Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-11

when the permanence OF coming Is rec
ognized and when speculation in land
values is restrained by realization OF
such permanence."
Quoted sale prices employed by the
tax assessors in arriving at assessed
values on Sixteenth street properties,
The Stars collection of figures shows.
largely supported the assessed values,
though three foreclosures were found to
have occurred there in the past six
years, and statements are made by nu-
merous property owners there that they
can neither rent nor sell at reasonable
figures. 1t is suggested by some COM
petent observers also that speculation
as to the possible future use of lower
Sixteenth street may explain some OF
the sale prices.
Ground Assessments Quoted.
To recapitulate briefly, also, the study
showed that residences on lower Six
tenth street had ground assessments
ranging from 81 to $50 per square foot,
while in several of Washington'S best
residential sections the rates vary from
$1.75 to Sill per square foot; that apart
ment sites on lower Sixteenth street
range from $40 to $40 per square foot,
while those in other sections studied
range from $1.65 to $40 per square foot.
The statement is made by competent
persons that should the assessed values
on lower Sixteenth street land be re-
duced nearly to figures comparable with
those on other sections zoned for resi-
Dental use, the street in short order
would be developed with attractive
apartments, hotels and institutional
buildings, as desired and planned by the
city planners.
Other suggested solutions may be in
teresting. The hopes of property own
ers on lower Sixteenth street that the
section be given a first commercial
classification, in conformity with the
surrounding areas. of course. are we'll
known. Such petitions have been re-
jected by the zoning Commission in the
past.
Alternative Is Outlined.
Another alternative, which now is
being followed, is to adopt a laissez
faire policy, leaving the existing coming
and assessment system stand and await
the time when supply and demand may
bring the developments to the street
that the city planning calls for. But
some interested parties claim this may
be many, many years hence. while
property owners there are paying ex-
orbitant assessments for residential
properties.
Another suggested solution would be
to l-.cdify the coming to permit only
the highest type of first commercial de-
velopments. such as office buildings, the
designs of the proposed new structures to
be subject to approval by both the Zon-
Ing Commission and the Park and Plan
ming Commission. so that only Struc-
lures that would be worthy additions to
the street might be permitted. This, it
is pointed out, might call for authori-
zation from Congress, unless it Is found
that the zoning Commission might set
up some new amendment to the coming
code permitting such optional approval
of plans.
Another alternative suggested is that
the Government, wishing to protect
the Avenue of the Presidents" as an
approach to the White House, which
now is virtually surrounded by first
com. ercial properties. with the excep-
ton of the public grounds south of the
executive mansion and Lafayette
Square, might condemn and acquire
lower Sixteenth street and convert 1t
into a park or sites for Government
buildings.