Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-09-05
Army 10 Pass
On Final Layout
OF Sib|ey Site
President Protects
w Acres Of Troct
For Water Facilities

PRESIDENT EISENHOWER pro-
Itected Ia acres at the Dale.
lcarlia Reservoir for water IA
cilities by subjecting the Sib.
ley Hospital site there to ap-
proval by Army Secretary VIII
bur M. Brucker.
The President asked Secre-
tary Brucker to pass on the
final layout" Of Sibley when
he signed a bill yesterday per-
hitting hospital construction
The new law provides for the
hospital to go up on a vacant
Reservoir site not to exceed Il
acres. But the tract available
totals 1874 acres, according to
District Engineer George B
Summer.
The land fans westward that
far from the Dalecarlia park
way between Little Falls road
and Loughboro road.
This leaves Ia acres that
Army engineers, charged with
supplying the Federal City
with drinking water, want to
protect. The chief Of engi-
neers urged Secretary Bruck-
er's ofiices to ask the President
for that protection. A presi-
dental request that Mr.. Bruck-
er approve final site plans
guarantees the safeguard, ad-
ministration spokesman said.
Voice Also Given d. C.
The President complied with
the request, sent under Secre-
tary Brucker's signature. He
acted to give the District Com
missioners as well as the Dis
trict Engineer a chance to
speak up on how the corner Of
leftover land should be used.
Both the Commissioners and
the Engineers opposed the leg
islation.
Brucker approval Of the lay
out" will not block the hos
pital nor interfere with the
hospital claim to an area with
in IL acres. Col. Sumner pre-
dicted.
He said the new lay would
unquestionably eliminate En-
gineer's plans to build q big
filter plant on the tract.
There's not room for the
hospital and the plant" Col.
Sumner pointed out. But we
might be able to build facilities,
like pipes or warehouses, on
the acre and q half left, il it
Is the right shape.
Could Be Under IL
Another Army spokesman
noted that the bill called for
the hospital to be built on land
mot to exceed" ~ acres. It
could be q little less. he said.
Louis Justement, hospital
architect, said he CONTEMPLATED
no dif1culty in working out a
mutually satisfactory plan. The
chief problem OF routing the
site through the Army might
be delay. he noted.
The 350-bed hospital itself
will not occupy IL acres, he
said. but considerable space will
be needed for parking. And he
added that hospital officials
would like to retain the full IL
acres for future expansion.
Drawings Due in so Days
Final drawings should be
ready in so days. He predicted
breaking Of ground could begin
early next spring.
DR.. John M. Orem, presi-
dent Of Sibley. said the hospital
would comply with the Presi-
dents request.
The General Service Ad-
ministration is charged by the
President with fixing precise
availability Of land within the
IL acres. Sibley architects are
to work out plans with the GSA.
Then proposals will be sub
mitted to Mr.. Brucker. ac-
cording to the Presidents
request.
AS for the filter plant
knocked out by the hospital
authorization, 1t eventually
might be placed on a 35-acre
wooded tract across Little Falls
road from the new Sibley site,
Col. Sumner said. He noted
the alternate site is low and
not ideally suited. It might
cost as much as 81 million
more to build there than on
land slated for SibIey.
But 1t looks second-best, he
said.
The bill probably will settle
future use Of the old Reservoir
acreage, which has been part
OF the Dalecarlia Filler Plant
reservation for 100 years. Be-
cause 1t was unoccupied, the
District used 1t for a number
OF years for the National
Training School for Girls.
When this institution was
vacated three years ago, the
land-l3ls acres Of it-reverted
to the Federal Government,
Army aides said.