Evening star., 1939-12-13
Landscape Plan
For Southwest
|sApproved
Planning Commission
Passes On Work
Around Buildings

Landscape plans for the Govern
ment's Southwest building develop
ment south of Independence avenue
were approved today by the National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission.
The landscaping, included in the
general construction plans already
approved, is to be done around the
new Social Security Building, the
Railroad Retirement Board head
quarters and the Census Bureau
structure. Costs were included in
the general appropriation for the
new buildings, the commission said.
Final approval also was given for
the Southeast Recreation Center
development at the final morning
session of the two-day meeting.
Thomas S. Settle, commission
secretary, reviewed the commissions
legislative program to be submitted
at the coming session of Congress.
He said the program dealt primarily
with appropriations for land pur-
chases in the Washington area He
said the amount to be asked will not
be made public before submission to
Congress. These estimates will be
submitted, he said, when formal
request for this information is
received.
East Capitol Plan Delayed.
The commission deferred con-
sideration of the proposed develop
ment at the end of East Capitol
street. This may be taken up at the
first meeting next year, it was said.
Thomas C. Jeffers submitted for
approval by the commission several
small land transfers. The COM
mission also took up requests sent
from the District Building for per-
mission to construct several gas sta
tions Final disposition of the re-
quests was expected to be made be-
fore the meeting adjourns late today
in the Interior Department.
A considerable part of the morning
session was devoted to consideration
of an Alexandra. Va, application
for the construction of several apart
ment and business buildings near
the circle at the north approach to
the town on the Mount Vernon
boulevard.
1t was decided to permit repre-.
sentatives to appear before the COM
mission to present their case. This
hearing was to be held some time
during the afternoon session, it was
announced.
Several projects were approved
yesterday at the afternoon session
including construction of one and
a half miles of roadway from the
Nosslyn plaza at Key Bridge along
the Potomac up Spout Run. Land
for the development, it was an
nounced. is being Jointly acquired
by the commission, Arlington
County and Virginia agencies.
Plans for the traffic circle at the
south end of the Arlington Memorial
Bridge also were approved. Designed
to counter balance the Lincoln
Memorial Circle in part. its function
will be to facilitate traffic movement
through the elimination of the bottle
neck on the Virginia bridge ap-
proach.
The circle will connect the Mount
Vernon Memorial boulevard, the
Arlington Cemetery road and the
new George Washington Memorial
Parkway road. Financed by the
commission, it will be built by the
Bureau of Public Roads.
Receive Report on Parkway.
Most Of the afternoon session was
devoted to receiving reports on the
George Washington Memorial Park
way IN Maryland, details of which
were not made public However, it
was understood most of the infor.
nation pertained to land apprais.
ais along the route from the Dis
trict line to Great Falls. Plans for
a roadway along this park area are
being formulated by the Bureau of
Public Roads.
Lewis R. Barrett said the COM
mission is working toward further
uniflcation and coordination of the
recreation units in the city. He
pointed out that at this time in
creased activity could be had If
project sponsors offered larger con-
tributions since for each dollar of
sponsor money, sic in work is being
done through Federal aid.
Initial development, T. c. Jeffers
said, will be started shortly on the
Southeast Recreation Center and,
If possible, on the Trinidad project.