the
country.
Projects Selected.
The eight developments commended
by the trade body were the Carlton
Hotel. corner of Sixteenth and K streets,
designed by M. Mesrobian of the Ward
man Construction Co.; the headquarters
of the Young Women's Christian As
ISOLATION: the Mullen Memorial Library
at Catholic University Brookland, de-
signed by Murphy & OlmStead; the
chapel, cloister and garden at Fort Lin
coin Cemetery, designed by Horace w.
Peaslee: the Wesley Heights community
development of w. c. g. A. N. Miller,
designed by Gordon Mcneil; the Fort
Reno watertower, designed by A. l..
dence at 2425 Kalorama road, designed
by T. ]. D. Fuller, and the residence
at Twenty fourth street and wyoming
avenue, designed by Wyeth 81 Sullivan.
Each One Contributes.
In a letter to Appleton P. Clark, jr.,
chairman of the municipal arts COM
mittee of the Board of Trade made
public today. Charles Moore, chairman
of the Fine Arts Commission, speaking
for that body, declares the commission
agrees that each of the eight develop
ments contributes to the architectural
development of the National Capital.
He added that the commission members
were particularly impressed with the
treatment Of the water tower, pointing
out that a water tower almost in
variably" is blot on the landscape.
Chairman Moores comments are as
follows:
I'm accordance with your request on
behalf of the Washington Board OF
Trade, the Commission of Fine Arts in
spected the eight examples, erected
during the past two years, which nave
received recognition for meritorious de-
sign.
THE commission cordially agrees
that each of these eight selections made
by the committee on municipal art of
the Washington Board of Trade does
contribute to the architectural develop
ment of the National Capital The
members were particularly impressed
with the treatment of the problem OF
water tower at Fort Rene.
Treated Adequately.
almost invariably a water tower Is
a blot on the landscape. Here is one
treated adequately as to its utility and
at the same time attractively. The
commission expresses the hope that this
instance of designing water tower as
a work of art will prove an example
and an incentive.
1.-THE commission commends the gen.
eral design of the Young Women's
Christian Association Building as a
successful application of the early archi-
lecture of this country to present-day
uses. They regretted the use of the
copper cornice.
1.-THE residence on Wyoming avenue
found favor by reason of the happy
blending of house and gardens. Wash
ington in early days was famous for its
large and highly developed estates, and
the present tendency to provide ad-
equate landscape features is one highly
to be encouraged. The ref1nements
shown both in architecture and planting
are notable"