Evening star., 1937-02-10
UPPER 18TH STREET
APARTMENT PLAN
STARTS HOT FIGHT
Mrs: Henderson's Executor
and Her Former ArChi-
tect Argue. ..
DEAD DOWAGER'S WISH
THEME OF MUCH DEBATE
Zoning Hearing Takes on Inter.
national Aspect Because of
Embassies, Legation.

An executor for the estate OF Mrs.
John B. Henderson and an architect
who was associated with her for a
quarter century today waged verbal
battle before the District Zoning
Commission on the rights and ethics
of permitting eight-story apartment
buildings on upper Sixteenth street.
The executor, George E. Edelin,. was
fighting to preserve the present legal
right to construct buildings Of 90foot
height on land formerly owned by
Mrs. Henderson, who for many years
was a leading spirit In q contest
against "desecration" Of the Meridian
Hill area by apartments.
The architect, Maj. George Oakley
Totten, just as vigorously insisted the
commission should act to eradicate
provisions of the zoning regulations
which permit 9O-foot buildings on land
adding a 60-foot zone.
The wishes of Mrs. Henderson, who
for many years was a Washington
social arbiter as well as an active
adviser on coming matters, constituted
much of the theme of the debate.
Embassies Are Involved.
While the proposed changes in the
mechanical rules of the commission
would affect any area in the Dis
trict zone 60-foot c area, the debate
centered almost entirely on develop
ment of Sixteenth street between Flor
ida avenue and Lamont street. The
hearing took on an international as
pect also because numerous properties
there are occupied by representatives
of foreign governments. Maj. Totten
told the commission the proposed
changes had the Endorsement of the
Polish, Cuban, Mexican and Spanish
Embassies, and the Lithuanian Le-
CATION. He said another Endorsement
came from Mrs. Marshall Field, who
owns a residence in the area.
William Amoroso. attorney repre-
senting the Italian Embassy. also
favored limitation OF an apartment
height to 60 feet.
Another Endorsement came from
Jesse r. Smith, speaking for the Lat
ter Day Saints. who have erected q
monumental church on the southwest
corner of Sixteenth street and Co.
lumbia road.
Edelin, touched of the spirited de-
bate when he declared that Mrs. Hem
derson had placed no limitation in her
will as to the use to which her prop
critics were to be placed after her
death. He said the famous Hender-
son castle, Sixteenth street at Flor
ida avenue, was on property now zoned
to permit a building 80 feet high. He
said the castle as it stands is of vir-
tually no use and that to restrict the
permitted height to so feet would Sc
verely damage prospective use. Edelin,
hopes to be able to sell the land for an
apartment.
Totten Denies Financial Interest.
Edelin, said he had talked with Maj.
Totten and that Totten agreed that
he had gone to various agencies to
solicit aid in preventing 90-foot apart
ments in the area. Maj. Totten ad-
mitted he was motivated by selfish
interests" said Edelin,.
Maj. Totten rose to say: "I wish to
refute that statement. have no
financial interests in this case. He
stated he was the owner of an apart
ment house in the area whose height
is not in excess of so feet and went on
further: "Edelin told me the estate
had to be nquidated and that he hoped
to get as much money out of the prop
critics as he could"
Immediately arising again, Edelin,
said: THAT is correct. We must get as
much out of these properties as pos
Sible."
The Henderson estate executor then
said the italian Embassy and the
Church of the Latter Day Saints "had
nothing to fear" because a restric-
tive covenant runs with title to land
lying between the two structures which
bars apartment house construction
and limits use Of that land for pri-
vate dwellings no more than 40 feet
high.