Evening star., 1935-06-30
GRAVELLY POINT
PLANS ACCEPTED
Planners Also Approve
Sports Center and Sta
dunn Project.

voting to adhere TO It's Oft-repeateO
stand in favor of the development of
Gravelly Point as an airport for the
city, the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, concluding a
three-day session, yesterday in
structed its staff to support the
Gibson bill, designed to accomplish
this.
This was one of the major actions
taken during a crowded program,
which embraced approval of prelim-
mary plans to develop sports center
and stadium at the Anacostia River
at the end of East Capitol street, so
that relief work might be engaged
Immediately upon grading; opposing
q plan to name new highways in the
Mall after States; Endorsement of its
chairman's action in assisting in
selecting Louis r. Barrett as the
Districts co-ordinator of recreation,
and sanctioning of plans to develop
q low-cost housing program in the
Southwest, near the Army War Col
lege, under auspices of the Public
Works Administration.
The commission authorized its
executive officer. Arno B. Cammerer,
director of the National Park Service,
Interior Department, to appear with
his colleagues before a subcommittee
of the Senate District Committee
studying the airport matter. and urge
development of Gravelly Point. This
subcommittee comprises Chairman
King, Democrat, of Utah; Senators
McCarron, Democrat, of Navada and
Austin, Republican, of Vermont.
Military Road Matter.
Taking action on another phase of
the airport controversy, the commits
sion directed its staff to appear be-
fore a subcommittee of the House
Military Committee Tuesday and sug-
gest an amendment to the plan to
close Military road, which now di-
Vides Washington Airport. The
amendment would read that Military
road could be closed, temporarily, at
a rental for five years at ST per year,
provided that "a substitute road is
made available, to the satisfaction of
the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission, and without cost to
the United States Government.
Thomas S. Settle, the commissions
secretary, explained this means the
| financial burden would be borne by
. Washington Hoover Airport, the State
of Virginia or Arlington County, Va,
or any combination of them. He sug
gested that inasmuch as the airport
will be the greatest beneficiary, it
should bear the major cost.
Frowning upon a suggestion to
name two of the Mall drives Maine
and Missouri avenues, the commission
voted this procedure would be out Of
harmony with development of Wash
ington and break up the continuity
of the plan. Every other avenue in
the District, it said, has houses 'front.'
ing upon it, and to make an eXcep-
ton in the case of Maine and Mis-
souri, would be unfair. 1t took this
action after Senator Hale and Repre-
sentative Brewster, Republicans, of
Maine, had appeared before it to urge
that the south vista drive in the Mall
be named for the Pine Tree State.
They suggested that inasmuch as
Maine and Missouri came into the
Union together, that these names
should be preserved as twins in the
Mall. The old Maine and MISSOURI
avenues were wiped out in the Mall
development. The commission will
hn nictriot roiccinnprS
name some other thoroughfares of
the city Maine and Missouri avenues.
Recreation Report.
An account of the work of the Dis
trict of Columbia Recreation Commit
tee, headed by the commissions own
chairman. Frederic A. Delano, was
presented by Delano and Settle. Bar
rett, who is slated to take Office to-
morrow and set up headquarters in
the District Building as the first step
In program designed to achieve unity
in recreation here, was introduced to
the commission. He sat in on the
discussion of the stadium and sports
center plans, so that he will have first
hand information on what is proposed
on the banks of the Anacostia River.
/ The Public Works Administration
plans for developing loW-cost hous-
ing project for colored in Southwest
Washington on a 13-acre tract near
the Army War College, bounded by
M, P, One-half and Canal streets,
we're explained to the commission by
its director of planning, John Nolen,
jr. This, said Mr.. Nolen. will tie in
with the playground and recreational
needs of that section.
The commission will meet again
early in August and expects to have
before it preliminary plans for a pre-
tentious memorial to Thomas Jeffer-
son. It's staff has been instructed to
bring these in, with recommendations
for a definite location and the form
the monument should take.