Evening star., 1951-10-11
Planners Vote
Memorial Drive
Land Purchase
Two More Tructs
In Virginia Approved
For New Parkway
By Nelson M. Shepard

fLGIlCWCQ dCt1NIUy VI CAlC ANdbAOlld
Capital Park and Planning Com.
mission in acquiring land to com.
plete Unit 8 of the George Wash.
ington Memorial Parkway on the
Virginia side of the Potomac Rivel
in Arlington County was disclosed
today at the monthly planning
session.
Russell Macdonald, land pur-
chasing officer, announced ap-
proval of contracts involving two
tracts about midway between the
Key and Chain Bridges. One o1
the sites consists of 4.28 acres be-
longing to Paul T. Stone. The
other 1.16-acre plot is owned by
Mrs. Fannie c. White.
The scenic parkway is being ex-
tended from the Spout Run ter
minus above Key Bridge, to the
Fairfax County line. The route
follows the bluffs above the river
So far the Planning Commission
has acquired only seven acres OF
the extension and will have to
purchase about 210 acres in all
to complete Units 3 and 4 on that
side of the river.
Actions to Be Speeded.
The properties now about to be
acquired are in the rear of the
narrow strip of land being pur-
chased from private and business
owners on the river side of the
bluffs. From now on. it was in
dicated, land acquisition will be
accelerated. Longest delay in this
latest Virginia extension of the
scenic parkway was attributed tc
the difficulties encountered in
building the Spout Run connec-
ton. Due, to high costs of road
construction. the Bureau of Roads
was delayed more than a year in
obtaining satisfactory contract.
The Planning Commission was
prepared today to pass on High
way Department plans for the
proposed widening of Kenilworth
avenue to serve as a six-lane di-
vided highway from the District
line to Benning Bridge. There il
would connect eventually with the
approach to the newly authorized
East Capitol street span over
Kingman Lake and the Anacostis
River.
Other Subjects Listed.
Other matters for consideration
at the two-day monthly session
included:
Acquisition of parkway anc
recreation lands, conferences with
Virginia and Maryland official,
on mutual planning problems, q
progress report on redevelopment
in the Southwest area and a re.
port on improved planning for the
bridge approach at Minnesota
avenue and East Capitol street or
the east side.
The planners also will be orien.
tated on the proposal of Sena'
tor Case, Republican, of South
Dakota for a $50 million cir.
cumferential highway from the
Baltimore Washington parkway
to Shirley highway in Virginia.
The District Recreation Boarc
has asked the commission to make
final declaration to set the
boundary of the Stead Playground
at Seventeenth and P streets NV
This section would enable the Dis
trict to go ahead and develop this
long-needed recreational project
Widening Unopposed.
No opposition was expressed al
the recent District Building hear.
ing on the proposed widening oi
Kenilworth avenue and favorable
action was expected. The widening
would provide two additional lane!
on each side of the six-lane high
way, one to provide a service road
the other for parking. The project
would involve the acquisition o.
frontage on the entire length o.
Kenilworth avenue on the ives
side and some on the east side
Planning officials said some small
houses in old developments woull
be affected.
Kenilworth avenue now varie
In width from 10 to 80 feet. 1t i
proposed to widen it to 100 fee
for the mile and half from tn
District line to Benning Bridge
Action by the Planning Commis
sion today. if favorable. woul
serve to put the widening projec
on the District highway plan, paw
ing the way for future action. TIL
area south of Benning Bridge
being bought up, it was said, fo
a right-of-way to East Capitt
Street Bridge.
Z0ning Problem Review.
With a hearing scheduled Oc
tober 81 before the Board of Zon
ing Adjustment, the commissio
today also was to review zonin
problem imposed by the height
of a proposed apartment house i
the fashionable neighborhood {
Adams Mill road and Calvel
street. A report also will be mao
prior to the zoning meeting on til
application of Howard pniversit
to increase the heighth limits an
change the area requirements
meet recommendations in til
master plan" recently adopted fl
the university.
An afternoon session will de
largely with the draft of the r,
organization bill for NCPPC whic
includes the controversial sugge
ton for an Advisory Council rel
resenting all jurisdictions in Il
Washington Metropolitan Are
There can be no prospect of Col
gress considering the bill befo
January but Federal officials wa
all controversies resolved in a.
vance to expedite legislative a