Evening star., 1933-06-07
RESIDENTS OBJECT
|. TO BUSINESS USE
/. Of RIGGS MANSION
Change in Farragut Square
Zoning Regulations Asked
at Hearing.
SPOKESMAN FOR ESTATE
CITE HIGH ASSESSMENT
Proposal for Business Permits
Near Capitol Also
Opposed.

Proposals to allow commercial use of
the old George w. Riggs house at 1917
I street, voiced today before the Zoning
Commission at its Summer session,
brought vigorous objections from own
ers of other residential prperties in
the neighborhood, near Farragut
Square.
The matter was one Of 20 proposed
changes in zoning Of properties scat
tered throughout the District being
considered today by the Commission.
The commission also heard arguments
on two proposed coming code amend
ments, one to permit erection Of large
storage garages in downtown Washing
ton, to relieve traffic congestion, and
the other to permit operation of aut-
mobile repair shops in first commercial
areas, subject to certain restrictions.
Pleas that the old Riggs property
coming be changed from its present
residential character to first CONNER
cial ID" area, with the maximum
height limit of 110 feet, were voiced for
the owners of the estate by A. M. Hood
and w. c. Sullivan. 1t was revealed
the owners are considering selling or
leasing the property as site for a
proposed apartment house.
Object to Assessment.
Spokesman for the Riggs estate said
the present building has outlived its
usefulness as residence and argued
that nearby properties, particularly
those on street, have been given COM
mercial status. Hood also pointed out
the old building, erected in Civil War
days. now has assessed value of $400, 900
for the purpose Of taxation. He con-
tended no one now would pay such a
price for SO old a building in the down.
town section.
Opposition to the change came from
Walter Bruce Howe, representing Miss
Gertrude Myer, 9l9 Farragut square,
and Eloise Sargent, 925 Farragut square,
who voiced fears that commercialism
their holdings for residential purposes.
Mr.. Howe said they feared the change
would permit building of stores or a
filling station. The Myer family, it
was declared has occupied the Farra-
gut Square residence for nearly go years.
M. w. Lewis and T. H. Braden, repre-
senting the Mount Pleasant Citizens
Association, and several individual prop
erty owners, objected to a proposal to
change from residential to first COM
mercial the zoning Of 1915 Irving street.
Another Change Opposed.
A proposal to change from residential
10 first commercial the coming Of dwell
ings from l to 13 c street southeast,
near the new House Office Building
was opposed by M. j. McAuliffe and
by Arthur Carr, representing owners
of other property in the section, who
declared there was no need for more
stores there.
The first amendment to the code
would permit operation of an automo-
bile repair shop in first commercial
districts, provided consent was given in
writing by owners of IS per cent Of the
property within 200 feet of the pro-
posed establishment.
The second amendment, to permit
erection of large storage garages in first
and second commercial and industrial
areas, would apply to corner and tri-
angular lots. The principal change in
volved would be to increase from 5000
to 10000 square feet the size of corner
lets which may be used for such pur-
poses.
This amendment was debated at the
last session Of the commission and was
urged as means of providing storage
and taking automobiles OF the down.
town streets.
The amendment, however, was op-
posed today by Charles w. Eliot, city
planner Of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission. He said
there was question as to the legality
Of the amendment and it seemed to
give a special privilege to owners Of
corner lots as opposed to rights con-
ferred upon owners of an entire block
as a group. He said, however, he was
in sympathy with a movement to pro-
vide offstreet parking for cars.