Evening star., 1946-09-21
Gems. Bradley, Grant
Will Confer on Site
For VA Hospital


Two generals-the heads of tn
Veterans Administration and tn
National Capital Park and Plannin
Comf1ission-will meet soon to dis
cuss the proposed Veterans Hospits
on the Nevius tract, across the Pc
tomac River on the heights of Ar
lington County, Va, overlookin
the Capital.
Gen. Omar N. Bradley, Veteran
Administrator. and Maj. Gen. U.
Grant. Sd, chairman of the Plan
ming Commission, and a representa-
tive of the Fine Arts Commission
will sit down and discuss the prob
lem. This conference will be ar
ranged as a result of yesterday
meeting of the Planning Commits
sion, which closed a two-day session
The Fine Arts Commission i
scheduled to meet October ant
architectural plans for the new Vet
Grams Hospital may be discussed
then.
Grant Issues Statement.
Gen. Grant yesterday evening
issued this statement:
The location of the Veterans
Hospital on the Nevius tract, it i,
understood, has been approved by
the National disqualification Board
as stated September 9 in newspapers
quoting Mr.. Bennett (B. Frank Ben
nett, director of the disqualification
Board of the Veterans Administra-
tom.
"A further conference with the
Veterans Administration will be ar.
ranged to arrive at an agreement as
to procedure and to develop plans
suitable for the site"
The general particularly referred
to September clipping from The
Star, giving the story Thomas S
Settle, commission secretary, showed
the clipping to reporters.
Site Tentatively Approved.
Gen. Grant and his colleagues on
the Planning Commission have ten
tatively approved the Nevius site
for the hospital.
They have said, however. that the
height of the hospital must be sat-
isfactory and the Fine Arts Commits
sion must indorse the architectural
details, inasmuch as the location is
in the direct line of the Mall and
could be seen from Washington.
Just what height the planners desire
for the building was not disclosed,
but it was pointed out that the COM
mission has no jurisdiction over
buildings in Arlington County.
Gen. Grant said that the old
Naval Hospital site as Twenty third
street and Constitution avenue NV,
was suggested as an alternative. but
was thought unsuitable because Of
height limitations and the need of
the site for administrative Federal
buildings. These include a new
Navy Department building which
would be erected overlooking the
Potomac River.
Height Limitation Cited.
The general pointed out that in
l941, a height limitation of 149 feet
above sea level was put on the War
building at Twenty first
and Virginia avenue NV, by the
Fine Arts Commission. The hill at
the site of the old Naval Hospital is
90 feet above sea level. The general
recalled that the Navy turned down
this site as unsuitable when the new
Naval Hospital was to be built. This
was later erected at Bethesda, Md
Gen. Grant and Gen Bradley met
recently and discussed the new Vet
Grams Hospital generally.
The planners yesterday approved
plans for enlargement OF Cabin
John Bridge in nearby Maryland for
. wider roadway and sidewalks.
The Public Buildings Administra-
tion agreed to cooperate with the
planners in a study of parking IA
cllities for Federal buildings, survey
ing present accommodations and
what is needed for the future. The
planners are insisting on their long
term policy Of having new public
buildings self-suficient as to park
ing. Under legislation now pending
in Congress, Federal employees would
be charged for parking facilities in
public buildings. In the new Con-
gress, the planners hope to have
this threshed out.
Preliminary Plans Approved.
The commission approved prelimi-
nary plans for Chevy Chase, George
town ana Banneker recreation cen
ters, for which reviSions in existing
development are contemplated and
the newly projected Watts Branch
Playground, along Southern avenue
in the vicinity of Sixty-third street
NE, and Ridge Playground. al
Ridge road and Burns street Sc.
The problem of the best disposi.
tion of the War Departments road
in the vicinity of Arlington Nationa
Cemetery will be discussed at a con.
ference between the department anc
commission members. Whether any
of them will be closed and who vii
have jurisdiction over them will bt
discussed. Highways involved in.
clude part of Ridge road at the eas
side of the cemetery and the For
Meyer-to-Rosslyn, Va, highway
officials said that the Surplus Prop
erty Act gives the War Department
broad powers to dispose of surplus
and the roads are considered surplu
by the Army, Mr.. Settle said.
The planners will also confer OF
this problem with Col D. G. White
district engineer for the Oar De
partment for the Washington area
Izook Walton DELEGATES