Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-12-20
Merchants Propose
Parking Authority;
$40 Million Needed

Persuading Congress to finance
a $50 million parking authority
for the District to lure more shop
pers into the downtown business
area today appeared to be the
chief obstacle in the path of a
Merchants and Manufacturers
Association plan.
With a few exceptions the idea
Of providing $500 downtown
parking spaces appealed strongly
to the city-wide business meeting
called by the association yester-
day. but legislative-wise officials
were pessimistic in reference to
Congress.
There is no magic" formula
for getting Congress to make the
District a $40 million Federal loan
and approve a $40 million bond
issue. commented Charles M. Up
ham. chairman of the District
Motor Vehicle Parking Agency.
Another who threw damper on
the enthusiasm of the meeting
was Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant III,
former chairman of the National
Capital Planning Commission.
Gen. Grant said he didn't have
much hope Of getting Congress to
make a $40 million loan "in this
year Of retrenchment." Nor did
Gen. Grant believe legislation
would be forthcoming to set up
a new authority.
Mr.. Upham and others sug-
gested to Chairman Maurice Nee
of the associations Traffic and
Parking Committee, that pro-
posed legislation should take into
consideration the question of one
or two parking authorities. Mr..
Nee suggested some way could be
worked out to get around this.
Parking Operator Objects.
The idea of the business meet
ing was to get united support and
action behind the merchants as
ISOLATION plan in preparation for
the second step, getting legislation
from Congress. It was generally
agreed that the final test would
be whether Congress would give
the money. THE merchants
can't raise it," Mr.. Nee told the
meeting.
A dissenting note was sounded
by l.. B. Doggett, jr.. parking lot
operator. He first objected that
the committee might have con-
suited parking operators about
the plan in advance of bringing
out a report.
He insisted that parking lot OPP
orators were investing about 81
million in new parking projects
in the downtown area and said
some didn't believe there would
be more need for of street park
ing. These projects will be ready
during the next year, he said.
During a discussion OF proposed
legislation Mr.. Upham said the
District Commissioners now are
drafting legislation to provide $40
million for use in acquiring land
needed for leasing to parking
operators. This financial arrange
ment seems to be the only basic
difference between the two pro-
posed solutions for downtown
parking.
Grant Suggests Better Plan.
The association contemplates
financing operators through re-
payable loans. Merchants be-
lieved the proposed $40 million
municipal bond issue would be
snapped up by investors as in
Baltimore and other cities.
Gen. Grant suggested that a
better plan could be worked out.
He said the association proposal
appeared to favor shoppers pri-
marily. There were two economic
groups to be provided for in any
plan for the downtown area, he
said. Fringe parking of some kind
should be approved to take care of
20, 900 Government workers in the
area. many Of whom are regular
shoppers. Gen. Grant pointed out.
In addition to this group, he said
there are workers in private en-
|ployment who cannot afford to pay
all-day parking privileges.
More than a score of business
Organizations, with a sprinkling OF
District officials, attended the
meeting in the Pepco building.