Evening star., 1942-01-16

lTOIu 1AIluUUl ACt 1uIluS AHAIIlCOl'
ately in order that recreation areas,
already purchased In outlying Sec
tions OF the city but undeveloped
may be put in operation to take the
place OF those absorbed by defense
activities.
Sport Fields Lose Out.
Fifty five tennis courts are on the
casualty list" Of leisure-time facili-
ties, the commission said. Other
facilities knocked out include q
softball fields, basket ball fields, )
football fields and hockey fields.
Displaced by Federal building
housing, service activities or local
highway projects made necessary
bv the war, these facilities formerly
were available to the public IN the
EllIpSe, the Mall, East and West
Potomac Parks. near MCMILLAN and
the Sixteenth street reservoirs, Fort
Reno Recreation Center, section G
of Anacostia Park and Lincoln
Playground.
The information was contained In
q report made by John Nolen, Jr.
director Of planning, and the group
action regarding expenditure OF
Il 900. 900 was taken at the sugges-
tion of Thomas S. Settle, secretary.
The commission also announced
at the end of the first day OF itA
January meeting approval OF q Pub
lie Buildings Administration pro.
gram of constructing IL additional
temporary buildings on undiscloseo
sites In the District or adJacent
Maryland.
Although the commission did not
announce all the locations, it said
all but one involved land acquisi-
ton and that none would go up on
the grounds of the Soldiers Home
Congress recently appropriated s25,-
600 900 to enable P. B. A. to buy
land and erect the buildings IN or
near the city.
Space for About $4,000.
The commission surmised that
this sum would not be sumcient to
cover the cost Of all II buildings
but said it was the Government
intention to provide ONCE space fol
between $4,000 and $4,000 workers
in however many will be built. The
"tempos" will vary In size from big
enough to accommodate between
1000 and 5000 employees each. One
to be situated ut the southeast cor
ner Of Independence avenue and
Seventh street SW., will consist OF
. service shop and cafeteria for the
convenience Of the temporary build
inss already built Of planned in that
vicinity.
gave their approval to two Federal
agencies program for utilization OF
Friendship. the Mclean estate re-
Gently sold to the Government for
100000. Approval was granted
only with the proviso that the two
coordinate their work and that a
strip along the west boundary OF
the Friendship property be reserved
to the commission for future de-
velopment Of Glover -Archbold Park
way.
p. B. A. plans to erect one tenn
porary ONCE building on the prop
erty and the Defense Homes Corp,
Of the Reconstruction Finance Corp
is ready to begin work on a huge
defense housing project there. The
tempo" will be big enough for $500
workers, it was said. The commits
sion did not reveal details Of the
r. =. C.'s plans.
Bridge Design Approved.
The commission yesterday also:
/. Approved a design by Paul P.
Cret Of the Fine Arts Commission
for an 800-foot stone bridge to span
the north end of the Tidal Basin as
part of the city's plan to extend
independence avenue from Four
teenth street NV. to the river. OF
simple design, the bridge will sup
port q 34-foot roadway with 6-foot
walks on either side. The design
was submitted by Capt. H. c. White
hurst, District director Of highways,
who informed the commission he
would be ready to begin work within
so days.
The commission recommended that
the widening Of Independence ave-
nue. not be held up until the bridge
Is completed, pointing out that doing
first that part of the work involving
q connection with Waterside drive
Lincoln Memorial plaza to great
extent.
2. Heard Mr.. Nolen, in reporting
on the progress of the defense hous-
ing co-ordinator' program of provid-
ing $4,000 defense housing units in
the District and its environs, recon-
mend a proceed with caution" basis
until the total cost involved can be
determined.
Utilities Cost Mentioned.
His recommendation was based on
the conclusion that (a) very few of
the sites already selected can be
developed without further expense
for schools, sewers, water and other
facilities, and, (b) that development
Of such facilities involves the public
interest" because of the critical ma
terials involved.
3. Heard a report on the city's
growth since the 1910 census, show
ing that five other persons have been
drawn here for every Federal worker
A highlight Of this report was the
information that during the last
three months 10000 new individuals
have settled in the District every
80 days and 10000 in the whole