Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-30
coming DECISIONS
\. ASSIST BUILDERS
81
Growth of Apartments and
City's appearance Aided
by Rulings.
(Continued From First Page.)

desirable undeveloped apartment sites
the ground has been used with consid-
cradle intensity. Generally speaking,
builders have erected building of as
large bulk as possible under the
coming regulations. On Connecticut
avenue most of the buildings until very
recently occupied about rs per cent of
q lot. which is the maximum occupancy
permitted in the C area zone.
Wanted More Open Space.
about a year ~ago the Operative
Builders Association and the WASH
1ngton Chapter of the American Insti-
tute of Architects petitioned the Zoning
Commission to allow the erection of
higher buildings on Connecticut avenue
and other l10-foot streets, but at the
same time not to increase the cube or
bulk of the building, so that the actual
load on the land would not be in
creased, but that more open space, light
and air would result. The change was
finally granted and now eight-story
buildings may be erected where only
f1ve-Story buildings were permitted be-
fore, provided the eight-story building
contains no more cubic feet than could
have been placed in a five-story build
Ing on the same lot.
In other words, the building goes up
ground. This gives more open space,
more opportunity for landscaping, more
place for children to play, cheaper
rents, in fact, in every way makes a
more desirable building from the ten
ants standpoint. 1t is likewise more
desirable from the standpoint of the
builder or investor, because such a
building Is cheaper to build and to
operate.
Garage Change Important.
Another important change the Zon-
Ing Commission recently made at the
request of the Operative Builders AS
ISOLATION was one which permits the in
stallation of garages in the basement of
apartment houses for the use of ten
ants in the apartment without obtain
ing consents of the surrounding prop
erty owners. Until the commission made
this important change in regulations it
was necessary to obtain the consents
of the owners of rs per cent of the
property within 200 feet of a proposed
apartment garage or in the square
where 1t was located. These consents
were often difficult to obtain and
sometimes were not obtainable at all.
THE Zoning Commission, after Civ
ing the matter considerable study. saw
the justice and need of apartment
jewellers having a place in which to
garage their cars. just the same as an
individual home owner has the right
to garage his car on his lot or within
the house itself; and now most new
apartments have garages in the base
ment.
Problems for Future Remain.
'"These are two important changes
which the Zoning Commission has made
that apply solely to the building Of
apartment houses. There are other zon-
ing problems in connection with apart
ment construction which may come up
for future consideration.
Washington is largely an apartment
town; there are over 10000 apart
ment units here, which is larger num-
Der than in any other city in the United
States. with the exception of New York,
Chicago and Los Angeles. 1t is a form
of dwelling which many people seem
to prefer; indeed, for the last four years
the number of individual apartment
units erected has greatly exceeded the
number of individual homes erected.
"An apartment cannot be treated as
anything but a certain form of home.
It should not be shunted off as an I'M
desirable form of dwelling set apart,
so to speak. as an undesired neighbor.
It should be separated from dwellings,