Evening star., 1939-03-18
Early Work
Seen on No. !
Parkway Unit
Planners Approve
Development Of
RossIyn PIozu


development Of the second unit of
the George Washington Memorial
Parkway, providing important new
motor parkway connections between
the District and Virginia, was fore
cast today following a meeting of
the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission ending late
yesterday.
Plans also were approved for the
removal Of old station and other
buildings from both sides of Rosslyn
plaza and the construction of we'll
designed permanent street railway
and bus stations as a part Of
thorough reconstruction of the
plaza and Key Bridge approaches.
Thomas S. Settle, commission Sec
retary, reported that the Arlington
County Board has included a large
amount" in its budget estimates to
supplement donations which will
complete the county quota of $50,-
600 toward purchase Of the second
unit of the parkway. The Virginia
Legislature already has appropriated
its share of $4,000 and the Federal
Government has set aside 100000
for the project.
Mr.. Settle reported that the coun-
ty expects to raise its entire quota
prior to the April 20 meeting of the
commission. This would permit i'm
mediate acquisition of land along
the Virginia shore of the Potomac
River from Key Bridge to Spout
Run Valley and In that valley as
far as Old Dominion drive.
Plaza Plans Approved.
John Nolen, jr., director of plan
ming of the commission, submitted
plans for complete redesigning of
Rosslyn plaza, which the commits
sion approved in principle. Prep
aration of detailed plans was
ordered before the April meeting.
The plans call for razing of all
buildings now standing on Govern
ment property in the bridgehead
area and the laying out of greatly
improved traffic approaches both
to the bridge and the George WASH
ington Parkway.
Existing railway and bus terminal
buildings would be replaced by two
buildings of ornamental architec-
ture, each about 20 by 20 feet in
size, in the center of the plaza,
according to present plans.
Another step to carry out the dis
tinctive plan of treatment of the
George Washington Parkway and
the Mount Vernon highway was
taken in cooperation with the mu-
nicipal government of Alexandria,
Va, in connection with develop
ment plans for Washington street.
Under an agreement reached with
Alexandria coming officials, future
construction on Washin. ton street
will be restricted to Colonial ar
chitecture and building plans will
be submitted to the planning OH
cials for approval.
The commission considered plans
for the proposed National Guard
Armory-Sports Center Building to
be erected at the east end of East
Capitol street and for the develop
ment of roadways in that area and
in Anacostia Park but took no
action other than to order con-
tinuation of the studies.
Acts on Street Widening.
The commission approved trans
fer to the District of land in the
Mall to permit a widening of Sew
enth street NV, to compensate for
the closing Of Sixth street for the
Mellon Gallery. A strip 20 feet in
width on both sides of the present
street was transferred to permit a
40-foot widening of the roadway
Transfer of land in small triangle
near Eleventh street and Vermont
avenue NV, to permit widening of
Eleventh street, also was approved.
Capt. H. C. Whitehurst, District
director of streets and highways,
submitted progress report" on
plans for new bridge to carry
Massachusetts, avenue across Rock
Greek. No action was taken.
Special landscaping studies for
the area around the new Public
Health Service Building on Consti-
tuition avenue were ordered. A COM
mittee composed of Henry Hubbard
and Gilmore D. Clarke, chairman of
the Commission of Fine Arts, was
named to study and report.
Mr.. Hubbard and Mr.. Clarke SUBJ
mitted a report for another commit
tee recommending that New York
avenue be closed and Virginia ave-
nue. remain open through the
Northwest Rectangle, in connection
with the early construction of the
first unit of the new War Depart
ment building group.
Further studies were ordered of
the plans for relocating the Mount
Vernon highway at Washington Ma
tional Airport.
FIogeing Defended