Evening star., 1942-04-16
Planning Body
Will Discuss
ID. {. Housing
Port of Smith Troct
Acquired for Park
In KoIoromu Heights

Coordination OF Washington
$50 900 900 defense housing and pub
lie works program. authorized by
the Lanham Act, was of major i'm
portance on the two-day agenda OF
the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission which opened
its monthly meeting today.
A comprehensive picture OF the
proposed housing program will be
presented. the main object of the
commission being to hear reports
on how the scattered housing prof.
ectS are to be tied in with city
transportation and new Govern
ment Office buildings. They are all
interrelated.
Two acres of beautifully wooded
land, long desired as q neighborhood
park for the Kalorama Heights sec
tion. has been acquired from the
Thomas Smith estate, the commits
sion announced.
With approximately $50 feet
fronting on both Columbia road and
Nineteenth street. the tract is al
most equal in, size TO Dupont Circle
Park.
VIII Get Entire Tract.
Norman c. Brown, appraiser and
land purchasing officer. said title
would be obtained within the next
month, The tract is part of an old
Washington estate held in years
past by many prominent families.
The entire estate, consisting of
nearly 3is acres. eventually will be
acquired by the Government for
park purposes.
The Park and Planning Commits
sion visualizes a simple and mex
pensive recreation park. Every
effort will be made TO preserve the
fine oak trees and fit them into the
landscaping.
The property. which belonged to
the late Thomas Smith, Washington
lumber man. has been tied up for
several years. A recent court order
paved the way for its acquisition by
the Government.
Ratifies Condemnation Award.
The commission also ratified n
condemnation award on some 90
acres in the Oxon Run parkway
project, situated In the Southeast
near the District line beyond ST.
Elizabeth's Hospital. This is a COM
bined parkway and flood control
project which will add to the use
fulness of the adjoining areas now
subject to floods.
Other additions TO the city rec
! reational areas were made In one
! of the squares necessary for the new
X street viaduct construction in the
vicinity of Twenty seventh and K
streets NV. A playground for a
Junior high school for colnred chill
dren will be established here.
Additions also were acquired in
the Northeast section for a play
ground at Forty-ninth and WASH
ington streets. Secretary Thomas
S. Settle reported that the commits
sion had approved an adjustment
of the taking lines for an extension
of the Archbold- Glover Parkway
running along the west border OF
the recently acquired Mclean es-
tate. This is ravine and creek
extending about half a mile beyond
Massachusetts avenue west OF
Hamilton Circle and south OF Villa
Rosa.
Nolen to Outline Housing.
John Nolen, jr., director of plan.
ming, viii outline the housing prob
lem at the afternoon session. The
Lanham Act, which became law last
week, authorizes $30,000,000 for
housing Washington war workers
by the National Housing Agency.
That expenditure is independent
from the program of the Alley
Dwelling Authority.
Capt. H. c. Whitehurst, District
| highway director, will discuss CO.
ordination OF the utilities program
so that ample sewage, water and
light will be available for all new
| projects.