Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-18
DISTRICT
Zonine Case
Tied in With
Area Plans
By HECTOR MCLEAN

One of the hottest Of the Dis
trict's current controversies cropped
up before the zoning Commission
last week.
The District Commissioners. sit
ting as three-fifths Of the Zonine
Commission in the absence OF the.
Architect of the Capitol and of
the National Parks director, heard
the city's leading coming lawyer
warn them it would be unfair to
let embryonic" proposals for the
redevelopment Of Foggy Bottom
and potential change in the Dis.
trict highway plan---stymie the
reasonable expansion program Of
a private business.
James G. Wilkes appeared as at
torney for the Sterling Laundry,
Twenty-seventh and l. streets
NV, asking for a change in zon-
ing which would permit the laun-
dry to put UP one-story garage
with roof parking for "a trucks and
space to store finished dry clean
ing.
There was some opposition from
neighbors of the laundry who OBJ
jected to the change in coming,
although not to the purpose for
which the change was being sought.
The real opposition came from
the zoning Advisory Council, q
three-man group of staff officials
to whose opinion the commission
must at least listen on each case
on the subject.
Point to Renewal Plon
The council. In a report analysing
the proposition, said approval
would normally be recommended.
However. due to the present en-
bryonic status Of the Foggy Bottom
renewal area, and the fact that
the property under consideration
is involved in a proposed relocation
Of the west leg Of the inner loop
highway. it is believed the de-
cision in this case should be held
in allegiance pending a final deter
mination of firm plan for this
area"
This carried the case into the
heart Of the current fight-where
to put the Capital City's proposed
new auditorium.
The laundry's problem was fairly
simple. The company president,
Eugene r. Jacobsen, said the firm
used to do a heavy business in
laundry for hospitals and other in
stitutions. Recently, he said, such
institutions have been putting in
their own facilities and he has
more than Offset the loss by going
after the laundry business Of sub
urban householders and apartment
dWellers.
This, however. requires the ex-
tensive use Of trucks, and now Mr..
Jacobsen wants to provide a place
for them to park, as well as to
load and unload. The council
noted that this would eliminate
a great deal Of curb parking by
company trucks" and called 1t a
desirable objective"
It stood, however. on its recon-
mendation for postponement of a
decision.
Objects to 'StFoit Joeker
Mr.. Wilkes took on both areu-
mentS used by the council to
justify its recommendation.
IF redevelopment plans" he
said, ARE to be used to strait
jacket neighborhoods when the
plans may never be realized. it is
unfair. Also, observers noted, the
city has made 1t clear that Foggy
Bottom was designated as an urban
renewal area only to permit the
making Of surveys which would de-
termine whether an urban renewal
project ought to be conducted
there.
On the argument that the laun-
dry property lis involved in a pro-
posed relocation Of the west leg Of
the inner loop" Mr.. Wilkes said
the present site Of the west leg has
been approved by the National
Capital Planning Commission. The
staff Of the commission. Mr..
wilkes declared, land not. the COM
mission, has suggested moving the
road to make a site for the audi
torium." This he called very spec
ulative" and warned it would
Involve 80 to 40 city blocks"
While the laundry is not as large
as other affected interests, the en-
counter illustrated the implications
Of the proposal to put the audi
forum in Foggy Bottom, which has
already been attacked on the
ground that the necessary highway
shift would wreck the multi
million dollar Potomac Plaza
project under construction in the
area.