Evening star., 1939-05-26
New Library
Building Plans
Are Approved
City Planners
Pass on Municipal
Center Structure

pullQl1lg III Lne munlClpal CenCer
area were approved by the National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission today, clearing the way for
preparation of construction plans
and specifications.
The plans, submitted by Nathan
c. Wyeth, municipal architect, call
for a building fronting on Penn
sylvania avenue and conforming to
the present building line except for
setbacks to improve the architec-
tural appearance.
The building will occupy the ir-
regular plot between John Mar
shall place and Sixth street and
Pennsylvania avenue and c street
NV. The design will provide space
at the west end of the building for
Offices of the Board of Education.
Historical Study Urged.
The commission called on the Ma
tional Park Service for historical
study of every house along the
Mount Vernon highway in Alex
andria.
Upon the results of this study
future zoning regulations for the
development of this area will be
based. The Planning Commission
and the Alexandria City Council are
cooperating to preserve the his
torical character of the section of
Alexandria adjoining the highway,
and the Council has made a prac-
tice of referring all zoning matters
in this area to the Planning Com
mission. The study will be made by
the historical branch of the Park
Service.
The commission also approved
plans submitted by Capt. H. c.
Whltehurst, District highway di-
rector, for new type of traffic IN
tersection to be constructed at
Eleventh street and Vermont avenue
NV. Funds for the work will be
available July 1, and plan subse-
quently may be extended to other
busy intersections. The design in
cludes parking strips and safety
Islands, which are intended to
smooth out traffic flow in all direc-
tions. Detailed plans will be pre-
pared as a result of today's action.
Legislation affecting park, build
Ing and planning projects in and
near the District, including a new
Federal building program to tighten
the present 100000 annual rental
burden carried by the Government
here, was under consideration by the
commission at its session
Thomas S. Settle, commission Sec
retary, submitted a report to the
commission on pending legislation.
Late yesterday the commission
approved contracts for land pur-
chases or the institution of con-
demnation proceedings which will
complete the acquisition of land for
the important Southwest Recrea-
tional Center and for the Shepherd
Parkway.
Completes 10-year Effort.
The Southwest purchases will COM
plete the acquisition of the four
blocks between G and I and Seventh
and Ninth streets S.W. The south
ern half of the area has been set
aside as site for the Jefferson
Junior High School, for which funds
are available. The two northern
squares are for the recreational CEN
ter. Yesterdays action was the cul-
mination of 10 years of effort on
the part of Southwest Washington
to obtain its first recreational cen
ter. The commission is preparing
"a very comprehensive layout" for
the development of the area.
The contracts and condemnations
approved for the Shepherd Parkway
project provide for acquisition of a
total of A acres of undeveloped
land extending from the new Boiling
Field to Blue Plains and adjoining
Bald Eagle Hill in the southern
corner of the District. This COM
pletes acquisition of an unbroken
chain of parkway. extending from
the extreme southern corner of the
District, parallel with the southeast
boundary nearly 10 miles to the
northeast District boundary in the
Anacostia River Valley. 1t also adds
an important link to the Fort drive
extending around the District.
Plans for expansion of the Fed
eral building program in the Dis
trict were discussed by the commits
sion with w. F. Reynolds, assistant
director of the Procurement Division,
Treasury Department. Considera-
ton was given to the location of
sites and development of general
layout scheme to include such build
ings as the proposed Navy Depart
ment group and others, for which
appropriations may be sought in the
near future.
Zoning Map Steps Taken.
The commission took under study
the report of committee headed by
Charles Herrick, city planner on the
commission staff, on the results Of q
thorough land-use survey made OF
the entire District under Works
Progress Administration allotment
The report is to be used as basis
for redrafting the zoning map OF
The District, developed as piecemeal
project.
government to the Office of National
Capital Parks of 5-acre tract
bounded by Linnean avenue, Fes-
senden street and loop of Broad
Branch terrace NV, was approved
The commission also approved the
purchase of a plot adjoining the Co.
lumbia Heights Recreational Center
which will be cleared and added to
the center this summer to provide
greatly needed extra space.