Evening star., 1936-06-05
APARTMENT HOUSE
SPREAD PROTESTED
Upper Sixteenth Street Res
idents Fight Zoning Change
in Area.

The much-argued question Of al
lowing construction Of apartment
houses on or near the upper reaches
of Sixteenth street again has been
laid before the District Zoning Com
mission for decision.
Three petitiors for changes In
Zoning claSsifications, debated yester-
day afternoon before the commission,
revolved around the apartment house
Intrusion" into the Sixteenth street
area. They were among 13 petitions
heard at the session. The commission
will meet soon in executive session to
take action on these and Is others
debated at the June hearings.
A long list of residents registered
opposition to a proposal to change
from residential "A-restricted" to "A"
area the classification for land on the
north side of Fort drive, between
Fourteenth and Sixteenth streets.
Speaking for the group, George E.
Sullivan declared the change would
amount to an entering wedge" for
apartment house invasion Of Six
teenth street itself.
Long Ban Is Cited.
The commission was reminded that
in the last 16 years of zoning it has
forbidden construction of apartment
houses on Sixteenth street above
Spring road.
Many of the same witnesses pre-
sented similar arguments on a pro-
posal for similar changes in zoning for
tract lying east Of Luzon avenue be-
tween Fourteenth and Sixteenth
streets and for land on the south side
Of Fort drive between Thirteenth and
Fourteenth streets.
There was different attitude on a
proposed zoning change which would
permit construction OF fats and a
new store on the corner Of Florida
and West Virginia avenues northeast.
There was no opposition. Support for
the change came from Thomas E
Lodge, president of the Federation OF
Citizens Associations and George j.
Cleary, representing the Trinidad
Citizens Association. There now Is
one store on the site. 1t is non-con-
forming.
r Street Protest.
There was extended debate over a
proposal to give a first commercial
classification for 414 r street, which
would permit the owner of a nom
conforming grocery there to modern
ize his store. Benjamin S. Jackson.
representing a group Of colored resi-
dents Of the community, voiced pro-
tests. They said they feared the
change might result in granting a
permit for sale of liquor at the store.
Delays encountered by a Southeast
property owner in completing ar
rangements for District sewer service
may kill plans for sale of the land for
construction Of a number Of fats.
Hearing Of the plans for the fats,
nearby residents fled petition for
change in zoning from "a" to "a
restricted" which would bar apart
nents or fats.
The property affected by the case
is bounded by Ninth place, Eighth
and Savannah streets and Alabama
avenue southeast.
Arguments against permission for
fats in the section were offered for
the residential group by J. A. Nc
Cauly. The requested change was
opposed by Leo A. Walshe, represent
ing the P. J. Walshe estate, who pro-
tested that the sale Of the land to the
fat developer would have been con-
summated prior to the zoning debate
had it not been for dificulty In plan
ming sewer pumping facilities. These
now have been completed, it was said.
Walshe claimed the value Of the prop
erty would be reduced greatly if the
coming now is changed.