Evening star., 1952-02-29
Redeve|opnlent
Plans Provide
More Parks
Planners Reveal
More Lund Also
Given Schools
By Nelson N. Shepard

~ tNStSVU Vh SUePotU
Further details OF the basic
overall requirements determined
for Anal planning Of the South.
west redevelopment area, were
made public today by the Ma.
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission.
In general. the approved land
requirements for the 427-acrC
area, as contrasted with present
use. provide for considerably more
land for parks. schools and recre.
alton; slightly more for residen.
tial and commercial. but q little
less for streets and industry.
Highlights Of the recommenda.
tons embodied In the report Of
Harland Bartholomew and Asso.
Ciates, %. Louis planning consult
ants engaged by NCPPC, were
publiciSed last week. NCPPC
stressed then that this basic plan
was subject TO possible future 10.
vision. The revision may be minor
or drastic, depending on develop.
fnents.
Other Studies Prepared.
The Southwest area has been
the subject Of intensive planning
In recent months and ID due for
still more, Two preliminary
studies were prepared by Or. nj.
bert Peets for NCPPC and Arthur
p, Davis for tho Redeveiepmeht
Land Agency. A third study, by
tho architectural flrm of Juste-
ment a. Smith, Ia underway,
The Bartholomew firm was on.
gagged to make recommendations
to NCPPc to bring that agency's
own comprehensive plan toI
Washington in line with the sur
vey area. The basic requirements,
AS approved, will be checked
against the three current studies,
From this check will emerge q
final plan for submission to NCPPC
and the District Commissioners,
before any land Is bought.
Based on populations ranging
from $4,000 to 10000, the recon-
mended general land use would
change the present acreage to
these allocations:
Residential. now 134.4 acres to
1877 or 1873; commercial, from 20.9
acres to % or 20; industrial from
40.5 acres to SO, regardless of fu-
ture population; park, school and
recreation from 30.1 acres to Sc
or 81: other public and semi
public use from 60 acres to
Z, and streets. from 1882 acres
to 1853.
Major Streets Indicated.
The slight reduction in land for
streets was made regardless Of
the proposed wide Southwest free
way. which would be on the line
of r street. as a part Of the Dis
trict's new inner loop. AS indi-
Gated on the diagram, there will
be an express highway on South
Capitol street and another on
Third street. north of F street.
Details given out today indicate
major street on Twelfth, Ninth,
Maine avenue south to M street
and including M street. Secondary
major streets will be laid out on
Seventh. Fourth, Maine avenue
south Of M street and P street.
The inner loop expressway
would be given the necessary
width from land on the north
side Of F street, with adjacent
property access from parallel
streets. In that event, the right
Of way could be reduced from
240 feet to 200. Interchanges
would be provided with Maine
avenue. Twelfth and Third streets
to the north. and South Capitol
street. Crossings would be pro-
vided for Fourth. Seventh and
Ninth streets.
Plans for Railroad Tunnel.
II practicable. the plan calls
for O railroad tunnel on Z street
as proposed by the railroads In
1889. But II was stressed the
prospect Of this taking place also
appears remote.
Present transit routes provide
logical service TO the survey area,
and the report said they should
be retained on streets In the
same general location. The COM
prehensive plan had suggested
replacement Of streetcars by buses.
"5uch conversion OF the present
Seventh street and Maine avenue
lines" the Bartholomew report
said, "w0uid permit abandonment
OF the p street car barns. -. Press
eht barns also are used for bus
maintenance, which activity pre-
sufaably might be transferred 20
another ieeatieR," But 10 warned
that FedeVelepfneht plans should
not contemplate this change iFas
inediately.
seheeI Retention Plans,
I'm accord with seheel officials,
the report asks for retention Of
the Anthony Bowen and 6yphaK
6eheeis, seheel efiieials had rec.
emmended replacement of the Fe-
naming five by either two or
three schools,
Additional acreage should be
provided for parks, schools and
recreation In the area, the report
says, It would increase the pres-
ent acreage of the Bowen School
from l,S to 8 acres, and the
Syphax School site would remain
the same as 1t Is now. with 2,S
acres.
Nearby East Potomac Park, the
report said, makes 1t unnecessary
to set aside large land areas for
recreation in the Southwest.
NCPPC's comprehensive plan had
contemplated reserving l08 acres
for a maximum $4,000 population
An area almost as large as the
met residential acreage.
The report recommended reten-