Evening star., 1945-10-18


Action Will Permit
Development Under
Lonhum Act Funds
Federal planners today trans
ferred another playground area to
the District Commissioners for de-
yelopment.
Known as the Dakota playground,
the area comprises 21a acres of Gov
ernnient-owned land at South
Dakota avenue and Adams street
NE
Assignment was voted by the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission as it opened a two
day meeting.
Officials said the transfer will
permit the District Recreation
Board to take advantage of avail
dOlC AIu lul1OS W vi q w
/ plans for its development.
Other Transfers Ordered.
The commission also ordered the
transfer of park lands to the District
for the extension of Maryland ave-
nue. from Twenty-first place NE,
through to M street NE.
Future disposition of the Camp
Sims property formerly used by the
National Guard as rifle range was
considered by the commission.
Camp Sims is east of st. Elizabeth's
Hospital and extends from Alabama
avenue to the District line in that
area,
Before any action is taken, the
commission will be advised by the
War and Navy Departments and
District Commissioners as to pos
sible postwar uses of the property.
With the restoration of National
Guard activities it is possible the
guardsmen may wish to resume use
of Camp Sims for rifle training.
Airport Inspection Scheduled.
Before approving any plans for
improvements at the National Air.
port, the commission members this
afternoon went to inspect the pro-
posed layout.
Hervey F. Law, manager of the
airport, explained developments
which the airport intends, regard
less spf other improvements which
may be voted by Congress.
President Truman has asked Con-
sress to appropriate $3,998, 900 for
improvements at the National Air
port, which would include additional
hangers and extension of the present
terminal. This work would be under
supervision of the Civil Aeronautics
Administration.
ATC to Be Transferred.
The airport is expected to be re-
turned to full civilian use soon and
the Air Transport Command, now
located there, will operate from An
drews Field, in nearby Maryland.
Among local improvements sched-
uled for study by the commission
was a suggested safety modifica-
ton OF plans for providing pedes-
trian access to the Dupont Circle
underpass project.
The Dupont Circle underpass will
be considered tomorrow, the object
OF the new plan being to provide
one or more subway stations on the
outer curb of the surface roadway :,
instead of adhering to the original
plan which provided for subway
entrance in the middle of the circle.
Col. Joseph D. Arthur, jr., of the
District Engineer Department, will
discuss the plan with the commits
sion and submit a design for the
proposed station.
Planning officials say no changes
are contemplated in the Connecti-
cut avenue subway which will pass
under the circle.
Factor of Bus Stops.
Aside from the safety factor. it
was said the installation of one or
more subway entrances on the outer
curb would make it unnecessary for
buses to stop in the circle roadway.
The chief objection to the original
proposal for access to the underpass
is that 1t would make it necessary
for pedestrians to cross the traf-
fic lane and walk to the middle of
the circle.
The commission this afternoon
planned to inspect Federal building
projects in Suitland, Md, and thence
to Andrews Field. They are inter-
ested, particularly. in the Suitland
parkway, which they had planned,
and in the military highway con-
Meeting Andrews and Boiling fields.
At tomorrow's session, Max Wehr-
ly, landscape architect, will present
a preliminary report on the thor
oughfare plan for the District which
has been under consideration for
some time. This plan will outline
new proposed traffic highways and
other improvements A representa-
tive of the District Highway De-
partment also will present the final
1916 highway improvement program,
including the K street oVerpass
project.
The $50, 100000 public building
program for the District, now the
subject of hearings before the House
Public Buildings and Grounds Com
mittee, also will be discussed by w.
E. Reynolds, commissioner of pub
lie buildings. The preliminary prof.
ects Of this huge program had been
presented to the commission last
spring, in accordance with its plans
for the orderly development of the
postwar Capital. Mr.. Reynolds will
go into details of the plans for the
development of East Capitol street
and the parallel B streets north and
south of it, which are to be extern
sions of independence and Consti-
tuition avenues.
Physical Troinir
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