Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-16
ParkingProb|en1
Hearing Is Set
ForWednesday
Hebert BIumes OPA
For Continued Closure
Of Capital Garage

A review of the Districts park
ing and traffic problems, with en-
pnasls on what improvements can
DE expected in the near future,
yesterday was scheduled by Chair
man Hebert of the Traffic Subcom-
mlttee of the House District Com
mlttee for an open session Wednes-
day morning.
lie called the session after hear
ing reports that the OPA had pre-
vented reopening of the Capital Ga
rage, 1900 block of New York ave-
nue., Tor use OF private-car parking
oy refusal of proposed increase
IN parking fees.
In a blast at the OPA, Mr.. Hebert
SAID he had been told it refused
10 grant parking-fee increase al
Enough the owners of the property
mao shown heavy increases in labor
costs since prewar days.
Plans to See Porter.
asserting he would carry the case
directly to Paul Porter, price ad-
mlnlstrator, Mr.. Hebert said, The
owners say they can't operate at the
preWar levels and that OPA has
refused an incfease on the argu-
ment that if this is granted here
IL would have to be applied over
the whole country.
This is typical of OPA answers.
In fact, 1t is no doubt answer No.
/, Paragraph rs of Chapter 6 of
whatever they go by.
II this big garage is turned into
a dead storage warehouse, instead
OF being returned to car parking.
you can lay the blame at the door
of the OPA."
During the war the property was
taken over for servicing Govern
ment cars and storage records. The
property is being returned to the
National Mortgage & Investment
Corp. for private operation.
Agency to be Discussed.
Mr.. Herbert, who played a lead
Ing role in the re-establishment of
the District Motor Vehicle Parking
Agency, plans to 60 into it's past
and future programs at the session
Wednesday. Among those asked to
attend are P. Y. K: Howat, head of
the agency; Mark Lansburgh, an
agency member; Engineer Commits
s1oner Gordon R. Young, Traffic
Director George E. Keneipp and
spokesman for the Keystone Auto
mobile Club and the American Au-
tomobile Association.
Joseph B. Schaaf, president of
the company owning the Capitol
Garage, expressed doubt yesterday
the 1,000-car structure could be re-
opened for private car parking at
the preWar rates. He said he had
not filed a formal request for price
relief, based on hardship, because
OPA officials had told him they
would not allow an increase.
He said labor costs for parking
attendants are up Is to 100 per cent.
Before the war, he added, labor costs
amounted to Sc per cent of all oper-
ating costs and argued that prices
in effect at that time-30 cents for
the first hour, 10 cents for the Sec
ond hour, cents for each additional
hour-would not permit the COM
pany return on its investment.
Garage Is Heated.
He argued also that though the
Capitol Garage is a closed and
heated structure its charges can be
no more than those for open air
facilities In the neighborhood. OPA,
he continued, has granted price in
creases on the basis of hardship in
other cities, in one case as high as
so per cent.
The Motor Vehicle Parking
Agency, one of its members said,
had banked heavily on a reopening
of the Capitol Garage to relieve
downtown parking problems.