Evening star., 1959-12-03
Plaza Project Set
For Foggy Bottom
Planners Okuy
$40 Million Plan
For Apartments
BY ALFRED ALIBRANDO
Star stad Writer

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Star Stan Writer
The National Capital Plan
ming Commission today ap-
proved the general plan fol
redevelopment of an 8-acrs
Foggy Bottom area as a $2c
million luxury apartment prof.
ect to be known as Columbis
Plaza.
Plans for the project were
first disclosed by the planning
commission staff and the Dis
trict Redevelopment Land
Agency two weeks ago. The
site is between Virginia avenue,
E. G and Twenty-third streets
NV.
AS approved by the commits
sion today, the plan calls for a
combination of elevator and
two or three-story apartments,
and possibly a 200-room hotel,
overlooking the Potomac River.
The apartments would have $50
units.
The commission also received
today an alternate plan pre-
pared by Architect Edwin
Weihe for Kingdom Gould and
Dominic Antonelli, who have
large property holdings in the
project area.
Mr.. Weihe called his concept
Diplomatic City" His sche-
matte drawings showed a huge
circular building flanked by
two other structures. The
prospective developers of Diplo-
matte City said they believed
part Of the area should be spe-
cial purpose Offices, principally
designed to accommodate chan
ceries Of foreign governments,
international groups and Or
ganizations having business
with the State Department"
They also suggested that the
project should include resi-
Dental uses and parking
facilities.
Offices Ruled Out
Although the plan approved
by the commission today would
rule out, at least for the pres
ent, any proposal for Office
buildings, John Searles, RIA
director, said both Mr.. Anto-
nelli and Mr.. Gould have indi-
Gated they want to participate
IN redevelopment of the area,
regardless of the plan approved,
In a letter to the commits
sion, attorneys for the two men
said they are prepared to ar
range for financing of the
project with Financial General
corporation. The letter said the
New York firm plans to move
ltS headquarters to new head
quarters here in a building tn
be constructed at Seventeenth
street and Pennsylvania av-
enue NV.
Also mentioned as a possible
member of the redevelopment
syndicate was Gen. Milton
Arnold, General Dynamics
Corp. executive who also has
large holdings in the Foggv
Bottom area.
Inc land use plan approved
by the commission TODAY will
be forwarded to the District
commissioners and the RIA
for the approval of those
agencies. Mr.. Searles said that
his agency would talk to the
prospective developers before
an application is filed with the
Housing and Home Finance
Agency for funds with which
to begin the project. He said
he wanted to make certain
there is a market for the land.
DOrmitOry Okayed
The planning commission to-
day also approved plans for a
new SIS million dormitory on
the Soldiers Home grounds
The building, on which con.
struction is to begin in MAY.
will be an eight-story structure
and house $40 veterans. It will
be built at the upper end of the
grounds.
In other actions, the COM
mission:
Gave final approval for a new
Department of Labor building
at Sixth and Pennsylvania ave.
nue. NV.
Approved a request from the
National Capital Housing Au-
thority for construction of adj
ditional units at Carrollsbure
Dwellings, across from the
Naval Weapons Plant in South.
east Washington.