Evening star., 1953-01-05
| Home Owners Jan,
Hearing 10 Oppose
New SibIey Hospital


New Sib|ey Hospital
CONTINUED From First Page.)
"alien" to the residential neigh
borhood.
Mr.. Draper said it would in
troduce an Objectionable type of
traffic Such~as anabulances and
commercial vehicles and would
cause a large increase in the
number Of passenger cars in the
area.
Trahic Hazard Cited.
This would raise havoc with
the minor Streets" the planner
declared. And then. he added.
such q location would be almost
criminal"
Charles M. Upham. chairman
Of the District Motor Vehicle
Parking Agency. declared that
from q trafic standpoint the
proposed hospital would create a
bad and dangerous situation on
the access streets" He Is road
expert.
At the very outset OF the hear
ing, the home owners were en-
couraged to learn they have the
support OF both the Zoning Ad-
visory Council and the Citizens
Zoning Advisory Committee.
The council reported that the
proposed hospital site would pro-
ject like a sore thumb" into
the restricted neighborhood west
Of Nebraska avenue.
The advisory committee which
gave its full Endorsement to the
home owners petition. speaks for
the Washington Board Of Trade,
the Washington Real Estate
Board, the Federation of Citi-
zens' Associations, the Building
Owners and Managers Associa-
ton, the Home Builders Associa-
ton and the American Institute
of Architects.
Drnvn~ukvv U~V,rA~ Ckw~.rAl
Mr.. Wilkes, in his statement
setting forth the general objec-
tions to the proposed hospital
location, stressed an argument
that residential property values
would nose-dive. He argued that
residents have purchased and
maintained homes in that area
with q definite. view to conditions
as they exist now.
Establishment of the hospital,
he said. would mean sirens and
horns In the streets at all hours.
He said he understood none of
the vehicles moving to the hos
pital would be permitted to go
through the university grounds
because they would distract stu
dents.
Mr.. Wilkes also commended that
neither residents nor their at
torneys have been able to get
any specific information about
the proposals.
Nebraska and Massachusetts,
avenues, Mr.. Wilkes continued,
already are heavily loaded with
trafic. An additional how. he
said, also would create q traf-
fic hazard for students going
to and from the Horace Mann
Grammar School.
Other Activities Attacked.
Mr.. Wilkes also attacked other
university activities and policies,
having to do with the schools
effect on adjoining residential
areas. 1t was at this point that
he said the univerSity's physical
plant "has been a backward
child and that planning was very
poor and the housekeeping un-
fortunate" Despite this, he
said, assurances have been given
time and again by university au-
thorities that nothing would be
done to lower the value Of adja-
cent property.
Edward F. Colladay, counsel
for the university, said Mr..
wilkes was making an argument
that should be reserved until
after all the testimony was in.
Mr.. Wilkes said the univer-
sity had no legal right to rent
one of it's buildings to the Chesa-
peake and Potomac Co. as an
Office, because it is on residen-
tial property. He said also that
while residents of the area had
made no protest when a radio
tower was erected there, that too,
was q commercial project.
He said the university might
claim that this radio station is
to be used in conjunction with
q course Of study on radio and
television. He said it would be
just as logical If the university
taught journalism and home
economies to move q newspaper
Office and q restaurant onto the
campus.
Determined to Have Showdown.
But. he said. the residents are
determined to have q showdown
with the university and the hos