Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-06
BY DON S. WARREN.

The fate of lower Sixteenth street
still hangs in the balance.
Known far and wide throughout the
country as the Avenue of the Presi-
dents, but described by some owners of
property there as an Avenue Of Fading
future character of this famous thor
oughfare, now an embattled traffic
highway, still appears undetermined
though rigidly protected from business
during the eight and half years since
zoning was instituted here.
This narrow island of residential
zone, surrounded by a sea Of high
priced commercial area, has been the
focal point of one determined. con-
certed effort of its owners to obtain for
1t commercial rating. They came to
grips with an even more determined
group of opponents who defeated the
proposed change.
That was more than two years ago.
The Zoning Commission then rejected
the zoning change. Rumblings still
persisted, however, and of late have In
creased. The battle Is fairly drawn
between ethetics and business.
One or more affected property own
ers have recently decided to carry the
fight again before the Zoning Commis-
sion-or to court-unless relief from
what is termed an impossible economic
situation is granted, 1t is learned by The
Star from reliable sources.
Plea Of Owners.
Once again the Zoning Commission
may turn a deaf ear to the plea OF
property owners on this five-block sec
ton that they are being made to pay
the cost of keeping this street IN the
residential classification. But inter-
ested parties may carry the battle TO
court in an attempt to prove that the
street is merely theoretically "residen-
tiar' and its zoning as such amounts.
in effect, to condemnation OF private
property for public benefit. Such Is the
belief of several owners in the area.
Thus Sixteenth street from H street
to Scott Circle again is to be placed on
trial, along with the right OF the Zon-
ing Commission to determine that busl-
ness shall be barred from this artery.
Because of the wide interest in the
question. The Star has set out to deter
mine Just what the existing situation
is on this part of Sixteenth street as
revealed by a detailed study Of facts,
aside from questions Of esthetics. A
mass of statistics has been gathered
not heretofore cited in arguments for
or against the proposal for allowing
business on this street. Facts were
sought without regard to which side
OF the case they supported. Because
the study was technical largely. The
Star sought the aid Of Alton L. Wells.
financial student and an accomplished
statistician, associated with Story q
Co., who compiled figures on assess
ments and other data relevant to the
matter.
Figures resulting from this study in
numerous cases we're almost amazing
to one not closely identified with real
estate conditions on the Street. What
the findings we're will be discussed in a
series of articles to be published In The
Star.
It is automatic that the zoning Of a
city-the best Of zoning-sooner or later
must cause some monetary injury to
individual property owners while bene-
fitting the city as a whole. Zoning classi-
fications in particular instances in some
cities have been upset by appeals to
court or to a zoning board of appeals
on a showing that zoning caused an un-
due or unnecessary hardship on indl-
vidual owners. This was the conten-
tion of owners on Sixteenth street in
the memorable case two years ago. 1t
likely will be the principal argument If
and when the case arises again.
Two Senators in Section.
Numerous prominent individuals are
concerned with the Sixteenth street
approach to the White House" Two
Senators live in the section. In addi-
tion a number of other prominent per-
sons are directly concerned. Then there
are the city planners, zoning experts
city officials, residents of other sections
of Greater Washington, who are con-
cerned over the matter, and Congress
itself, since it has exclusive jurisdiction
over the Federal City.
Study Of matter leads to the con-
clusion that the future character OF the
street as yet is undetermined. not that
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