Evening star., 1946-09-19
tanning Board
Approves Land
Purchase Items.
Condemnation to Get
Kingsmon School
Addition Sturts

Addition Storts
Land purchase items for extension
OF the Districts school playground
program and an addition to the
George Washington Memorial Park
way were presented to the National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission at the opening of two-day
session today
Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant III, COM
mission chairman, planned later in
the program to present a progress
report dealing with the proposed
new Veterans Administrati ton hos
pltal in this area.
Norman c. Brown. land purchas-
ing officer of the commission, an
nounced after this mornings ses-
sion that condemnation action has
been filed in District Court to in
sure acquisition of land desired by
the Recreation Board as an addi-
tlon to the Kingsman School play
ground. located on E street NE. be-
tween Thirteenth street and Ten
nessee avenue.
Mr.. Brown said the Government is
interested in condemning about one
sixth of an acre there. He added
that the commission today approved
contract on part of the area to be
improved. leaving only one owner
ship to purchase or condemn.
Cardoza Additions Approved.
The commission also approved
further additions in the Cardoza
playground area at Ninth street and
Rhode Island avenue NV. Mr..
Brown said this further reduces the
lots which will have to be con-
demned during the coming term of
District Court to complete acquisi-
tions for this project.
Mr., Brown disclosed that the COM
mission has been able to acquire. at
reasonable figure, the rear portion
OF the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA. in
connection with the project.
He also announced approval of
the purchase of nine additional
acres in the vicinity of Great Falls,
Md. in the George WASHINGTON
Memorial Parkway. The commits
sion also indorsed contract for
the acquisition of two and a half
acres for the parkway near the
Naval Testing Basin near Carderock
Md.
Gen. Grant report on progress
IN the program to acquire a site for
the projected Veterans Administra-
ton hospital in this area is ex-
pected tomorrow.
Hospital Program Recent Denial
Thomas S. Settle, commission sec
retary, denied that the commission
previously had officially received a
program for the building of a new
veterans hospital at TWenty-third
and E street NV, now occupied
by the Marines and formerly the
location of the Naval Hospital.
Mr. Settle noted that the NAVY
Department had considered the
TWenty-third and E streets site for
It's new naval hospital, but later
~NAAo eto oSO4lCSOd,
Previously the commission had
approved the 25-acre Nevius tract
just across the Potomac River in
Arlington County, in a direct line
with the Mall. as the site for the
new VA hospital, provided that the
Flne Arts Commission approves
architectural details.
Mr.. Settle conceded that Gen
Grant in his presentation NAV
touch on the Twenty-tfird and E
streets site in his report.
The site at Twenty-third and
E streets NV. is no place to put a
hospital Mr.. Settle told reporters.
explaining that such program
would interfere with the commits
slon's plan for development of that
area.
Traffic Survey to Be Published.
Publication of a commission sur
vey of city traffic, withheld since
early summer, was looked for later
in the session.
The commission submitted its s,r-
Vey to the Commissioners about two
months ago with permission to re-
lease it for public study if the
city heads saw fit. Busy with their
own trafflc study, however, and fresh
from disagreement with the plan
ners over dimensions of the pro-
posed new Highway Bridge, the
Commissioners have not done so.
John Nolen, jr., director of plan
ming, said yesterday that he and Gen.
Grant had provided the city heads
with a complete statement of traffic
principles the commission believes
vital to solution of the city's trans
portation and traffic problems,
adding that the Commissioners now
have accepted the planners offer
of cooperation.
Mr.. Nolen said the commission
would consider release of its report
this afternoon, together with other
important business. The bridge con-
troversy ended in victory for the
city heads, who held out for two
four-lane bridges. The planners had
advocated a single six-lane span.
AS further evidence of accord be-
Tween the frequently at-odds fac
tons, Mr.. Nolen said the Commits
Sioners had asked his group for
detailed comment of all recommen-
dations relating to traffic in the