Evening star., 1943-02-18
Navy Seeks Old
Polo Field Site
ToHouseWAVES
Planners, Opening
February Meeting,
To Get Request

y
permission to erect temporary wom-
er's dormitories for an undesignated
number of WAVES on the site of
the former polo ground in West Po-
tomac Park, officials of the National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion revealed as the commission
opened its February meeting today.
Naval officials will present the
plan to the commission tomorrow.
At present the planning group has
no detailed information from the
Navy regarding the number of dor
mltorieS involved in the plan. It is
possible some alternative site may
be suggested to the Navy in view of
the expense involved and for other
reasons
The former polo ground is now
being used as parking lot for auto
mobiles by the Navy Department.
The site was turned over jointly to
the Army and Navy and paved at
Government expense at time when
the parking problem was acute. Now
there are relatively few Navy cars
parked on the site during the day
and the space allotted to the Army
is unoccupied
Other Uses Suggested.
Recently, however, proposals have
been made to convert the site into
a recreational area. 1t has also
been suggested as a site for addi-
tlonal dormitories for war workers
If it must be used as a dormitory
site, the planning group may ap-
prove such a plan to accommodate
the WAVES.
At todays meeting the COM
mission will act on several items
involving land acquisitions pro-
posed for park and playground
purposes before the war. There
will also be several matters involv-
ing highway changes and condem-
nation proceedings.
Announcement also was made
that deed will be drafted to shift
a recently acquired school site from
the north side of Massachusetts
avenue west of Macomb street NV.
to a square at Newark street and
Idaho avenue.
The transfer involves a deal re-
Gently worked out with the Defense
Housing Corp. Since a temporary
Office building now occupies the
Newark street site it cannot be used
for a school until after the war. 1t
is nearer center of population
than the Massachusetts, avenue site
which the Board of Education is re-
linquishing, and is considered better
suited for school and playground
purposes.
Zoning Question to Come Up.
An amendment to the zoning
regulations will be proposed today,
the general nature of which is to
prevent trade associations being
construed as educational institu-
tions. John A. Nolen, director OF
planning. is to submit report.
The corporation counsel's Office
recently ruled that certain forms of
trade associations come within the
meaning of education, with a result
that several buildings have been
erected in residential districts. If
this trend is allowed to continue,
the planning commission fears it
will mean breakdown of restric-
tions that protect residential prop
erty.
The commissions o-ordinating
Committee has worked out a plan
for the improvement of the Queens
Chapel road entrance to the Dis
trict. This was done in cooperation
with the Maryland Park and Plan
ming Commission and will be pre-
sented today.
Underpass Plans to Come Up.
1t was also expected the plans for
the Dupont Circle underpass would
be submitted for approval today.
This is a postwar project, the de-
tails having been worked out by
Capt. H. C. Whitehurst, director of
the District Highway Department.
The plan has been under study for
months.
Other phases of city-wide war
housing program will come up at
tomorroWs meeting.
Lie COHlilllSSlOII Has plCpdl Gu
series of three maps for the Ma
tional Housing Agency showing the
locations of all new housing in the
Washington Metropolitan Area. An
other map has been prepared indi-
eating the locations of new residen-
tial construction during the last
three years.
These maps serve to illustrate ex-
listing utility services and also indi-
cate where new transportation serv-
ice is needed in outlying districts.
They are worked out to show the es-
timated distance a war worker may
travel by bus, for instance, in an
hours time. The timed routes, Of
ficials said, will be of value to all
war agencies in working out sites for
temporary housing.
Three projects sponsored by the
Alley Dwelling Authority-for tenn
porary housing-will be presented
for approval before the monthly
session closes tomorrow.