Evening star., 1939-11-16
Park Planners
Announce Land
Purchases
Southwest Center
Needs Only Few
More Properties

Several important land purchases,
made or about to be made, toward
the completion of Washington's
park, parkway and playground sys-
tenn were announced today by the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission through it's associate,
Land Purchasing Officer Norman c.
Brown.
The commission this morning
started It's November meeting under
the Craftsmanship of Frederic A.
Delano.
OF paramount interest to resi-
dents of Southwest Washington
came announcement that only a
few properties remain to be pur-
chased toward completion of the
Southwest Recreation Center, be-
tween G and H, Seventh and Ninth
streets SW. The remaining few,
Mr.. Brown said, are to be con-
demned at an early date, thus en-
abling this development to go for
ward along with the new jefferson
Junior High School, now under
construction on the two blocks
Immediately adjoining to the south.
Congress Heights Progresses.
In adjacent Southeast Washing
ton, Mr.. Brown announced, proper
ties needed to complete the new
Congress Heights playground, in
the vicinity of Alabama avenue and
Randle place Sc, are being ac-
quired either by direct purchase
or by condemnation, already au-
thorlzed by the Planning Commits
sion.
Swinging northWard in the east
ern portion of the city, Mr.. Brown
revealed that the commission has
extended Watts Branch parkway
for several additional blocks by
means of purchases receiving COM
mission approval this morning.
Watts Branch parkway is scheduled
to extend from Anacostia Park i'm
mediately southwest of the Kenil-
worth formerly Shaw lily gardens
to the northeast corner of the Dis
trict. One of the main objectives of
this parkway is to protect this Sec
ton of the city from floods and un-
due valley erosion in Watts Branch
Valley. The branch rises in Prince
Georges County Md and flows
through the District to the Ana
costa River. The parkway here is
to be similar to the Oxon Run Park
way In the southeast section and
ties in directly with the District
commissioners flood control pro-
gram
In still another acquisition mate
rally affecting the welfare and de-
velopment of the eastern section of
the city the commission announced
through Mr.. Brown that it had COM
pleted substantial acquisition of
property where Fort Du Pont Park
is joined to Anacostia Park. This
narrow connecting strip of land is
therefore being widened so that a
gon course. now under preliminary
construction by c. C. C. bows. can
connect continuously with the upper
section of the existing Anacostia
links.
Clubhouse on Heights Proposed.
Nine of the holes in this new
course, therefore, will be along the
Anacostla River and the other nine
Will be on the slopes of Fort Dupont
FarK Itself. A clubhouse is pro-
posed for the heights of Fort Dlpont
Park, from which a panoramic view
OF the Capital City may be had.
oil
small area had been annexed to the
iand Whereon the Fort drive will
run IN the vicinity of Forty-sixth
street and Nebraska avenue NV.
Land acquisitions for the drive
which will circle the city via his,
torlc Civil War Notifications are
nearly complete, Mr.. Brown said.
This afternoon, Thomas S. Settle
commission secretary, said the COM
mission was expected to deliberate
on appralsals of the first few land
UNITS to be purchased for the George
washington Memorial Parkway in
Maryland. The commission has at
its disposal 100000 for this purpose
Montgomery Zoning on Agenda.
Other items scheduled for con-
slderation today were a progress re.
port by the commission staff on
moves to abolish spot zoning in
montgomery County and develop-
ment OF the Chesapeake & Ohio
Canal Parkway in the general vicin-
lty of Great Falls.
tomorrow the commission is tn
give further consideration to serv-
Ice roads which will connect the
new National Airport at Gravelly
Point with the Mount Vernon Me-
mortal highway and U. S. Route /
to Richmond, as we'll as the land
scaplng of the memorial highway
where it is to skirt the airport
near the railroad tracks. In this
connection, means of gaining CO.
operation of Arlington and Fairfax
counties to control dumping in the
vicinity of the highway will be
discussed.
Water Front to Be Considered.
Other matters to be taken I'D
tomorrow will be future harbor and
anchorage regulations along Wash
ingtons water front and zoning re-
quests from Alexandria. Mr.. Settle
said the commission also would de-
vote some time to preliminary pro-
posals for improvement of the Alex
andria water front.
The planners also will consider
! gasoline station reports, land trans
fers and a report by John Nolen, jr,
director of planning, on develop
ments in the District Alley DWELL
ing Authority's slum clearance pro.
gram.