Evening star., 1929-12-04
Drawings of Architectural
Body to Be Used to Fur
ther Idea.
Definite STEP TAKEN
BY BOARD OF TRADE
study to Be Made for Vast Sports
Arena at Eastern Entrance
of Capital.

At the behest of the Washington
Board of Trade, the Allied Architects
Of Washington have decided to begin
work Immediately on plans for a gi-
gantic coliseum at the eastern entrance
to the city in the hope that the di-
rectors of the Roosevelt Memorial
Foundation will agree to the monu-
ment proposed for erection here as a
memorial to the former President
taking that form.
This is the most definite step which
has yet been made by the citizens of
Washington toward securing a great
athletic arena and forum for the Dis
trict. For some time the Board of
Trade has been trying to persuade
those at the head of the memorial
foundation to alter the original plan
for the placing of fountain in Po-
tomac Park in memory of Roosevelt
and agree to the idea of coliseum, but
SO far little has been accomplished.
The foundation is in the course of
raising several million dollars, and al
ready has a million in hand. It has
not yet decided what form the me-
mortal will take, and the action of the
Board OF Trade, and the Allied Archi-
tects is calculated to turn the directors
Of the foundation to a more favorable
consideration of a coliseum, instead of
a monument without utilitarian value.
Decide to Go Forward.
The decision to 60 forward with
plans for the coliseum was reached
yesterday at conference of Board of
Trade and Allied Architects represen-
tativeS with Lieut.. Col. u. S. Grant,
Sd, director of public buildings and
grounds; Irving Porter of the local
chapter. American Institute of Archi-
tects, and Charles Eliot, I'd, city plan
ner. The meeting was arranged by
Claude W. Owen. chairman of the spe-
cial subcommittee Of the boards COM
munity affairs committee, and was at
tended by Frank Upman, president of
the Allied Architects; Louis JuStement,
vice president and assistant production
manager; Nathan Wyeth, production
manager of the Allied Architects, and
Robert j. Cottrell, executive secretary
of the Board of Trade.
AS an outcome of the conference, the
Allied Architects authorized a special
group to confer with Mr.. owen with a
view to ascertaining the thought Of the
Board Of Trade on the requirements of
such structure.
The Allied Architects consist Of "a
Of the leading architects of the city.
many with national regulations, who
are organized to act in an advisory
capacity on buildings here of monu-.
mental character, designed for public
or semi-public use. The body has been
given the work of designing the new
$7,000,000 House ONCE Building, in CO.
operation with David Lynn. the archi-
tect of the Capitol and a special COM
mittee from this group is serving with
Albert l.. Harris, the municipal archi-
tect, in designing the new Municipal
Center development.
Project Is Endorsed.
Endorsement of coliseum here as a
memorial to President Roosevelt has
been received by the Board of Trade in
formal resolutions from more than 100
local civic bodies.
Last year special committee, of
which Mr.. Owen Is chairman, accom-
panied by Col. Grant, appeared before
officials of the Roosevelt Foundation
and urged the project Since that time
the board has been consulting various
influential persons and after several
weeks preliminary discussion has sue
ceeded in enlisting the aid of the al
lied architects.
1t is planned to place the coliseum
at the eastern end of the city on a
direct line with the Capitol, the Wash
ington Monument and the Lincoln Me-
mortal and equidistant with Lincoln
NSIIlOl ldl 1TOIl JIl6 CdplUOl.
This location would be at the Juno
ture of East Capitol street and the
Anacostia River and has been approved
by the National Capitol Park and Plan
ming Commission. Thus the great ma
tional memorial would form a gateway
to Washington corresponding to the
Lincoln Memorial on the west.
Facilities Convenient.
The board points out that railroad
and river facilities are convenient to
this location, and new bridge across
the Anacostia River at this point was
recently approved by the Park and
Planning Commission.
1t is proposed that rs acres of land
be used for the coliseum, which would
/ seat 100000 persons. There would be
ample parking accommodations and
| proper landscaping
The Board Of Trade feels that a
monument of this kind, in which ma
tional celebrations and events similar to
the receptions to Gen. Pershing and
| Col. Lindbergh could be held, aside from
athletic contests, would not only typify
the spirit of Roosevelt, but would give
tne Nation a great forum that it sorely
! needs.