Evening star., 1933-09-17
Planning Commission Will
Use Public Works Funds
for -Four Roads.
TEMPORARY BUILDINGS
WILL BE REMOVED LATER
Square Will Be Developed Upon
Site Formerly Occupied by
Botanical Gardens.

A great central park for the National
Capital-first conceived by the French
engineer, Maj. Pierre Charles LEnfant,
more than a century ago-came nearer
reality yesterday, when the Public
Works Administration allotted $500. 900
for improvement Of the Mall and Union
Square, in the shadow of the Capitol.
The National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission before terminating its
two-day meeting yesterday learned OF
the ALLEGATION, for which 1t had pre-
viously asked. and expressed gratifica-
ton that blue prints and century-old
dreams are at last to take tangible
form.
The commission decided it will build
those portions Of the four great high
ways that are to traverse the Mall that
can best be done now, for there are
temporary buildings standing in the
way of the full realization Of the prof.
ect. Parts of the roadways already have
been built out Of an appropriation for
s1O0, 900 made available by q recent
Congress
Union Square will be built upon the
former site of the Botanical Gardens,
now moved into new and commodlouS
glass-covered quarters to the southwark.
The Mall, for which Union Square will
prove a fitting easterly terminus, runs
from near the Capitol to near the
washington Monument
Temporary Buildings in Way.
The commission will build those Of
the Mall roads that can be constructed
without interfering with temporary
buildings, now in use. Now standing In
the way of the complete project are
Temporary Buildings c, E and F, as
we'll as the Smithsonian Institution.
When the new Government buildings,
now under construction in the triangle,
are completed early next year. the
temporary structures can be vacated
and demolished.
The Public Buildings Commission has
tentatively reserved on its maps OF
future development, south Of the Mall
from Four-and-a-half street to Twelfth
street southwest. space for future de-
velopment of the Smithsonian Institu-
ton. When the present red building
of the Smithsonian Institution, stand
ing in the way Of completion OF the en-
tire south highway on the Mall. will be
demolished is problematical. For the
present this will not complcate mat.
ters, as the development can go forward
regardless.
The present program does not con-
template development of the roadways
westward of Fourteenth street. Con-
struction of the two outer and two
inner roads along the Mall, as far
as the absence of obstructing build
ings Is concerned, will be undertaken
as soon as possible.
Elms to Be Planted.
Out of the 100000 ALLEGATION will
come the cost of the four highways
and the planting of eight rows OF
American elm trees, four rows be-
tween each Of two outer roadWays.
The space between the two inner road
ways will be left open to afford a
grand vista between the washington
Monument and the Capitol.
Union Square will include the pres
ent monuments to Generals Grant
and Meade Of Civil War fame. De-
velopment of Union Square will be
based on the original plan of 1901.
officials of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission asserted
Yesterday. Second street is to be ex-
tended from Maryland to Pennsyl-
vania avenue, through the grounds OF
the erstwhile Botanical Gardens, which
will all be cleaned out. There will be
suitable landscaping treatments In
Union Square, giving the proper set
ting to the Grant and Meade statues
and forming a suitable terminus for the
east end Of the Mall.
Already constructed out Of prior pub
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