Evening star., 1937-07-20
D. c. WATER FRONT
PLAN IS WAITING
TO BE LAUNCHED
Major Benefits in Prospect
When City Can Advance
S389,O0O Share.
COMMISSION OUTLINES
SCOPE OF PROPOSALS
Channel Development Is Keyed to
Project Of Beautifcation
Based on L Enfant Plan.

The sooner the Washington Channel
water front development is launched,
the earlier the community will be
"able to obtain the benefits of the
major plans to which this is the key
John Nolen, jr., director of planning
of the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, today declared.
Maj Gen. Edward M. Markham, chief
of Army Engineers, has notified the
District Commissioners that the Fed
eral Government cannot put up its
share OF the 81 100000 project until
the District government advances
1899 900 as its contribution. just how
this will be resolved is yet in doubt,
officials said
The Washington Channel improve
ment is keyed right in with the big
plan for the beautifica ton and public
use Of one Of the greatest assets that
Washington has-its water front" de-
clared Nolen
The Washington Channel scheme
is conceived as part of plan for the
development Of the entire water front
vi iilt iNotIOIIdA va piIdI, All d NdllthN
OF different uses This is possible be-
cause of the extensive public owner
ship Of the water front herea bouts.
which in turn was made possible in
the very wise provisions in the En-.
FAINT plan.
Riparian Rights Owned.
'LEnfant provided that there should
be a water street bounding the city,
that is adjacent TO both the Potomac
and Anacostia Rivers. This provision
has resulted in the public ownership
of the riparian rights, which make
possible a comprehensive plan soon
to be carried out.
Beginning with the head of naviga.
ton at the Georgetown water front,
that area is reserved for private com.
mercial development. because it is
outside of the old city and the Cow
ernment owns practically none Of the
water front in Georgetown. There.
the possibility exists of combining
water and rail facilities.
"SouthWard are the Rock Creek and
Potomac Parkway and farther down
West and East Potomac Parks. the
latter reclaimed from the river. Wash
ington Channel is divided half and
half for pleasure boating and large
commercial craft not requiring rail
facilities.
"On the Anacostia side. BuI1ards'
Point presents the possibility OF a
combined rail and water terminal.
which was contemplated when the
commission recommended to Congress
the extension of the railroad tracks.
The Navy Yard is prominent on the
Anacostia River
Above the Eleventh Street Bridge.
there is limited area for additional
commercial water facilities, without
rail connections, east of the gas plant
| At the Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge is
the head Of navigation on the Ana
costa. Upstream of that point there
park development. being carried for
ward by the United States Engineer
| once.
Plans Improved Extension.
Downstream from the mouth of the
Anacostia River. are the Naval Air
Station, Boiling Field, the Naval Re-
search Laboratory and the Sewage
| Disposal Plant. Downstream OF the
plant. under the Capper Cramton
rk-purchase act, the commission
contemplates the improved extension
Of the Shepherd Parkway to Fort
Foote, Md.
"On the Virginia side, the com
mission has provided in its plan for
parkway the provision for a public
wharf for Arlington County just below
Key Bridge. At Alexandria, the COM
mission would like to see q compre-
hensive plan adopted by the city.
which would make the water front a
real community asset to the city. To
that end the commission drew up
general plan about five years ago.
Along the Washington Channel.
the plan Of the United STATES Engineer
ONCE for the water front development
has been worked out In cooperation
with this commission to include
river front boulevard separate from
the existing Water street. central
parking strip is provided in the scheme
and this boulevard would not only
provide access to the new water front
facilities, but would be a new connect
ing link between East and West
Potomac Parks and Anacostia Parks.
Under the program, a bridge will
be constructed at the head OF the
| WASHINGTON Channel, making direcl
connection with East Potomac Park.
The southerly tie-in with the Ana
costa Park system would be via P
street and the bridge across the Ana
costa River, at the end Of South
Capitol street.
when the commissions plans are
completed, with the construction Of
the South Capitol street bridge and
the Washington Channel boulevard
and the bridge at the head Of the
Washington Channel. it will then be
possible to travel continuously along
boulevard or park drive, from one
end OF the District to the other.
Linking up with the George Wash
ington Memorial Parkway and Great
Falls, the highway will come down
along the Potomac Palisades. via Po-
tomac avenue. where the commission
Is preserving the bluffs Of the Potomac
and then through GEORGETOWN, via the
projected viaduct over K street.
to the Rock Creek and Potomac Park
way. Thence. 1t will go through West
and East Potomac Parks to the Wash
ington Channel boulevard, over p
street and across the South Capitol
street bridge, thence connecting along
the easterly side Of old Boiling Field
to Firth Sterling avenue and South