Evening star., 1950-11-22

open space in Federal and insti-
tutional uses not found in other
cities. Generally, these holdings
are assets to the community and
valuable land reserves. Land In
general community use, however,
is comparable with other cities.
A place to earn living is the
first need for city people. In the
District, only 5 per cent Of the
total land area Is used for busi-
ness, industry and railroads. Since
Federal activities are Washing
tons basic industry, the location
and arrangement Of Federal hold
ings are the controlling element in
the plan for the District. How
ever 1886 acres, less than per
cent of the area of the District,
is devoted to Federal Office build
ings and grounds where most OF
the pepole are employed daily.
Shopping and private business
take up less land than in the
average city. The central busi-
ness district is not quite 2 per cent
of the taxable area Of the District;
it pays, however, % per cent OF the
real estate taxes.
Places to live are the parts OF
the city that are of direct con-
Germ to the greatest number OF
people. AS a land use, residence
takes up a quarter of the Dis
trict's developed area. Less than
average amount of land is used
for detached one-family houses
and more for apartments, fats
and row dwellings.
Wedges of Open Space.
Parks offset in certain respects
the higher densities of residen-
tial squares. Parks and areas
that are of parklike character
provide wedges of open space in
the city for recreation and for
a touch with nature. Property
in semipublic and institutional
use Q,866 acres), and schools and
other functional uses serving the
community 0,697 acres) repre-
sent less than 10 per cent of the
total area. Parks represent the
major part of public land in COM
munity use. Parks and areas used
as parks amount to 8,155 acres.
The District Of Columbia has
been chosen as the site for hun
dreds of private institutions. The
land they occupy is no larger than
in other cities. (Studies Of land
use in II cities over $4,000 popu-
lation show 9.87 per cent as the
average amount of developed land
used for public and semipublic
purposes. the lowest figure being
5.6 per cent. the highest 1873 per
cent?
Another segment Of the total
District area is used for streets
Is per cent of the total-surpris-
ingly large when they are thought
of as lines on a map. It Is not,
however, out Of line with street
area in other cities.
Washington's undeveloped va
cant land is only about one-tenth
of the Districts area. This pro-
vides very little leeway. (Evell
fully developed parts of a city
usually leave about 5 per cent OF
the area vacant.) This small
amount of empty private buildable
land is the reason why most new
growth in the future must be out
side the District, in suburban ter
ritority where most of the land il
still vacant.
How Well Is Land Used?
1t is not merely how much
land Is used that is important,
but also how well it is used. Here
Washington has its problems, like
all other older cities. In many
sections. different types of dwell
ings are mixed together in a hit
or-miss way. A balance among
kinds Of dwellings is good, but ex-
ploitation of land by a few ire
sponsible prof1teers is not. Often
big apartments have been built
in single-family neighborhoods
robbing their neighbors of light
and air, >crowding local streets
with cars, and interfering with
good living in the houses. A great
many apartments have been built
for too many families on too small
lots. creating excessive densities.
Stores and shops have been
scattered among older residence
areas in likewise harmful way.
They are often strung out along
main streets. instead of being
concentrated in definite centers
where better merchandising is
combined with automobile parking
and other customer convenience,
and neighborhood protection.
Some land areas better suited to
commerce or industry have been
built up with houses.
The effect of such Unbalanced