Evening star., 1939-06-24
Alternate Plans
lobe Drawn on.
Navy Building
Commissions Give
Final Approval
To River Site

The Procurement Division Of the
Treasury today prepared to draft
alternate plans for q new head.
quarters for the United States Navy
expected to cost So, ,466, 900.
Final approval of the location Of
the new Navy Department in the
tract Of land bounded by Twenty
third street, Constitution avenue and
r street NV. and the Potomac River
was given late yesterday by q Joint
meeting Of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission and the
National Commission of Fine Arts.
The Procurement Division, which
took preliminary studies of the Navy
Department before the meeting, was
asked to prepare alternate plans for
presentation at the July meeting Of
the two commissions.
$23,466, 900 Authorization.
Indications are that the bill now
before the House Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds will
be considered favorably. Once the
new building is authorized it is ex-
pected that Congress will be asked
to appropriate roughly $4,000, 900
with which to start work.
Naval Museum Included.
Preliminary plans call for a Large
building in the style of the new In
terror Department supplemented by
naval museum and berths for
preservation Of four historic ships.
At the same time the joint ses-
sion gave final approval to plans for
the first unit of the new War De.
partment, to be situated between
Twenty-frst and Twenty third
streets, c and D streets NV. Con-
gress has appropriated $1,000 900
for initial work on this unit. The
commission further approved in
principle plans for the main portion
of the new War Department.
Placing of q small building to
house personnel employed in CO.
ordinating the work of the Army
and Navy where the Naval Hos
pital now is, was also considered.
The commission favored, however,
leaving the hill where the hospital
now stands very much as 1t Is.
Library Plans Approved.
At yesterdays joint session final
approval was given plans for the
new Central Library and for re-
location of the Mount Vernon Me-
mortal highway where it skirts the
new National Airport at Gravelly
Point.
Another important matter con-
sidered by the commission was ex-
tension Of the Anacostia Parkway
into Maryland to connect with an
eventual parkway to Baltimore.
Through an agreement with Mary.
land, the Park and Planning Com
mission is empowered to give one
third and loan two-thirds of the
necessary funds to purchase land
for the extension as far as Bladens-
burg to the Maryland National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission.
Thomas S. Settle, commission
| secretary, said it was hoped that
funds would be appropriated in the
District supply bill to enable the
District Commissioners to make
studies for extension of the roadway
up the east side of Anacostia Park
to the District line. The land is
already under public ownership.
viii Provide Bypass.
The parkway when completed will
provide bypass connecting Route
/ in Maryland with Route l in Vir-
ginia. Traffic travelling south, fol-
instance, will cross the Anacostia
River via the proposed South Capt.
tol street bridge and proceed up
Maine avenue to Highway Bridge.
John Nolen, jr.. the commission Z
director of planning, reported at
yesterdays meeting on recent legis-
lation directed toward establish
ment of the proposed Baltimore
Washington Annapolis planning
area. zoning regulation has been
extended to include all of Balti-
more County. Similar legislation
provides for zoning regulation In
the Annapolis area subject to ref
erendum and the area over which
the Maryland National Capital Park
and Planning Commission has juris-
diction has been extended farther
into Prince Georges County. he told
the commission. Mr.. Nolen also
reported that progress was being
made by the Potomac Basin Conn
mittee which Is authorized by Con-
gress to establish a Potomac basin
conservancy area with pollution
control as its foremost feature.
Mr.. Settle reported that an agree
ment has been reached with Vir-
sinia by which Arlington County.
the State and the Federal Govern
ment would combine in purchasing
land for continuation of the George
Washington Memorial Parkway
above Key Bridge.
The commission gave final ap-
proval to changes in the harbor
lines between Arlington Memorial
and Key Bridges and passed favor
ably on action taken by the Alex
andria City Council on zoning
change requests from property own