Evening star., 1938-10-22
WAY IS CLEARED
FOR EARLY WORK
ON WAR BUILDING
Closing of New York Avenue
Between 22d and 23d
Streets Authorized.
MOVE MADE TO SPEED
D. c. ALLEY PROJECTS
Planning Commission Names
Special Subcommittee With
Power to Act.

Way has been cleared for early con-
struction Of the first unit of the new
War Department building group in
the Northwest Rectangle by decision
Of the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission to authorize the
closing of New York avenue between
Twenty second and Twenty third
streets NV
The commission voted down pro-
posal to close the section of Virginia
avenue between Twenty-second and
TWenty-third streets and, as result,
the new building will be located just
south of Virginia avenue.
Congress, in the Second Deficiency
Act, appropriated S3,000,000 with
which to acquire the site and construct
the first unit of the new War Depart
ment group, fixing total authorized
cost of s108l5.o00.
Under the plans as approved, the
War Department and new Interior
Department buildings will form a
symmetrical group occupying the
area between Eighteenth street and
the present Naval Hospital grounds
and c and E streets NV The new
Interior Building and the main War
Department structure will flank the
area at the east and west ends. The
smaller first unit of the War Depart
ment and proposed future Interior
nopo rtrnant nf cireei1or c1n ri11
be located between the two main
buildings, with generous park area
between and to the south of the
smaller buildings.
Subcommittee Appointed.
So that there may be no delay in
carrying forward District alley dwell
ing construction and other projects
out Of District Public Works Admins
tration allotments. the commission ap-
pointed two special subcommittee
which were given the power to act
In the interval between now and the
next meeting of the commission, No
vember 1919 This will be a joint
meeting with the Commission of Fine
Arts.
SLldlll "a OCldllO dllu
Arno B. Cammerer, executive officer
and chief of the National Park Serv-
ice, were appointed subcommittee to
deal with local p. w. A. projects of a
general character, such as the Munich
pal Center.
Mr. Delano, MIR. Mammerer and It.
Col. David McCoach, jr, new District
Torirnar ,icci irf
ed subcommittee with power to act
on Alley Dwelling Authority projects,
several of which are about to enter
the construction stage.
The commission considered the fix
ing of building lines for the new Dis
trict library building in the Municipal
Center area and for new east and west
extensions of the National Museum,
but deferred action until the Novem-
Der meeting with the fine arts group
An appropriation Qf $4,000 was made
by Congress at It's past session to
finance preparation of plans and esti-
mates for the library building
Minor Changes Approved.
The museum extensions were con-
sidered in connection with the final
development Of landscaping plans for
the new National Gallery of Art, do
mated to the United States by the late
Andrew w. Mellon. The commission
approved minor changes in these
plans, dealing with sidewalk locations
and an entrance at the west end OF
the gallery.
Mr.. Delano reported that he has
called a meeting of a committee of IL
members to meet at 2 pm. Wednes-
day at the request of President Roose-
welt to consider plans for a building
to house scattered Federal courts in
the District, such as the Court Of
Appeals. Custom Court and Court of
Claims. The committee is composed
OF representatives of the courts con-
cerned, the Department of Justice, the
commission, the Treasury Department
and the Government Space Control
unit OF the National Park Service.
Transfer from the District govern
ment to the National Park Service of
small circle in Plymouth court, near
the District line between Sixteenth
street NV. and Rock Creek Park was
approved.
The commission acted upon several
plans for gasoline filling stations in
various parts of the city, which must
be approved by the group before con-
struction is authorized.
John Nolen, jr., director of plan
ming and coming representative of the
commission, reported on the organi-
zation of the new District Board of
loning Adjustments and announced
that 1t will hold its first business ses-
sion November 3.