Evening star., 1953-01-17
Sib|ey Hospital
Decision Due
Wednesday
D. c. Zone Group
Holds Building Fote
After Stormy Hearing

HOiuS OutiOtItS RUE
After Stormy Hearing
The District Zoning Commits
sion will go into closed session
next Wednesday to reach a deci-
sion in the Sibley Hospital case.
The third day of hearings on
the issue concluded yesterday,
with a stream Of witnesses for
the hospital and American Uni
versity, on whose campus the
institution would be built.
At 10 am. the five Zoning
Commissioners are scheduled to
weigh the merits of the petition
of hundreds of Spring Valley
and Wesley Heights residents to
rezone the university Residential
A restricted to block hospital
construction. 1t is now Resi-
dental A.
Expert Testimony.
Attorneys Edward F. Colladay
and Paul B. Cromelin closed
their case for the hospital with
a furry of expert testimony,
showing that the university
property would be devaluated by
more than 81 million if the
zoning change goes through.
Two of Washington's leading
real estate authorities made that
estimate. They were Thornton
w. Owen. vice president of the
Perpetual Building Association,
and William H. Throckmorton,
president Of the Washington
Real Estate Board.
Charles E. Phillips. president
of the Equitable Life Insurance
Co., which, he said, only recently
loaned the university $750,000. is
disturbed over the reZoning pros
pect.
1T would seriously reduce the
value of the land, and the Sc
curity that the company has on
the loan." Mr.. Phillips declared
He added that the estimated de-
valuation would bring the land
worth down to only 13 per cent
above the amount of the loan.
THAT is not a safe margin" he
declared
In conducting cross-examina-
tion of Mr.. Phillips, the residents
counsel, James c. Wilkes, repeat
edly referred to the possibility Of
rezoning. Twice, Mr.. Phillips
coldly interjected: I'VE don't be-
lieve the property will be rezoned.
Mr.. Wilkes"
Crowd of 600.
The proceedings had to be
shifted to the Commerce De-
partment auditorium in the aft
ernoon because of the unprece-
dented size of the crowd. about
600. Earlier in the day. the
hearing started in the Board
Room OF the District Building,
where spectators jammed into
every foot of standing and sit
ting room, including window sills
and the immediate area outside
in the building corridors. An
amplifier and temporary chairs
were installed there to accom-
modate the overflow.
Attorney Wilkes literally un-
yelled a small surprise for the
opposition in the afternoon ses-
sion. 1t was hastily con-
structed scale model of the pro-
posed hospital, as it would ap-
pear from University avenue
near lockwood parkway. A pro-
portionately sized home across
the avenue from the proposed
site was part of the panorama.
With an air of restrained tri-
umph, Mr.. Wilkes pointed out
that the home. as others in the
immediate vicinity. would be
dwarfed by the proposed seven
story institution, which would
include a nurses home.
Attorney Cromelin assured the
residents that the hospital pro-
poses to screen the building
from the surrounding exclusive
residential area with large trees
and shrubs. He reiterated the
hospitals intention to build a
private access road across the
campus from a point on Rock
wood parkway. few feet from
Nebraska avenue NV.
But Mr.. Wilkes countered that |
once the hospital was built, |
authorities would have no power
to force the institution to abide
by such promises.
oefers aO-year Covenant.
HeatedIy. Mr.. Cromelin 1eaped
to his feet and declared that ne
would agree to covenant for 20
years to preclude access from
University avenue.
THAT wouldn't satisfy me.
Mr. Wilkes calmly returned.
THAT agreement would be be-
tween the university and the
hospital"
THE covenant would run with
the land" Mr.. Cromelin shot
back. This would enable the
citizens to file an injunction
suit against us if the covenant
were violated"
wholly impracticable." re-
Joined the residents lawyer.
To this, Mr.. Cromelin angrily
declared: II want to tell you
right now. that when Sibley
says a thing won't be done, it
won't be DONE"
But Mr.. Wilkes characterized
the proposal as a suggestion in
desperation" and the exchange
Simmered down.
The last witness for the hos
pital and the university, both of
which of Methodist Church m