Evening star., 1946-02-21
Building
Limits Weighed
By D. {. Heads
Recommendations Of
Committee Propose
IS Stories Downtown

The Commissioners tsday have
before them recommendations to
allow an increase Of as much as
one-third in the height of buildings
throughout the city as means of
easing the housing shortage.
The proposals are part of seven
point program involving changes in
the zoning and building code sug-
gested by a committee of officials
and citizens seeking to provide addi-
tional housing for veterans. The
group is headed by Assistant En-
gineer Commissioner Kenneth E.
MadSen.
1t was stated that no changes
will be made either in coming or
the code, however, without a public
hearing.
The committee advised the city
heads to suggest to the Zoning Com
mission that additional height be
permitted in the various height
zones on reduction of amount Of
the lot space occupied by the build
ing. This would result in simmer
taller buildings, 1t was said.
Would Allow More Stories.
Under present rules governing the
60-foot &c" zone, it was explained,
buildings may be erected to a height
of 80 feet provided the allowed lot
occupancy is reduced 4 per cent
for each five feet of height above
the 60-foot level. The committee
said its proposal was to extend this
procedure to all 40, 60 and 90-foot
zones to make the limitation so, 80
and ITO feet, respectively, except
where 90-foot maximum was
specified in residential areas by the
act of 1910.
In addition the members recon-
mended removal of the restriction
on the number of stories in a par
ticular building zone to permit
builders to squeeze in an extra story
or two within the height limits. This
could result in up to Is stories in
the downtown section, it was esti-
mated. The National Press Build
ing, with 13 stories, is said to have
the most in the District, under a
special act of Congress.
A similar plan to wipe out the
limitation on number of stories was
vetoed by the zoning Commission
two years ago on the ground it would
increase the density of population.
Simmer Walls Suggested.
Changes suggested by the commit
tee in the building code include:
l. Permitting interior windowless
bathrooms in apartment houses of
five stories or more provided mech
anical ventilation is installed.
2. Allowing use of 8-inch instead
of 12-inch masonry walls on build
ings with a fiat roof limited to
three stories or 40 feet in height,
provided there. Is a distance of not
more than SO feet between cress-
walls and provided no span framing
into the walls exceeds II feet in
length. 2
3. Permitting use of fractionally
smaller steel bar for minimum REIN
forcement in concrete columns where
the column is no longer than one
foot square in cross section.
4. Allowing use of galvanized iron
instead of cast iron for vents to be
carried through the roof.
Code FlexibiIity Asked.
Final proposal of the committee
was establishment of a permanent
advisory group to make recommen-
dations on the building code to the
Commissioners from time to time ir
line with development of new prod
ucts and procedures.
Members of the committee include
Alvin L. Aubinoe, builder; Myron M
Davy, real estate dealer; C. F. Prel.
Ter of the Building Trades Council
A. Hamilton Wilson, architect
Assistant Corporation Counsel Ches.
ter H. Gray; 1t. Col. william H
Cary, jr., chief of the Health De.
partment Bureau of Sanitation, ant
j. B. Daily, an engineer in ths
Building Inspection Department.
Meanwhile, Engineer Commis.
sioner Gordon r. Young replied tt
criticism by the Burroughs Citizens
Association of the presence of Mr.
Davy on the committee with mott.
fication that he will refer the mat.
ter to Col Madsen. The association
through its president, Bernard T
Dodder, said Mr.. Davy was unquali.
fled to be on the committee as 8
result of a court case involving 8
real estate transaction of Mr.. Davy
last year. Gen. Young said he hat
no information regarding the com.
plant.