Evening star., 1940-01-18
40,Foot Setback
For New Library
Is Authorized
Planning Commission
Is Now CONSIDERING
Revised Plans

nue. Of 40 feet instead OF Is feet for
the new District Free Public Library
was authorized today by the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission. ...
At: the same time, 1t was learned
that a library plan materially diff
ferent to that approved by the Plan
ming Commission and the National
Commission of Fine Arts a few
months ago is now being considered.
It was learned further that this
previous plan, which contemplated
q $7,000000 structure, has now been
virtually discarded.
New Design to Be Made.
The Planning Commission already
has approved location of the build
ing in the same block with the
Ford Building and the old National
Guard Armory. The Fine Arts
Commission tomorrow will take up
new design for the library, drawn
up by Municipal Architect Nathan
G. Wyeth, to fit in with latest plans.
The old plan envisioned a library
occupying the entire block. This,
1t has been decided, would prove too
costly. Therefore, a building occu-
pying about two-thirds of the block
is now planned, to which the former
design does not apply.
The Planning Commission did not
reveal details of the new plan. It
is believed. however, that the in
terror of the library has been con-
siderably simplified in the interest
of economy and that the central
pavilion which was to have set of
the Pennsylvania avenue facade
has been removed and a simple
central doorway substituted.
The remainder of the block, un-
der the new plan. will be reserved
for future addition, in all likeli-
hood, it was said, for the Board of
Education.
$1,000, 900 to Start Work.
At present the District has only
$1,OO0,OOO in hand with which to
build the first unit of the new
library. Because it has been de-
cided that the Ford Building, which
houses the District of Columbia
Traffic Department, and the old
National Guard Armory cannot be
dispensed with for the present, the
first unit will occupy space between
the two other structures: 1t will
face Pennsylvania avenue and in
clude the central doorway.
The Planning Commission, in an
other action today, went on record
as approving In its entirety Presi--
dent Roosevelt's recommendations
for new public buildings which was
sent to Congress with the budget.
The House Appropriations Commit
tee has stricken these buildings from
the bill The Planning Commission
feels, Thomas S. Settle, secretary,
said, that 1t should be on record as
approving the Presidents building
plans in case an attempt were to be
made later to restore these items
to the appropriation bill and the
commissions opinion were to be
asked.
Sports Center on Program.
Final plans for the proposed sports
center at the foot OF East Capitol
street and plans for the develop
ment of the eastern axis of the city
in general were other problems to
occupy the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission today in
the second day of its monthly meet
ing.
Attending todays meeting was
Francis Sullivan and Bremen Pond,
consulting architects who drew up
the original plan for the sports
center development.
Because Congress failed to appro-
pirate funds sufficient to purchase
the land required by the first plan,
revisions have been necessary. Prin-
cipal among these has been the
shifting of the site for huge sta
dium to the tract Immediately
across the East Capitol street axis
from the new National Guard
Armory.
The commission yesterday ap-
proved a bill presented to Congress
by Representative Jennings Ran
dolph which would authorize appro-
priation of funds to construct the
sports center. Several such bills
have been presented to Congress in
years past. Some of these were in
troduced by Representative Mary T.
Norton of New Jersey, but none were
acted on by Congress.
The sports center plans call for a
huge stadium, in addition to the new
National Guard Armory, for which
funds are already in hand; a tennis
arena, aquatic stadium, parade
ground, 16,000-car parking lot and
special railroad siding.
Members of the commission en-
vision the bringing of olympic
games to Washington and holding
them at the center. Many other
large sporting events, such as the
Army-Navy football games and ma
tional games and festivals, are con-
templated as well.
Plans to Be Ready.
Since President Roosevelt renewed
his interest in East Capitol street
development last summer, the Plan
ming Commission has bent every
effort to have its plans in shape
should Congress take authorizing
and appropriative action.
The commission is On record SC
far with resolution favoring plac-
ing proposed public and semi-public
buildings on East Capitol street
Several plans have been drawn up
with this in mind, one, for instance,
envisioning q string Of State head
quarters and memorials along the
street and surrounding Lincoln
Park. All plans show East Capitol
street eliminating In the proposed
sports center.
At yesterdays session, the COM
mission considered the proposal to
be heard by the District Zoning
Commission in February to require
that all dwelling houses built In the