Evening star., 1935-02-10
CONTRACTS SOON
ON UNION SQUARE
$235, 900 Development Plan
Is Approved-P. w. A.
Supplies Cash.

National Park Service authorities
propose to award contracts shortly for
the improvement of Union Square, just
westward Of the Capitol, now that all
Government agencies concerned have
indorse plans prepared by Frederick
Law Olmsted, outstanding landscape
architect of Brookline, Mass, who
served with the commission of 1901
that modernized the LEnfant Plan.
The job will cost $235,000 and the
Public Works Administration already
has made this sum available.
The two inner roads in the Mall
development, now under way, will be
carried eastward to a line correspond
ing with Second street. Traffic will
diverge around the plaza formed by
the Grant Memorial Union Square
which is really not a square at all
lies between Pennsylvania and Mary
land avenues, First and Third streets
Want Speedy Action.
Landscape architects of the National
Park Service were in consultation re-
Gently with representatives from Mr..
Olmsted's Office to put the plan into
effect speedily. They said that 35
trees within the vista from the Capitol
to the Washington Monument will
have to be moved. These are mainly
trees that have been dedicated to nota-
ables. officials said. but they will be
transplanted elsewhere within Union
Square. The large. fine trees are all
to be preserved in the new scheme and
left standing where they are, for the
most part, said the authorities.
In the central panel of Union
Square there will be continuation of
the row Of elms that will line the roads
rounded by a frame of trees-the
formal treatment merging with the
informal. The Mall vista roads will
be carried across Third street to a
curved treatment. in the line of Sec
ond street. This virtually creates an
island plot as the setting for the
Grant Memorial.
War Hero Cite Chosen.
The memorial to Gen. George Cor
don Meade stands on the north side
OF Union Square, which is the old
Botanic Garden area. Just across
from it, to the south, there will be
provision for another monument, hon
oring some hero Of the Civil War.
Probabilities are that this will be de-
voted to some outstanding naval hero
who took an eminent part in preserv-
ing the Union. In the Forthcoming
plans an emplacement will be roughed
out and graded as the site for this
new monument.
The view of the Meade Memorial
from the inner roads will not be
blocked, officials asserted. as tall elm
trees will replace the present insig-
nificant trees. Paths and walks will
be provided in Union Square, so that
the public may enjoy it.
The newly approved plans are based
on the future widening of Third street.
The Mall lighting system will be car
ried eastward into Union Square.
There will be sprinkling system pro-
vided in the central panel. Following
out the recommendation of the Fine
Arts Commission, some neutral color
will be placed in the walks to prevent
the glare that comes from ordinary
concrete.
Square Model Prepared.
A model of the Union Square devel-
opment has been prepared by William
T. Partridge. consulting architect of
the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission. and is now on pub
lie view at the main entrance of the
Navy Building, Eighteenth street and
Constitution avenue.
Vice President John N. Garner and
his Commission on the Enlargement
of the Capitol Grounds last week
placed the final required approval on
the plans of Mr.. OlmSted. Previously
they had received the sanction of the
National Park Service, the National
Capital Park and Planning Commis-
sion and the Fine Arts Commission.