Evening star., 1946-11-13
SchWab Figures
Library Cenfel
Project Cheaper
Dutu on Chevy Chase
Plan Loid Before
Recreation Board

run LuI0 DeToTe
Recreation Board
James E. Schwab, vice. chairman
OF the District Recreation Board, ha,
compiled figures aimed to prove thal
final cost to the District OF erectinf
a separate branch library and CON.
munity center in the Chevy ChaSs
I'd. % area would exceed the cos,
of remodeling the E. ". Brown
School for a joint ibrary-commun.
ity center building.
Mr.. Schwab laid the figures be.
fore the board at its meeting yes.
terday with the idea they might bt
used to further the joint project /,
the Board OF Library Trustees de.
cides tomorrow 1t wants the Com
missioners to hold a public hearing
on the proposal.
Chevy Chase residents have beer
pushing the project hard and have
the support of both the library and
recreation boards. The Chevy Chase
Community Council today formally
petitioned the Commissioners for q
rehearing on the project. "A previous
/ hearing produced an unfavorable re-
| sponse from the city heads, who held
that there was no money.
! The session of Chevy Chase Pres
| byterian Church last night voted
unanimous approvalkof the use OF
the Brown School as recreation
center. The action was taken by the
governing body at meeting at the
church.
Calls ss5s,oOo 4Top value.
Mr.. Schwab told the board the
Commissioners have estimated the
value of the school property at
1888, 500 and that he considered this
top value"
The last two Glass A branch
libraries built in the District, he
said, cost $150,0O0 and $3.50, 900 re-
spectiyely. The last land bought
by the District for Glass A library
cost $4,000, of which the District
I paid $4,000.
This was the Cleveland Park
branch, he said, and the community
put up $4,000 to make the pur-
chase.
I. A conservative estimate for a
Glass A Chevy Chase branch library,
including land, would be about
s250,00o, he said. stressing that he
doubted If 1t could be built and the
land bought for that figure.
BY adding to the 1858 500 ton
f1gure for the school property the
$57 900 which the Library Board has
estimated 1t would take to put the
school into shape for joint build
ing, he said, total value of $4I0 500
Tor the school property would be
reached.
II $250,000, or the conservative
cost Of a library on a different site
IN the neighborhood, is subtracted.
he explained, there would be $780,
800 left as the value of the Dis
trict's investment In the recreation
part of the project saasss 49,
I'm You couldn't buy a site and build
"a building for that" he said.
ouc Otuer 0ultQ1nE.
The only other building which
might be used for q community CEN
ter in the neighborhood is the La
fayette School, Harry S. Wender.
Recreation Board chairman, con-
tended. This school now is sol
crowded there is no room for cafe
terra. and children eat at their
desks, he said.
Mr.. Schwab then explained that
the Recreation Departments own
estimate of the amount it would take
to remodel the recreation part OF
the building is considerably lower
than the estimate made by the IL
brary board.
The latter group estimates COM
bined remodeling would come to
ST., ,000-$20, 600 for the branch IL
brary and $4,000 for the commu-
nifty center.
The recreation staff believes es-
sential remodeling would require
only about $4,000 including fur
rishings. This would lower the ton
value of the property, after remod-
cling, to 1887 500.
MIR. Schwab indicated that a COM
munity drive similar to that which
raised more than $4,000 for the
Cleveland Park Branch Library
might raise this amount.
+ The $4,000 figure, he said. did
not include amounts which would
have to be spent for personnel and
maintenance.
Sees Valuation as High.
} Mr.. Schwab also introduced fig
lures which indicate the valuation
placed on the school property by
the Commissioners. is high. The en-
tire business tract across Connecti-
cut avenue from the school, he said,
is assessed at 1886, ,546, including i'm
,provements. The land itself, he
added, is assessed at S222,046 and
the buildings at $164,500. Tax re-
ceipts on the property are about &c.
ZOO annually.
. In addition to discussing the e.
". Brown project, the board also:
Announced F. H. P. Siddons has
agreed 10 continue as treasurer OF |
Washington's Independence Day
celebration fund.
Scheduled an inspection trip of
playground improvements for 9:30t
IN. November ~.
Said it hoped to extend a pro-
posed children's theater project on
which it is working to include both
white and colored groups.
Announced it is listing more than
80 play areas for improvement under
Engineer Commissioner Gordon r.
Young's $22s, 600, 600 six-year capital
improvement plan for the District.
Said 1t would meet with officials
OF the Police Boys Club in an effort
to avoid duplication of recreationl
facilities by the two organizations.
Went ON record fayoring DAYLIGHT