Evening star., 1939-10-20
Weather Bureau
Building Plans
Are Approved
National Guard
Armory' Design
Also Passed Upon

Preliminary plans for new build
ing for the United States Weather
Bureau were approved today by the
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission and the National
Commission of Fine Arts.
Congress has appropriated $780,.
600 for the purpose Initial blue
prints call for building patterned
somewhat along the lines of Mount
Vernon. to face north on M street
between Twenty fourth and Twenty.
fifth streets NV.
Later on, it is expected that wings
will be built onto this structure
along Twenty-fourth and Twenty
nth streets and that eventually the
present building will be torn down
and the new offices for the bureau
will be housed in a Rectangular
building with central court.
The Fine Arts Commission, sit.
ting In monthly meeting today, also
approved the architectural design
for the new National Guard Armory
to be placed at the end of East
Capitol street and the design for
the Terminal Building to be situ-
ated at the Washington National
Airport at Gravelly Point.
Discuss East Capitol Street.
The Park and Planning Commits
sion, IN the second day of its month.
ly meeting today, held extensive dis
cussions on the future DEVELOPMENT
Of East Capitol street. Thomas S.
Settle. commission secretary, said
specific reference was made to the
proposal of DR.. Charles G. Abbot.
secretary of the Smithsonian Insti.
tuition, to place additional institu.
tons along the Eastern axis of the
city.
DR.. ABBOT recently conferred with
President Roosevelt on this subject,
and the President signified approval
Of the idea.
The commission for years has ad-
vocated development of East Capitol
street with structures such as this
and has made several studies for
placing libraries, high court build.
lngS, museums, galleries, headquar.
tiers OF national organizations and
State buildings along this street and
around Lincoln Park.
Mr.. Settle said the commission de.
clded today that as new proposals
Tor such buildings come up, East
capitol street would be given pri.
mary consideration for their loca.
ton.
Cost Extra 100000.
The commission also considered
several letters from citizens asso-
cations in the eastern portion Of
the city advocating that the ma.
terial to be used in construction Of
the new National Guard Armory be
stone rather than brick.
This would cost District taxpay.
ers an extra 10000 to $500 900. it
was estimated by Municipal Archi-
tect Nathan c. Wyeth, who attended
the meeting in connection with the
armory.
The commission approved plans for
the sidewalk and border treatment
OF the new Social Security Building,
to occupy the block bounded bv
Third and Fourth streets, C street
and Independence avenue S.W, and
the Railroad Retirement Board
Building Immediately to the south.
A 15-foot sidewalk, with tree wells
and a grassy border, to surround
the buildings, were features of the
plan.
Meanwhile, the Civil Aeronautics
Authority proceeded with final
touches to the plan for the WASH
ington National Airport at Gravelly
Point, which met with the approval
of the Planning Commission yester-
day afternoon.
The Civil Aeronautics Authority
today proceeded with final touches
to the plan for the Washington Ma.
tional Airport at Gravelly Point.
The plan met with the approval of
the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission yesterday after
noon.
The $9,880,000 airport's hangers,
in this latest plan, are all to be
placed on the Four Mile Run side
of large modern air terminal. Due
to the acquisition of the Bureau Of
Public Roads buildings on the bluffs
back of the airport, fewer buildings
will have to be constructed. The
public roads buildings are to serve
as Office space for the c. A. A.
Highways to Be Taken Up.
Plans for several units in the
Washington regional highway plan,
which the commission expected to
take up yesterday, were to be con-
sidered at today's session. John
Nolen, jr, the commissions director
OF planning, was to report on prog
ress made toward a Baltimore
Washington parkway extending from
the Maryland Metropolis to con-
meet with the Anacostia Parkway
in Northeast Washington A pro-
posed grade separation at Four
teenth and Water streets S.W., was
also to be considered.
Yesterday afternoon Che commis-
sion was told by appraisers that
appraisals of land for the George
Washington Memorial Parkway in
Maryland are nearing completion.
The commission, under an agree
ment with Maryland, has $500 900
to spend on land acquisition in the
area bounded by the District line,
the Potomac River, Conduit road
and a point above Great Falls.
Great Falls Plans Inspected.
Yesterday afternoon the commis-
sion also considered plans being
drawn up by the Branch of Plans
and Design of the ONCE of National
Capital Parks for the improvement
Of the Chesapeake and Ohio Park
way. The plans involve mainly the
treatment to be given the area near
Great Falls, Nd, where parking IA
al T.