Evening star., 1947-06-20
Given New
Plan 10 Extend
State Building
Gront to Press for
Funds for Planning
Lund RedeveIopment
By Rudolph Kouffmonn II

NuuOsPH NouItmonn u
A new plan for extending the
building at Twenty street ana
Virginia avenue NV, now occupied
by the State Department, has been
approved by the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission and
the Fine Arts Commission.
Prepared by the Public Buildings
Administration, it was submitted to
the two commissions at joint
meeting yesterday by Gilbert Un-
derwood, PBA's supervising archi-
tect,
It is departure from prewar
plans for the building formerly
used by the War Department. IN
stead of extending westward from
the present unit in series Of wings
and inclosed courts, the building
now is planned in block form.
Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant III, Plan
ming Commission chairman, told re-
porters, following the meeting the
building would house 9,700 Office
workers.
To Include Auditorium.
He said the building could be
built more cheaply than that under
the old plan. One floor of the CEN
trail block of the building viii con-
tain an auditorium, he said.
Turning to other planning prob
lens, Gen. Grant told the press he
would ask the Senate to reinstate
q sos 900 item the House cut out Of
the independent offices appropria-
tions bill that would enable the
planners to make surveys and draft
plans In advance of the Districts
1ong-range land redevelopment pro-
gram.
The House Appropriations Com
mittee cut out the fund on the
ground this is not the time to be
tearing down houses and rebuilding
them. Gen. Grant is expected to
explain to the Senate Appropriations
Committee that the SOS, 900 is for
plans and surveys only and would
NOT buy up, tear down or rebuild
anything.
$52,750 Paid for Acre.
Gen. Grant said he also would
ask the Senate to reinstate $780,
600 in Federal aid to Montgomery
and Prince Georges County for
county parkways. One-third of this
money would be spent as a grant
and the other two-thirds as an
eight-year advance covered by
bonds to extend parkways like Oxon
Run, Paint Branch and Little Falls
Branch.
Meanwhile, it was revealed the
commission paid $52,750 for slightly
less than acre of land at Bladens-
burg road and Eastern avenue NE,
repeatedly owned by Jimmy La
Fontaine, Washington gambler. The
site was needed to complete land
acquisitions in that area for the
controversial Fort Drive project.
Norman C. Brown, land d-purchas-
ing officer for the commission, said
the figure was determined by
land condemnation jury and is less
than the Governments own ap-
praisal for the property, zoned for
commercial use.
The joint meeting also approved
Ia National Park Service plan to re-
locate the Potomac Park rose gar
dens just south Of Independence
avenue where wartime residence
halls now stand. Construction OF
the new twin bridges to replace the
Highway Bridge forced the rose
garden from its old location.
On Agenda Today.
The commission today was to:
l. Review differences between its
own highway plans and those Of
the District. John Nolen, jr, plan
ming director, told reporters the
areas OF disagreement" between
the plans are growing narrower.
2. Discuss Civil Aeronautics Ad-
ministration proposals to locate an
airport for private planes within
the District.
3. Review plans to rename Dis
trict Fairgrounds after the schools
near which they are located.
4. Study the District Motor We
hicle Parking Agency's recently an
nounced long g-range plans for cas-
ing District parking problems.