Evening star., 1940-12-20
Planners Reaffirm
Stand on Location
Of Court Buildings
Federal Tribunals Should
Go in Block Eost Of High
Court, Commission Saws

Inc NaGlOndl Capltal ParK ana
Planning Commission today reaf-
firmed its stand that buildings to
house high Federal courts in the
District should be built in the block
east of the Supreme Court and that
a new District Court should be built
on the site of the old Pension Office
now occupied by the General Ac-
counting Office.
An appropriation of more than
S6,000000 is available to purchase
the block just north of the Pension
Office and erect a new General Ac-
counting Office
The Public Buildings Administra-
tion presented preliminary plans for
the new G. A. O. Building, which the
commission referred to its staff for
study.
The buildings to house the Court
of Appeals for the District, the
Court of Claims, the Court of Gus
toms and Patent Appeals and the
Board of Tax Appeals would flank
the proposed Oliver Wendell Holmes
Memorial Park in the block behind
the highest court
Both the Judiciary and the Bar
Associa ton have indorsed the plan,
and it is thought appropriations
may soon be sought to carry it
forward.
Heating Plant Approved.
The commission also approved
ground plans for the new west CEN
tral heating plant at TWenty-ninth
and K street NV.
With the capital virtually on a
wartime basis, the commission has
decided to intensity its attack on the
parking problem.
end of the first day of its December
meeting yesterday a special meet
ing would be held January 16 with
District officials to effect at least
partial solution to the parking
problem, which is becoming more
acute weekly as hundreds of Gov
ernment workers are added.
Thomas S. Settle, commission
secretary, said after yesterdays
meeting that two lines of attack
will be followed The January 16
meeting will discuss staggering Gov
ernment Office hours and the pur-
chasing land for Government park
ing lots.
Today the commission was to
Today the commission was to con-
centrate also on legislation affecting
its work, opposition to increasing the
height of District buildings. plans
for the Fort Drive, and was to
devote a large part of the after
noon to meeting with a committee
of the Alexandria City Council to
discuss zoning problems along
Washington street.
The commission yesterday after
noon:
l. Transferred the Virginia bridge
head of Key Bridge, including the
newly completed Rosslyn Plaza, to
the jurisdiction of the Office of Ma
tional Capital Parks to form part of
the George Washington Memorial
Parkway. Thus is cleared up COM
plicated police jurisdictional prob
lens.
Would Extend Area.
2. Announced that it would sup
port the Maryland National Capital
Park and Planning Commission on
legislation to extend the MARYLAND
Metropolitan District, over which
the Maryland commission holds
planning Jurisdiction Principal
area which would be included under
the new legislation would be the
section from the District line to
Fort Washington. in Prince Georges
County.
3. Recommended that a means of
coordination be placed in effect by
Maryland and the District regard
Ing zoning of property along both
sides of the District line. Zoning
along the line in some cases is
now done without reference to what
lies on the other side.
4. Told the Civil Aeronautics
Board that a airplane radio direc-
ton beam station, which the board
wants to place at Fort Foote. Md.
that 1t would have to so place the
station so as to cut down the least
possible number of trees.
5. Approved a defense housing
project OF some 100 homes spon-
sored by the Navy and planned
for the tract lying between Boiling
Field and the Naval Experimental
Station at Bellevue, D. c.