Evening star., 1936-10-24
PARKING FOR CARS
UNDERGROUND IS.
HELD TOO COSTLY.
Grand Plaza Subterranean
Project Vetoed by Two
Commissions.
LANDSCAPE TREATMENT
FOR AREA is APPROVED
Machines Now Using Space to Be
0usted Soon to Permit
Improvement.

decided at a joint meeting yesterday
afternoon. The two commissions We
toed a proposal to construct subter-
ranean parking for the Grand Plaza,
just east of the Department of Com
merce, in the heart Of the Triangle.
Rear Admiral Christian j. Peoples,
head of the procurement division OF
the Treasury Department, has investl-
gated the subject thoroughly and found
that the plan would be too costly. For
underground parking and surface
treatment of the Grand Plaza, $1,000,-
900 would be needed, the two commits
sions were advised. The procurement
division will proceed shortly to i'm
prove the Grand Plaza, used now as a
great outdoor parking place for hum
dreds of automobiles of Government
employees and other citizens. This
means that these parkers will have to
make other arrangements soon.
The cost per car for constructing
underground parking is enormous"
according to Thomas S. Settle, Plan
ming Commission secretary. The oper-
ating expense is too great, the two
commissions found; landscaping does
not do well on top of subterranean
parking areas and the whole program
Is impractical for Washington, with
its high-water table in the downtown
section, he SAID,
Landscaping Approved.
The two commissions did approve a
landscape treatment plan for the
Grand Plaza A memorial fountain to
Oscar S. Straus, late Secretary Of Com
merce and Labor, is planned as the
central feature of the plaza.
Although the Fine Arts Commission
has contended for a more elaborate
structure to replace the present Chain
Bridge, it acquiesced yesterday in
undermining the structure, as provided
by Congress in a S350,000 appropri-
alton. Col Daniel I. Sultan. Engineer
Commissioner of the District and ex-
oficio member of the planning body,
explained plans for the new structure
to be erected on the present founda-
tions. The new bridge will be widened
to 80 feet and raised 4 feet so that it
will be out of the way of flood waters,
such as swept over the existing struc-
ture in the high water of last March.
Also it is to be an open steel structure,
permitting the water to flow interrupt
edly in times of flood. Col. Sultan said.
H. p Caemmerer. executive secre-
tary of the Fine Arts Commission,
declared the ultimate solution of the
problem is high-level bridge, in the
vicinity of Dalecarlia, upstream of the
existing Chain Bridge, which will be
in keeping with the character Of the
George Washington Memorial Park
way. which will run southwark from
Great Falls to Mount Vernon, Va,
and Fort Washington, Md. Since
Congress has made S350.000 available
now, because the existing structure is
in a dangerous condition and a mod
ernized bridge is needed there, the
Fine Arts Commission interposed no
objection to proceeding with the plans
of the engineering commissioner,
Caemmerer said.
Funds for Plans in Hand.
Col. Sultan also explained that
funds for drawing plans for a new
Pennsylvania avenue bridge, across
the Anacostia River, are in hand. He
invited members of both commissions
to make any suggestions they desire
concerning these.
The two commissions approved
plans submitted by the Bureau of
Public Roads of the Department of
Agriculture for new bridge across
Boundary Channel. linking up Co.
lumbia Island with the Lee Boule-
ward and the George Washington Me-
mortal Parkway. Work on this project
will start shortly. 1t provides for a
stone bridge with a major and two
minor spans.
Fine Arts Commission members were
officially advised of the opposition of
the planners to proposed construction
of levee in the line of independence
avenue in West Potomac Park as a
flood control measure. The Fine Arts
members were given an outline of
plans for projected permanent levee
along the Potomac River water front
from the Lincoln Memorial to the
Highway Bridge. No formal vote was
taken on the subject by the Fine
Arts members, who will give further
study to the problem. Caemmerer
said the proposed Independence
avenue levees would look like "a rail-
road embankment" running down the
park and expressed objection to it.
Nolan on Abattoir Committee.
John Nolan, jr., director of planning
of the Planning Commission. was
added as a member Of the special Dis
trict Government Committee studying
abattoirs and other allegedly public
nuisances. This followed an expla-
nation of the status of the request of
Adolf Gobel, Inc, for extension OF a
processing plant near Bennins road
and kenilworth avenue northeast.
Col. Sultan told his colleagues the
matter Is now In court. the 0obel firm
seeking q writ Of mandamus compel
Ing issuance OF O building permit by
the District Commissioners.
The Pine Arts Commission, which
met separately yesterday morning. OBJ
Ittttu W any WbNAN1ah
ediy public nuisance In the Greater
Washington area II held that Wash.
ington u primarily . residential area
aud recalled that !, had fought eFec.
tlon of plan,a, similar 10 that proposed
~ the oobsl fiFn, whsn private inter.
ssla spainh, 10 build them IN Arlington
County, Va, some yeafs ago
Ths District Commissioners are
sludyins the problem Of any amend.
men,a that may he necessary In order
10 ~, up more rIsid rules asains,
abattoirs and other supposed public
uuiSpnccs here. Arlington County end
AleAandTia have made Lneir .egLla-
tionS pertaining 10 abattoirs more
rigid in recent years, Settle said.
1
Hitch-Hiking Soldiers Banned.