Evening star., 1946-11-02
Neyius Tract Approval
Gives Go Signal for
VA Hospital Plans

The controversy revolving around
the location Of the Veterans Admin
istration's proposed $4,000. 900 hos
pital here was settled yesterday
when President Truman approved
the 25-acre Nevins tract near Ar
lington Cemetery as the site.
Strong opposition had been reg
istered against the location, both by
Arlington County officials, who ia
vored construction Of an apartment
hotel there, and from Federal plan
ners, who feared the structure would
mar the beauty of the Lincoln
Memorial background.
Announcing the approval, the Vet
erans Administration pointed out
convenience of the location to med.
ical schools of George Washington
and Georgetown Universities. A To-
cation near medical facilities had
been a constant demand of Veter-
ans Administrator Bradley.
Ready Within 3 Years.
Preliminary plans for the 750-bed
project have been turned over te
Louis Justement, of Washington
and York & Sawyer, of New York
City, architect-engineers.
A Veterans Administration of6cial
estimated, however, the hospital
probably will not be completed for
about two and a half years. Archi-
tects' plans should be ready In
about three months, 1t was said, and
contractors bids will not be granted
until three months after that. Actual
construction is expected to take
about IS months.
Price of the tract, located at the
southwest intersection of Lee boule-
ward and Arlington Ridge road, is
still to be negotiated.
Except for a small one-acre strip
of land on the west boundary of the
property, which belongs to Airing
ton County, the tract is owned by
A. M. Nevius, vice president of Riggs
National Bank.
No Price Negotiations Yet.
Mr.. Nevius told a reporter today
he has received no official word OF
the approval, and so far has not
been approached by the Veterans
Administration on the matter OF
price.
plans were entirely complete for
construction of an apartment project
on the property" Mr.. Nevius said
but now I suppose we will just have
to make the best of the situation"
Mr.. Nevius said zoning regula-
tions already had been changed to
permit construction as high as Il
stories.
Height of the proposed hospital
was hotly contested issue between
the Veterans Administration and
officials of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission and the
Fine Arts Commission, before those
agencies reached an agreement.
DR.. Paul r. Hawley, medical chief
of the veterans agency, had said he
wanted a modern-type, 10-story
hospital, and scorned proposals for a
four-story structure.
At an October meeting, the Com
mission of Fine Arts granted ap-
proval of the site. Officials indi-
Gated, however, they expect archi-
tects to plan a low building-prob-
ably not more than ITO feet-which
would not rise above the Lincoln
Memorial as seen from the Capital
and the Mall area.
Approval of the Federal Board Of
disqualification followed immedi-
ately, and the proposed location
went before the President.
Fight Echoed on Radio.
As far back as April, Is proposed
sites in and near the District were
under consideration for the location.
Gen. Bradley definitely expressed
preference for the Nevius property
early in August.
In . radio broadcast, Gen. Bradley