The Washington times., 1937-01-30
PLANNERS PICK
SITE FOR BIG
AUDITORIUM

East Capitol Street at It's juno
ton with AnacoStia Park was de-
scribed today by the National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission as the only Government
owned property in the city suit
able for large auditorium, while
in the Senate plans went ahead
to push passage Of the Robinson
bill which would authorize such a
structure here.
If a small auditorium will be
adequate for the needs of the
Capital, however, the Commission
pointed out, lot owned by the
Government on the north side of
Pennsylvania Ave-, between Fourth
and Sixth Streets Northwest,
might well be chosen as a site.
In line with a decision to CO
operate with Congress on the pro-
posed auditorium, the commission
has instructed its legislative COM
mittee, composed of William A.
Delano aid Arno B. Cammerer,
to furnish a study Of additional
possible sites if requested.
Approve Art Gallery Plans
In the absence Of recommenda.
tionS from the Thomas jefferson
Memorial Commission, headed by
Representative John J. Boylan
CD Of New York, the planning
commission has not taken any
action on the proposal Of Secre-
tary of the Interior Ickes that the
auditorium be erected as a memo
rial to the third President.
Elimination of Sixth Street
Northwest through the Mall re-
ceived the appreciation Of both the
planning commission and the Fine
Arts Commission, after plans Of
the proposed gallery Of art were
submitted by otto R. EggerS, part
ner Of John Russell Pope, arch1-
tect for the donor Of the gallery,
Andrew Mellon.
Taking cognizance Of objections
voiced by civic associations OF the
Southwest section, recommenda-
tions were made for widening Sew"
enth and Fourth Streets.
The Fine Arts Commission con-
Cured in the agreement Of the
Planning Commission on the site
Of the new war Department Build
ing, which is proposed for the
block bounded by Twenty-first'
Twenty-third, G and E Streets
Northwest. Ground plans for the
structure were approved by both
commissions and forwarded to the
procurement division Of the
Treasury.
AnacOstia Bridge
Both commissions approved
plans for the construction Of a new
bridge over the Anacostia River
at Pennsylvania Avenue. The span
would be constructed OF steel
rather than stone, 1t was ex-
planned, because of the lower cost
of the metal structure.
Extension of the Jurisdiction OF
the Fine Arts Commission to give
it control of property adjacent to
foreign embassies in addition to
it's present control over property
adjacent to Government buildings
under the Shipstead act was IA
vored at the joint meeting.
Future applicants for gasoline
station permits will be required to
submit architectural designs be-
fore building permits are issued,
according to a resolution passed by
the Planning Commission. Any
attractive design, it was explained,
would satisfy this requirement, as
long as it was not a detriment to
the community.
Higher bikes Urged
Immediate increase in the
height of dikes in the rear Of the
Navy and Munitions Buildings and
along Potomac Park was favored
by the commission. On the aver
age, the levees in that area now
are adequate for a flow II feet
above the mean level Of the Po-
tomac. AS advocated by the U. S.
Engineer Office the dikes would
be increased 3 feet near the
Navy Building and feet in the
vicinity of Washington Monument.
At the same time, the Army
engineers were asked to study
feasibility of dixie construction
along the waters edge from Lin
coin Memorial to the abuttment
Of Highway Bridge.
Levees at Boiling Field, the
Army engineers told the commits
sion, are to be completed this
summer with an expenditure OF
$685. 900 Of Works Program Ad
miniStration funds. Whether ad
ditional WPA funds would be
sought to increase height of the
dikes in other areas was not de-
cided.