Evening star., 1946-05-22
Waterfront Plan
For Alexandria
Draws Protest
Projects Outlined
At Hearing Held
By Army Engineers
By Rudolph Kouffmonn II

" NuOSiPtt NouIIHlOIu
The old question of streamlinine
Alexandria's rundown water front
again is the Subject of controversy.
Yesterday the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
placed before Army Engineers its
latest ideas on the subject-to build
one long quay parallel to the river
bank and, with it, to construct an
elevated superhighway to carry the
Mount Vernon Memorial Highway
around town.
The plan was disclosed at hear
Ing in the Interior Department Au-
ditorium held by Col. Donald G
White, Army district engineer for
the Potomac, Rappahannock and
Patuxent watersheds, as the first
step in creating a master river and
harbor plan for the Washington
Metropolitan Area, as called for in
House rivers and harbors resolu-
ton.
City Manager Cites Objections.
Shortly after John Nolen, jr., di-
rector of planning for the Park and
Planning Commission, had present
ed the plan to Col. White together
with elaborate charts, Carl Bud
wesky, Alexandria city manager
testified in rebuttal.
He said home owners in the water
front area objected to any plan
which would cut off their view of
the river, and favored a ground
level roadway, if any, Waterfront
commercial interests, however, pre-
ferred any superhighway built to be
elevated to give easy access to dock
areas, he said.
The most obvious compromise be-
tween these two conflicting views.
he said, would be to leave the water
front roadway out of the picture en-
tirely.
Another project which attracted
attention at the hearing was one
to provide facilities for the sea-
planes of businessmen and tourists
within a flve-minute drive of the
Capitol.
Ideal" Landing Area.
Palmer C. Scarnecchia of 54O9
Glenwood road, Bethesda, seaplane
owner and flying enthusiast, and J.
B. Hartranft, general manager of
the Aircraft Pilots and Owners As
sociation, told Col. White, the Po-
tomac River between Memorial and
Key Bridges would provide an ideal
landing area for family-type sea-
planes.
Landings ON the mole at the
mouth of Rock Greek, near the Ross
lyn END of Key Bridge and where
Georgetown streets dead-end at the
river could handle more than so
planes, they said.
They added that larger seaplanes,
"as big as they come" could land on
the river near Alexandria and use
terminal on Hunting Creek.
Report to Be Drafted.
Although the point was not raised
at the hearing, there were indica-
tions the Districts share of recently
enacted Federal aid airport legisla-
ton (about s900,000) could be spent
for such facilities.
On the basis of testimony re-
ceived by Col. White yesterday he
will make preliminary report to
the chief of Army engineers. II
the latter approves it, detailed
studies will be made and appropri-
ate rivers and harbors legislation
and appropriations sought.
The Washington Board of Trade
is credited with having pushed
plans to create such a waterfront
master plan and William McManus
vice chairman of its Rivers and
Harbors Committee, was a star wit
ness at the hearing yesterday.
Testimony disclosed that public
and private interests believe the
master plan for the river area should
also include these elements for rec
reation:
Additional private boating facili-
ties at Fletcher's Cove between Key
and Chain Bridges; on the East Po-
tomac Park side of the Washington
Channel; between the Eleventh
Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
Bridges on the Anacostia; at and
near Bladensburg; on Daingerfield
Island just below the National Air
port and in Hunting Greek.
Improvement of the President Cup
Race course and the removal of the
mud flats near East Potomac Park,
Streamlining of Kingman Lake to
provide more land for the develop
ment of proposed National Sports
Center at the end of East Capitol
street.
A Sea Scout base and areas for
wildlife preservation.
Commercial Projects.
Projects affecting commercial ac-
tivities which were advocated in
cluded these:
The concentration of commercial
shipping in the Buzzard Point area
below the Naval Gun Factory on the
Anacostia and in Alexandria, cold
storage plant for seafood, and ia
cilities for receiving nonperishable
bulk goods such as fuel oil, gasoline
lumber, etc.
Other projects included the relo-
cation of the Anacostia seawall be-
low Benning Bridge to permit park
expansion; three more bridges in
Upper Anacostia Park, one to carry
the Baltimore Washington Parkway
another for Fort drive and the third
for an extension of New York ave-
nue. NE: retention of low-lying
areas where city refuse can be
dumped, more adequate sewer out
Late and faQll11tiaaa Oh ha