Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-20
Planners Back
Bill for Large
Auditorium
Also Approve Three
Temporary Projects to
House 2o6 Families

f1OQSe Dill tIldC WOulQ pave lne way
for erection of war memorial audi
forum in Washington after the war
The commission closed its month
ly session yesterday by also approx
ing plans for a new Navy Office build
ing in Arlington. Va, and three
Housing Dwelling Authority projects
in different sections of the city to
provide temporary housing for 296
families.
A bill now pending before the
House Public Buildings and Grounds
Committee provides for a commits
sion to select suitable site for a
war memorial auditorium costing
not more than $4,000 900. The
Planning Commission Endorsed the
proposal.
Site Previously Selected.
Secretary Thomas S. Settle point
ed out yesterday that the House
the group has favored the erection
of a Federal auditorium since the
initial congressional bill of 1888
which appointed a commission to
make an extensive study of the pian.
That commission, he said, had Sc
lected the site at Constitution ave-
nue. and John Marshall place, now
owned by the District and used as
an automobile parking lot.
1t was proposed to build an audi
forum from Federal funds of Suffi-
cient size to accommodate at least
10000 persons, Mr.. Settle explained.
It's use was intended for conventions
and presidential inaugurations When
weather conditions made it impos-
sible to conduct the inaugural cere-
mony on the east steps of the Capt.
toll
The Planning Commission made
no suggestion to locate the pro-
posed War Memorial Auditorium at
Constitution Avenue and John
Marshall Place. but implied that
the site is available and conven-
iently located downtown.
The Navy Department, it was
said, intends to erect a small Office
building in Arlington to supple
ment Federal Temporary Building
No. 2 in that area. Approval of the
Planning Commission was given.
No mention was made of the ca
pacity of the building, which the
Navy is prepared to erect soon.
40 Family Units.
One of the proposed Alley Dwell
Ing Authority projects approved in
wolves the erection of 40 family
units on a parking lot it owns at
Twenty-firSt and E streets NV.
The two story homes would be of
a type that meets the standards
fixed by the War Production Board
for the duration.
Another ADA project in the
Glover Park area of West Wash
!ngton would comprise 96 family
units. officials said the plans call
for these units to be staggered
or set back on the grounds in
irregular fashion
The third project is intended for
$50 family units in the vicinity of
the Barry Farms development of
the ADA. 1t is located in Ana
costa below the Eleventh Street
Bridge.
A housing study being made by
the Planning Commission, it was re-
ported yesterday, shows a definite
trend of housing development east
OF the Anacostia River in the Dis
trict. Since the 1910 census, the
total number of private and public
dwelling units erected in this area
has more than doubled.
The commission is making a con-
tinuous study of housing develop
ments in the Washington area, fur
nishing maps to various public agen-
0es showing locations of existing
housing to guide them in future
planning. The area east of the
Anacostia, the report showed, &C
counts for more new residential
construction than any other.
Earlier in the day, the commission
offered to cooperate with the Navy
Department in obtaining some other
site than the former polo grounds in
West Potomac Park for the accom-
mediation of $500 WAVES.
Now Earmarked for Recreation.
Milo Christensen, District recrea-
ton director, reported to the meet
ing that the old polo ground, which
has been used as parking lot the
past year, Is now being converted
into play area by the Recreation
Department.
Rather than lose this recreation
space, the commission countered
with a suggestion that the Navy
might be able to obtain permission
TO house the WAVES in the tempo
rary women's dormitories now near
ing completion in West Potomac
Park. That site is south of the Lin
coin Memorial Rejecting Pool.
The Planning Commission ex-
pressed the opinion, however. that
those dormitorieS were intended for
war workers who would have to be
located elsewhere if the Navy took
possession.
The commission approved an
amendment to the recent Motor
Vehicle Parking Act which would
enable the board set up under it to
utilize certain unused District
owned lands for parking purposes
The legislation authorized the board
to buy new areas suitable for park
ing lots but failed to make any
other provision for acquiring land.
There are a number of District
owned lots not now in use that are
suitable for parking automobiles and
the proposed amendment would
transfer these properties to the Mo-
tor Vehicle Parking Authority pro-
vided the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission approved the
individual transfers.