Evening star., 1931-12-24
ARTS COMMISSION
OPPOSES LOCATION
OF NAVAL HOSPITAL
Letter to Officials May Re-
open Whole Controversy on
Departments Sites.
MEETING CONSIDERS
COMPOSITE GROUP PLAN
opinion in Favor of Change From
Potomac Banks to Place to
Grow" Reiterated.

The Fine Arts Commission is again
obJecting to the location of the mo-
posed new Naval Hospital. in the Vi
chlty OF the Lincoln Memorial. and
mas written letter 10 the Navy De-
paFtment Volcng its sentiments
ms was learned today. when il de-
VeIoped that the controversy NAV be
thrown into the lap of the Pubic
Buildings Commission. reOpening The
"nole controversy Of the future location
OF the War and Navy Departments,
Inc Fine Arts Commission reiterated
us opinion that the new Naval Hos
pltal be placed in some location similar
10 mat OF Walter Reed Hospital 50
Ihat great naval medical center may
grow.
Navy Officials Views.
Navy Department officials var+ tbe
Naval Hospital built as a feature of
the present group of buildings of the
hospital near the banks Of the Poto-
mac River. The Fine Arts Commission
is lnSlstent that the new building If
constructed there, be in keeping with
the monumental character Of the Lin
coin Memorial
At its meeting few DAYS ago the
Fine Arts Commission considered
composite plan for the new Naval Hos
pltal. which was authorized IN the act
OF February 25, 1881, at cost of So
100000. IN its preliminary stages. repre-
Sentlne the blending Of the idea Of
some IT architects Of the Allied Archi-
tects, which sponsored competition
among its own members to evolve a
suitable project.
There are 33 members Of this group.
SPleCTiNn ~
Of each plan was made after due de-
liberation.
Would Avoid Controversy.
Ohcials of the Fine Arts Commission
and Of the Navy Department as well as
Lieut.. Col. L. S. Grant. Sd executive
officer Of the Public Buildings Com
mission, preserved a judicious silence
on the impending controversy. Rear
Admiral A L. Parsons chief of the
Bureau of Yards and Docks, Navy De-
partment, 10 whom the Fine Arts Com
mission letter was addressed. declined
10 be quoted, and said that Secretary
Adams and other officials in the Navv
Department need time in which TO
study the communication
William T Partridge. consulting
architect OF the National Capital Park
ana Planning Commission is the con-
SuItant and architectural advisor for
the Navy Department for the new
Naval Hospital and Medical Center con-
StructIon. The Bureau of Yards and
Docks is supervising the work Of design
and construction, although It was an
nounced recently that as part of Presi-
dent Hoover's economy program the
naval hospitals, here and in Phila-
delphia. would not be constructed t
this time
Demolition Called For.
Navy Department plans call for de-
molltlon OF the present Medical School
Building and the original permanent
hospital. making it possible to abolish
the wartime temporary structures. The
new hospital here would accommodate
SEQ patients and provide adequate faciI-
tiles for carrying on the research work
OF the Bureau Of Medicine and STIreerv
CT the Navy and furnish enlarged space
and equipment needed for the activ-
tiles of the Naval Medical and Dental
Schools
The Navy Department has the funds
on hand TO complete plans of the hos
pltal. but 1t is problematlcal just when
construction will be started
The Public Buildings Commission at
new War and Navy Department in the
vicinity of the present Naval Hospital
and near the Interior Department.
Representative Will R. Wood of Indi-
ana, is on record as opposing the con-
struction in the so-called northwest
triangle, bounded by New York avenue,
Constitution avenue and Seventeenth
street. because of the expense involved
and the fact an apartment house would
have to be purchased by the Govern
ment to secure the site
Navy Officials Views.
Naval officials who believe that the
Fine Arts Commission will not have its
way concerning the future site of the
new Naval Hospital point out that this
commission desired to have the new
War and Navy Departments built west
Of Seventeenth street, along PennSyl-
vania avenue. The naval officials insist
that that service has an inherent right
to the ground now occupied by the
Naval Hospital, as the Navy has been
represented there for a great number
OF years. Previously the old Naval
Observatory stood on that site.