Evening star., 1952-05-14

DoIISAPoIIII
Al Palisades Site
Rezoning Bid Denied
For $25MiIIion Project
In Restricted Area
The Arlington County Board
early today turned down a re-
zoning request designed to permit
q $25 million apartment project
on the Potomac Palisades.
With one member absent, the
four remaining members were
unanimous in denying the apart
ment project.
80 Residents Attend.
A delegation of about 80 irate
residents sat in the Circuit Court
room of the courthouse for more
than five hours waiting for the
board to act on the Palisades
application. The vote finally
came at ITO am.
Attorney Thomas w. Phillips
represented the applicant, DR..
Ernest S. Hendry, who sought to
establish the apartment classif1ca-
ton in what is now an "R-2O"
residential zone-the most re-
strlcted single-family area in the
county. The 22-acre site is To-
Gated at 2411 North Twenty
fourth street.
Mr.. Phillips compared the pro-
posal to Philadelphia's exclusive
Alden Park Manor development,
owners Of which are interested in
the Hendry tract. Plans called
Tor flve 8-story buildings with
such improvements as under
ground parking, swimming pool
VAN AOO4 wy oO4o1
Claims Counter Gain.
"The facilities offered" Mr..
Phillips said, would be the most
extraordinary offered in the
Metropolitan Area. Experience at
Alden Park shows that the cost
to the community is practically
nil. An estimated investment of
$25 million would necesSitate the
drawing Of tenants of means.
School children in such develop
ments are very few because of the
economic status Of the residents.
At the Westchester Apartments
In Washington, I am informed
there are only 43 children and
20 Of those attend private schools.
IAN investment of this size
would produce between 100000
and 100000 a year in taxes,
which would be net to the county.
There would be very little police
and fire burden"
Mr.. Phillips told the board "this
property has available facilities
to reach the George Washington
Memorial Parkway" without using
county highways. 1T has, as I
understand, q right of way to the
parkway people just don't
spend that amount of money with
out making suitable arrange
ments."
This was one Of the points dis
puted by spokesmen for residents
OF the area who were represented
by Attorney Oren R. Lewis.
Recalls 1850 Action.
Gas late as 1885," Mr.. Lewis
said. members of this board and
their predecessors. after a years
study and public hearings, came
up with this very limited R-20
classification. If this board abol-
ishes RIO we would reduce Ar
lington in fact to the status of a
bedroom of the Nations Capital" 3"
Mr.. Lewis quoted officials Of the
Bureau of Public Roads and the
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission as saying no
access to the Memorial parkway
or to the Spout Run parkway had
been authorized.
ut would be nearly physical
impossibility to get on to the park
way" Mr.. Lewis said. 1T is a
dual-lane parkway and people
coming out from Washington
would have to drive way out and
turn around and come back Con
the opposite lane) to get into the
property even if the Government
SLOWED access"
Foresees Similar Demands.
He also warned that the devel-
opment would lead to similar de-
mands on adjoining tracts over
looking the Potomac River and
opposite the Georgetown area.
Other opponents included Capt.
q. Grant Mason, jr., U. S. NJ, of
GOV4 4NO1 Lk1 OL1IC OtA ecu, oI dChACy
Shaw, Washington attorney rep
resenting an adjoining property
owner; Ralph M. Alexander, 4009
Twenty-fourth road, north, rep
resenting Parkway Citizens Asso-
citation; John r. Blandford, presi-
dent of the North Highland Citi-
ZenS' Association, and John P.
Wagstaff Of the Lyon Village Citi-
zens' Association.
The Board actDd on a number of
other rezoning requests and con-
tinued its session until o'clock
tonight in the Circuit Court room
to dispose Of its docket. The next
semiannual zoning session was set
for November IL.
Bows Quick Action Helms