Evening star., 1950-03-18
Parking Garage
On Civil Service
Site Proposed
Plan to Roze BUILDING
Put Up to District
Officials, Businessmen
By Harriet Griffiths

A proposal for razing the Civil
Service Commission building to
make way for a large downtown
parking garage has been placed
before District officials and busi-
neSsmen.
The suggestion was voiced at
joint meeting yesterday afternoon
of the District Motor Vehicle
Parking Agency and the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Asso-
citation by Maury L. Nee, first vice
president of the latter group.
Mr.. Nee said the building,
which is the old Patent Office, To-
Gated between Seventh, Ninth, r
and G strets NV, is a barrier to
the flow of commerce in the Sew
enth and F streets shopping dis
tricts.
He called for removal of the
structure and construction of an
underground or surface parking
facility on the site as a means of
combating the parking space
shortage.
Serves Large Area.
He said the location serves,
within two or three blocks, prob
ably about 10 per cent of the
business done in the central busi-
ness area.
He said he did not see "how any
one can really raise a serious
objection" to removal of the build
ing, adding that it is way over
age"
At the Public Buildings Ad-
ministration. however, it was in
dicated the proposal would be
looked on with little favor because
OF the need for space. One Off
cial said an act of Congress would
be required.
The property is assessed at
more than s7.5 million, and con-
struction of a 2,000-car garage
would cost from 50 million to So
million, depending on the type of
facility. The property contains
1924 square feet.
To Organize Committee.
1t was decided at the meeting
that Mr., Nee wouG organize a
committee among the business
men to work on the parking prob
lem. He said, however, he felt
the solution was not entirely the
job of private capital or the Dis
trict Government, but a co-opera-
tive responsibility.
Charles Upham, chairman of
the parking agency, told the
businessmen that the lack of
parking spaces is serious
threat" to preservation of the eco
nomic status of the downtown
business area.
While the agency's policy has
been that private capital should
solve the downtown parking prob
lem. If possible, it is prepared to
recommend public action if private
capital fails to do the job in a rea-
sonable time" he said.
During the last four years, he
reported. there has been net gain
OF $500 parking spaces in the
downtown area, but almost all of
1t was outside the retail district
between Fifth and Fifteenth
streets and Pennsylvania and New
York avenues.
Estimates Additional Needs.
Mr.. Upham said an estimated
1000 additional spaces will be
needed in the retail area.
Traffic Director George Keneipp
said that while his department is
relaxing restrictions on street
parking wherever possible, the
parking problem could not be
solved on the streets.
LIE Roy A. Poole, director of
public relations for George A.
Ford & Co., Inc. real estate firm.
told the meeting of a survey in
dicating the District owns prop
erty on which 10000 cars could
be parked, but said it was diff
cut to obtain information from
the city about leasing possibilities.
He said proposals to use the
Western Market for parking had
drawn objections from city off,
cials to displacing businessmen
there, although, he added, they
'did not hesitate" to inconven-
fence Connecticut avenue business
men for the Dupont Circle under
pass.
Lot Offered for Lease.
Meanwhile. a parcel of land on
the southwest side of Maine. ave-
nue. near the foot of Ninth street
S.W. is being offered for lease as
a parking lot by the Army Corps
of Engineers.
The land, which has a 70-foot
frontage on Maine avenue and
extends approximately 180 feet to-
ward the Washington Channel, is
being offered for f1ve-year lease
beginning April Is.
Sealed bids for the leasing area
will be received until 1870 pm,
April II, by the District Engineer,
First and Douglas streets NV.
The lease will be awarded to the
highest acceptable bidder.