Evening star., 1934-01-21
SOUTHWEST PLAN.
FOR IMPROVEMENT.
.|NDORSED BY BOARD.
Project Includes Water Front
Boulevard and School
Fairgrounds.
NOLEN MAKES REPORT
TO PARK COMMISSION
Proposed New Highway Would
Connect Potomac and Anacostia,
Centers, Director Says.

A comprehensive plan for develop
ment of Southwest Washington has
been approved in principle by the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission.
The plan was laid before the COM
mission Friday by John Noen, jr., di-
rector Of planning, who is preparing
detailed report in writing for further
consideration.
The scheme co-ordinates various
| proposals for Development of the South
west section of the city. Chief Of these
| is the latest report of the United States
Engineer Office of the War Department
| for improvement of the water front.
Action by the Park and Planning
! Commission comes at a Strategically
| vital time for the Southwest section,
| whose citizens association Is making
drive for the New Southwest" Fea-
| lures of the proposed New Southwest"
were proposed at a recent mass meet
ing, and are objectives of a concerted
campaign by the Southwest Citizens
Association, of which the president is
| j. M. Schaffer
Boulevard Asked.
| Outstanding recommendations made
| to the planning commission include the
entire report of the District engineer
| on the water front. with a boulevard
running along Water street, extension
of school Fairgrounds through alley
dwelling elimination. development of
recreation center on the old Canal street
! reservation and others
| Back of the Planning Commissions s
newest move to help the Southwest is
understood TO be a desire to promote a
/ more balanced development of the
whole City Of Washington. In the
| opinion of some, the city has been
growing so fast into the congested
| Northwestern area that it has become
| unbalanced" The District of Columbia
municipal government is said to be
getting less results from the invest.
ments 1t puts into improvements in the
| Southwest than from some other sec
| tions.
| The District has been sending its
public services into some sections Of
! the Southwest, where a sparse popula-
! ton has not used them to the capacity
| and where tax delinquencies have re-
| suited. with economic loss.
In his preliminary report Mr.. Nolen
| is understood to have stressed the bene-
| flt which would result from the water
front boulevard alongside Water street
| TO connect the two great park areas of
the city. Potomac Park with Anacostia
Park. This boulevard, under recon-
| mendation of the District Engineer and
the Park and Planning Commission,
| would swing along Water street to the
north side of the War College. along M
street and over the bridge to Anacostia
Park. Under the Enginere's plans
| Water street would be widened to $50
feet. including the commercial street
and boulevard.
Waterfront Plans.
Generally. the District Engineers
waterfront development plan would
| provide for expenditure OF 81 500 900,
| 1886, 900 of which would be paid by the
| District and the rest by the United
States. The waterfront in the Wash
ington Channel would be divided into
three sections, the upper part to the
northwest, for yachting, including
yacht basins and slips for small boats
with retention of the present Fish
Wharf. The next section would be for
District of Columbia interests, the
workhouse wharf, improved Fire Depart
ment and police harbor precinct facil-
\
for new wharf facilities. piers for ex-
oursion steamers, for the Norfolk &
Washington Line and open piers for
itinerant vessels All wharves and
| yacht facilities would be on rental
| interest on the investment. The prof.
ect would thus be not only self-sup-
porting but partly liquidating. The
present facilities of the Capital Yacht
Club would not be disturbed. Includ-
! ed in the plan for the future would
also be bridge at the upstream end
of the harbor to carry traffic from the
| Speedway across the harbor to Water
street, without crossing into the heavy
flow of traffic along Fourteenth street
between the District and Virginia.
The report from the United States
engineers. Office, in charge of Maj. j.
D. Arthur, jr., with E. A. Schmitt,
senior engineer. was approved by the
planning commission some time ago. but
has been taken up anew in connection
with the move to promote the South
west section.
May Transfer Titles.
Prospects of alley dwelling elimina-
ton and expansion OF school play
grounds arise out of the possibilities
| VI pdSSdBc VI lIlc ducy Ulil, III WlllCil
case certain alleys would be closed in
Southwest Washington.
The commission has recommended
transfer of title to the old Canal street
reservation from the Committee on the
Library of the House to the Office of
National Parks Building and Reserva-
tiors for development as a recreation
center.
Another advantage Of the boulevard
! in Southwest Washington, it was
pointed out. would be to connect the
George Washington Memorial Parkway
project with the park system In Wash
ington. All but few parcels of land
needed in the District of Columbia for
extension of this parkway southwark on
the eastern side of the Potomac have
been acquired Residents in Mary
land, between the District Line and
Fort Foote, have been offering to donate
land in order to speed the parkway, as
stimulus to the development
The District of Columbia Govern
ment was represented at the confer
ence Friday by Lieut.. Robert E. York
assistant engineer commissioner.