Evening star., 1939-11-17
New Armory
Material Issue
Is Studied
Weather Building
Elevation Levels
Are Approved


day, concentrated on the controver-
sial question of whether the new
National Guard Armory shall be
built of brick or stone, while the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission was busy approving the
elevations of the new Weather Bu-
reau Building, to be built on M
street bteween Twenty-fourth and
Twenty fifth streets NV.
Attending the fine arts meeting
were Engineer Commissioner Col.
David McCoach and Municipal
Architect Nathan C. Wyeth, as well
as other District officials.
Col. McCoach has said that to
build the armory of stone would
cost an extra $4,000. The Fine Arts
Commission favors stone construc-
ton if possible, because the build
ing will set the style for the whole
East Capitol street development
long sought by civic leaders, District
the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission and the
Arts Commission. However, the
latter commission has tentatively
approved use of Hght-gray brick in
view OF limited funds available.
Study Risk to Planes.
The Planning Commission, in the
second day of its monthly meeting,
approved the Weather Bureau ele-
vations subject to final approval by
the Civil Aeronautics Authority as
to whether the height of the me-
neurological tower to cap the struc-
ture will provide a hazard to air.
planes and If so whether adequate
provision is being made for a warn
ing beacon.
The building elevations as ap-
proved today were: Parapet to be IA
feet above the curb, central pent-
house to be 81 feet above the curb
and meteorological tower to be ITO
feet above the curb.
The new Weather Bureau Build
ing is defined as the first unit of a
future structure which is expected to
occupy the entire block where the
present bureau building stands. The
unit to be built first will be the front
section.
The Planning Commission today
also considered several methods of
providing service roads into the new
National Airport at Gravelly Point,
which would connect with the
Mount Vernon Highway and U. S.
Route No. l, so that trucks may
enter the airport. Construction Of
the connecting road extending to
Route l involves either under or
overpassing the railroad tracks
north Of Alexandria.
Dining Hall Located.
In still another action the plan
ners today approved the location of
a new dining hall for the National
Training School for Boys. The
building is to be large enough to
house the some 400 boys at the in
stitution. Heretofore Thomas S.
Settle, commission secretary said,
the boys have been forced to eat
in dark, unsanitary basement.
Funds for the building have been
appropriated by Congress.
AitSA 6iAi5 oPpl ofdl' ouDJCCl W
further study in the matter of de-
tail" to a proposed Spanish-Ameri-
can War memorial to be constructed
at Tampa, Fla, under the auspices
Of the National Park Service, the
Fine Arts Commission today gave
consideration to the design for the
Lafayette Building, being built at
Vermont avenue and H street NV.
The architectural firm of A. R. Clas
& Associates submitted the plan.
The Planning Commission also
discussed plans for completing the
landscaping of the entire length of
the Mount Vernon Memorial High
way, especially that portion being
relocated so as not to interfere with
the new airport.
Priority List Planned.
The commission said yesterday
that the Capital is soon to have
a 10-year priority list of public
works which should insure that pro-
posed construction here will be
effected according to a comprehen-
sive agreement as to which works
are needed soonest and, therefore,
will be built soonest.
A conference committee, made up
of both District and Federal off,
cials and working under the spon-
sorship of the commission, soon will
swing into action to decide where
various construction projects should
be placed on the list.
The committee will include rep
resentatives of the planning COM
mission, Public Works Administra-
ton, Public Buildings Administra-
tion, District Commissioners, Board
of Education, National Park Serv-
ice and others.
Besides working out priority list
the committee is expected to make a
10-year inventory of public works
constructed in the last 10 years as
an aid to working out plan for
the next 10 and also to work out a
plan whereby nearby counties in
Maryland and Virginia may be ad-
vised in working up similar priority
lists for their own public works.
Heretofore, it was explained to-
day, public works in the District
have been constructed largely as the
result of pressure brought on Con-
gress from one quarter or another
to provide money for individual
projects. The quarter which could
exert the greatest pressure has, in
most cases, been the one to receive
the funds for its pet project.
Such a list as the park plan
ners contemplate would insure that
priority in the future would not be
decided by the amount of pressure
brought in favor of individual
projects but according to actual
need and in relation to compre-
hensive city plan.
Hears Progress Report.
Yesterday, after announcing sew
eral important land acquisitions
adding to the city's park, parkway
and playground system, the COM
mission heard a progress report on
the status of spot zoning in Mont
cOmery County. Commission MEM