Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-06-29
tanners Asked
10 Push New
Courts Building
Commission Points
To Problems Involved
At Proposed Site
BY NELSON SHEPARD.

Representatives of the District
bench and bar appeared before the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission today to ask help In
obtaining legislation to erect a new
Federal Courts building on the
square just south of the Municipal
Center.
Because Of complications involved
in the site-it was chosen years ago
for the proposed Capital audi
torium-the Planning Commission
has not indicated approval of the
idea and will take the proposal
under consideration.
Congested conditions in the lower
Federal courts and the prospect Of
still more crowded dockets after
the war were the basic arguments OF
the committee in seeking immediate
congressional action on a new courts
building.
Site Presents Problem.
Chief Justice D. Lawrence Groner
OF the Court of Appeals headed the
committee. Others appearing were
Chief Justice Bolitha j. Laws and
Associate Justice James F. Proctor
of District Court; Hugh H. Obear.
president of the District Bar Asso-
citation, and Walter Bastian, acting
chairman of the Bar Associations
committee on the District Court
Building.
Planning officials expressed them
selves as sympathetic toward the
request, but pointed out that the
proposed site presents a problem
which needs careful working out.
The site, now used as a parking
lot, is bounded by Constitution ave-
nue., c streets, John Marshall place
and Third street NV. 1t is owned
by the District government, and the
Commissioners were reported as
favorable toward turning it over as
their part of the contribution to the
new court building.
Location Near Judiciary Square.
Before the war bill was intro
duced authorizing construction OF
a new courts building on the site
of the old Pension Office Building.
now occupied by the General Ac-
counting Office. Money was ap-
propriated for new General Ac-
counting Office building immedi-
ately north of the present site, and
the foundations were laid before the
war. Pearl Harbor put a stop to
all operations and the excavations
still are there.
The Federal judges told planning
officials today it would take too long
to demolish the old Pension Office
Building, and for this reason they
desired quick action on the site
south of the Municipal Center.
Members of the bar also are in
favor of the site, as they wish the
new courts building to be in the
vicinity Of Judiciary Square, where
other courts are located. :.
The Planning Commission pointed
out however, that in 1887 Congress,
created permanent Capital Audi
torium Commission and had set
aside that site for the proposed new
building. For this reason, it felt
more consideration was due before
the Planning Commission could
take action.
Action on Tower Expected.
The commission today is expected
to recommend favorable action on
the first application filed in the Dis
trict under the new coming regula-
tons for the erection of a 3OO-foot
television tower and station at
Thirty ninth and Fessenden streets
NV.
Prior to any action on their
part. officials said the application
of the Bamberger Broadcasting Co.
OF Newark, N. j., filed yesterday,
more than meets the requirements
of amended coming regulations" At
least four or five other applica-
tons for television stations are ex-
pected as a result of recent con-
ferences with various radio inter.
ests.
&c Want Air Rights.
The commission has been in
formed that sc commercial firms
have filed applications with the Civil
Aeronautics Authority for permits
to fly passengers and freight out
Of Washington after the war.
The report was made by Max
Wehrly, civic planner, who is making
study of possible private flying
field sites in the Metropolitan Area
on behalf of the commission. One
commercial firm, it was reported,
has filed application for three sep
arate air routes.
In this connection, the commits
sion heard arguments for the estab-
lishment of seaplane base some
where" in the Washington harbor.
The hackers were not disclosed. Be-
cause of the hazard that seaplanes
would create landing in the harbor
amid water traffic, the commission
is not likely to take any early &C
ton on the proposal. 1t is under
study OF the harbor master and
the District Commissioners.
Park Lands for Bridge.
CONSTRUCTION of the Klingle Street
Bridge over Rock Greek was expe-
dited by approval given for transfer
Of park lands for approaches to the
bridge to the District. This new
bridge, when completed, will facili-
tate movement of crosstown buses
and traffic.
The commission also approved the
sale OF a quarter of an acre of Dis
trict land at Eleventh street and
Alabama avenue Sc. The site was
long used for water tower that has
been abandoned.
Improvements on Fourth street
NV, on the west side of the Nc
MILAN Reservoir, were approved, as
the condition of the street now con-
stitutes traffic hazard. Fourth
street Is to be Strengthened, widened
IN parts and repaved. Howard Uni.
versity officials, having jurisdiction.
are to be consulted.
The planning officials were given
analysis of the Washington Board
Of Trades forthcoming report on
postwar plans of local employers.
The survey has not yet been re.
leased.