Evening star., 1946-03-22
Planners Submit
Map Of Sites for
vAHospita|Her
Locations Withheld
ToPrevent Speculation
By Lond Owners
BY Rudolph Kouffmonn II

BY Rudolph Kouffmonn II
A map showing possible sites 70,
q proposed 750-bed veterans hos.
pital in Washington was turned owe,
to the Veterans Administration b,
the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission today.
The commission was asked by tht
Veterans Administration to help ID
select a site. Location of the site,
was withheld to prevent speculation
by property owners.
The commission today reviewed
revised plans for the new Recon.
struction Finance Corp. Building
which Jerry Miatico is preparing tc
build at Connecticut avenue and II
street NV. At its last meeting the
commission said it would like to
see the building held to 80 feet in
height, plus a 20-foot penthouse.
Aoning regulations, however, per-
init the building to be ITO feet plus
20-foot penthouse. The commits
sion feels that a 130-foot structure
would overshadow the United States
Chamber of Commerce Building
across the street and other build
mgs proposed for the borders of
Lafayette Park.
Rezoning Hearing Planned.
Also scheduled for consideration
by the commission was the con-
troversial question of whether q re-
hearing should be held on a recent
rezoning action to provide a shop
ping center near Michigan avenue
NE. and the District line.
Protests have been lodged by
Maryland agencies, civic groups and
private interests seeking commission
help In obtaining a rehearing by
the District zoning Commission on
the tract. Among these are the
Maryland National Capital Park
and Planning Commission, the Ad-
visory Board of the County Com
mlssioners of Prince Georges
County, De La Sale College and the
Queens Chapel Road and Michigan
Park Citizens Associations.
The groups have protested that a
shopping center would detract from
high-type building which has been
encouraged in the area and efforts
by Maryland to beautify its side of
the District line to give a proper
setting to the Fort Drive, which is
proposed to follow Eastern avenue
at this point. A grade separation
is proposed to carry the drive over
Eastern avenue.
Home Sites on Agenda.
Since Fort Drive is one of the
planning commissions pet projects,
it was expected to favor a rehear-
ing. The property in question, lying
near the intersection of the two ar
teries, recently was zoned first COM
mercial.
Also on the agenda today, the
last day Of the commission's March
meeting, is proposal to locate some1
OF 800 temporary veterans homes,
which the Federal Public Housing
Authority has promised the Dis
trict, on park land.
The District Commissioners have
called on the Secretary of the In
terror to permit this use of park
land temporarily. A survey has
been conducted and a list of pros
pective park sites has been COM
piled. The list has not been ap-
proved by the Interior Secretary.
however, and has not been made
public.
Yesterday the commission gave
Its approval to legislation author
izing the Secretary of the Navy to
erect a permanent Two Jima Statue
at an appropriate site in Washing
ton. A plaster model of the statue |
Is now on public view across Con-
stitution avenue from the Navy De-
partment.
Site Under Discussion.
One site which has figured promi-
nently in discussions is that planned
for permanent Navy Department.
building in the area west of the
old Naval Hospital bounded by
Twenty third street, Virginia and
New Hampshire avenues, Constitu-
ton avenue and the Potomac
River.
The commission took no action
yesterday on the District Highway
Departments latest plan for stream
lining Barney Circle in Southeast
Washington. However, it discussed
the plan, which calls for putting
streetcar terminal underground,
abolishing the circle and widening
the Sousa Memorial Bridge ap-
proacheS to permit transfer loading
OF buses at the curb.
The planners approved a Public
Buildings Administration plan for
extending the National Airport ter
minal building to the south to pro-
vide more Office space, mail and bag
gage facilities and additional loading
and unloading stations for planes.
The commission approved chang
Ing the name of the following park
ways" in the District to parks:
Blair, Beach, Pinehurst, Klingle VAL
ley, Normanstone, Oxon Run, Watts
Branch, Piney Run, Popes Branch
and Wesley Heights. The agency
pointed out that most of these
areas are stream valley parks with
border roads, but no roads through
the middle, and are hence not true
parkways.