Evening star., 1940-01-19
Fine Arts Body
Approves D. {.
Library Plans
Terminal BUILDING
For New Airport
Also Sanctioned

For New airport
Also Sanctioned
The National Commission Of Fins
Arts today approved preliminary
plans for the new District Free
Public Library submitted by Mu.
nicipal Architect Nathan C.. Wyeth.
H. P. Caemmerer, commission sec.
retary, announced the approval. He
did not reveal any details of the
latest plans for the new library
building, but said that the commits
sion had approved them with one
or two minor suggestions"
The commission, in another
action, approved latest plans for the
terminal building proposed for the
new national airport at Gravelly
Point. The plan was submitted by
w. E. Reynolds, commissioner Of
public buildings. Landscape plans
for the new airport were taken
under consideration by the commits
sion as well.
Use OF Marble Requested.
A delegation representing about 70
Congressman from marble-produc-
ing States, led by Representative
Sam Hobbs of Alabama and includ-
ing Senators Austin of Vermont and
Stewart of Tennessee, attended the
meeting today to request that marble
be included in basic bids for build.
ing materials for new Government
buildings. The delegation had par
ticular reference to materials for the
new War Department building, and
expressed the view that the Indiana
limestone producers have been get.
ting all the best of it. The com.
mission said it had no objection to
the use of marble for public build
ings.
Previous plans for the public
library envisioned building occupy
ing the entire block along Pennsyl.
vania avenue between John Mar
shall place and Sirth street NV.
and costing in the neighborhood of
| $1,000 1000.
This, it has been decided by
Library and District officials, would
be too costly. Therefore, Mr.. Wyeth
has now prepared plans for build
ing occupying about two-thirds of
the block to which the former de-
sign does not apply.
Setback Authorized.
Mr.. Wyeth presented the new
plans to the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission yesterday
for approval as to size and general
shape. The planning commission
| authorized setback for the build
ing of 40 feet from Pennsylvania
avenue instead of the 26 feet orig
| inally planned The planners al
ready had approved location Of the
building.
The old plan, for a new library,
now virtually discarded, showed q
building similar to the Federal Re-
serve Building on Constitution ave-
nue., with 4 central pavilion where
the main doorway was located. Be-
cause the new plan proposes to have
the library occupy only two-thirds
OF the block this pavilion has been
discarded and a simple central door,
way substituted. it was learned.
Although the commission did not
reveal details of the new plan yes
terday, it was learned also that the
interior of the building has been
considerably modified in the inter-
ests of economy.
Remainder of Block Reserved.
The remainder OF the block, under
the new plan, will be reserved, it is
likely, for an addition to the library
to house the Board of Education.
The District at the present time
is financially able to build only the
first unit of the new structure. This
unit will be located along Pennsyl-
vania avenue between the Ford
Building, which houses the District
Traffic Department, and the old
National Guard Armory. Both these
buildings are at present indis-
pensable.
The planning commission yester-
day was unable to consider revised
plans for the huge sports center
proposed for the end of East Capitol
street due to the fact Bremen Pond
and Francis P. Sullivan, consulting
architects who drew up the original
sports center plan some years ago.
have not completed revisions and
also because Mr. Sullivan was Ill.
Land Transferred.
The planning commission an
nounced late yesterday that that
portion of two blocks acquired by it
for recreational purposes immedi-
ately north Of the new Jefferson
Junior High School in Southwest
Washington has been transferred to
the District Recreation Department
for development work. Private
property remaining in the two blocks
will either be purchased directly or
acquired through condemnation
proceedings.
The planning commission also an
nounced that it had appointed the
District fire marshal to serve on the
Co-ordinating Committee on Plans,
| 6AouP CPACoCAlIlliS TcUcTdl anu
District agencies which synchronizes
plans for projects before they are
submitted to the planning commits
sion.
In considering plans for the pro-
posed development Of East Capitol
street yesterday the commission de-
cided that the distance between
building lines along that street is
to be increased from 100 to 240 feet,
thereby opening up the view Of the
front Of the Capitol (the Capitol
faces east) and making a more ap.
propriate setting for future build
ings to be placed to the east Of
Capitol.
Plans for two buildings to be
placed on each side of Washington
street in Aleandrxia Immediately
south Of the circle at the streets
northern terminus were approved
yesterday by the Planning COM
mission. The buildings were de.