Whenever, therefore, a proposal is made by an agency for a project which might impinge upon a park or number of parks in Washington, this proposal must be given most careful scrutiny to make sure that it is not injurious to the character and usefulness of the parks. If it should appear that any proposal tends to defeat the beauty or usefulness of a park, this proposal must not be adopted until every alternate proposal has been carefully examined and every possible means taken to minimize injury done to the parks.

One of the most beautiful areas in the city of Washington is that section of the Potomac which lies north of the Memorial Bridge. By good fortune a lovely stretch of the River has been preserved, together with beautiful landscapes on all sides. To the west lie meadows crowned by the hills of Arlington; to the east, the white temple of the Lincoln Memorial, with its embankments and its noble bridge; and at the north lies one of the loveliest fragments of untouched forest lands in any city of America and forming an island of great beauty. This is the Theodore Roosevelt Island.

In the opinion of the Commission of Fine Arts the bridge proposed at E Street and carried directly across Theodore Roosevelt Island would in large measure destroy the beauty of this remarkable landscape lying at the very center of greater Washington. The bridge would bisect the land lying north of the Memorial Bridge and destroy its unity.

The Theodore Roosevelt Island was a gift to the Government by a number of friends of President Roosevelt and, in accepting this gift, the Government agreed to preserve this land as a sylvan reserve, apart from the city and to preserve it in a natural state, untouched by artificial constructions. Quite aside from its relation to the Potomac landscapes, the island itself is of inestimable value to the city of Washington and in the future this value will progressively increase.

SOUTHWEST REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT

During a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, held on July 2, 1952, the Commission re

ceived the following letter from Mr. John A. Remon, Chairman of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission, expressing appreciation of the letter sent to him by the Commission of Fine Arts regarding measures to preserve the aesthetic value of the L'Enfant Plan for the city of Washington.

July 1, 1952.

DEAR MR. FINLEY: Your interesting letter of May 16 concerning the possible effect of street closings on the aesthetic value of the L'Enfant Plan was discussed at the regular meeting of this Commission on June 27.

It was immediately agreed that your general thesis was not only valid but essential to the coherence and integrity of the city plan. By the same token, it was agreed that minor adjustments required by modern redevelopment planning and by the demands of automobile traffic can be made without doing violence to the basic unity of the L'Enfant Plan.

The Commission was enthusiastic about your suggestion that a plan be prepared to show "the essential aesthetic elements of Washington, the streets, plazas, parks, and structures that should be considered inviolate to any but the most necessary and generally approved changes." We agreed to avail ourselves of your kind offer of assistance, and we therefore request that the Commission of Fine Arts prepare such a plan and transmit it to the Planning Commission for study and appropriate action.

You state that your Commission's present concern in this matter was provoked by the publication of a Southwest Redevelopment study that called for the abandonment of Delaware Avenue south of Virginia Avenue. Although the final redevelopment plan for the Southwest Survey Area remains to be adopted, I think that I can say with complete assurance that the final plan will not involve the closing of this portion of Delaware Avenue.

On the other hand, it is entirely likely that the plans for the so-called Southwest Freeway will require an interruption in Delaware Avenue as a through-traffic artery in the vicinity of the railroad bridge. This is a type of minor adjustment that will probably occur again and again if an "innerloop" freeway is to be superimposed upon the L'Enfant Plan in accordance with the Commission's comprehensive plan of 1950. I cite it as an example of the need for reasonable flexibility in dealing with this problem.

Sincerely yours,

JOHN A. REMON, Chairman.

Regarding Mr. Remon's suggestion that the Commission of Fine Arts prepare a study, showing in detail how the aesthetic value of the L'Enfant Plan for the city of Washington can

be preserved, the Commission asked Mr. Peets if he would cooperate with the staff of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission in this matter, giving first attention to the Southwest Redevelopment Project.

WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT, LITTLE FALLS

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, held on December 12, 1952, Colonel Alan J. McCutchen, District Engineer, submitted a design for a new pumping station, to be built at

Little Falls Dam, about 211⁄2 miles above George

town.

Colonel McCutchen said that the design was made in his office, and it included a bridge to cross the old Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. This pumping station, he said, would make it possible to increase the water supply of Washington, D.C., to a maximum capacity of 500,000,000 gallons a day.

The design was approved, and a report was sent to Colonel McCutchen accordingly.

A

GREAT deal has been accomplished in the administration of the ShipsteadLuce Act, since the enactment of the Law by Congress on May 16, 1930. During the last 24 years, there have been more than 1,600 formal submissions by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, through the Office of the Director of Inspection. During the period covered by this report there have been 305 submissions. This does not include numerous informal submissions, inquiries and consultations relating to the administration of the Act.

The purpose of the law is to protect the beauty of the National Capital. It gives the Commission of Fine Arts a limited control in designs for private building projects adjacent to the Capitol Grounds and Plaza area, the Mall and the north side of Pennsylvania Avenue, including Judiciary Square, the White House and Lafayette Square (the Act was amended on July 31, 1939, to include that Square), thence westward along F Street to the Rock Creek Parkway and northward to include both sides of Rock Creek Park.

The Commission confers with both architects and builders, with a view to procuring improved designs and better buildings in harmony with their environment. The Commission would prefer to have sketches submitted in preliminary form. The Commission advises as to height, appearance, color and texture of the materials of exterior construction. Advertising signs are limited to 25 square feet. There has thus been brought about and maintained an improvement in the appearance of streets within the area prescribed in the Act.

The law is regarded as a phase of zoning, but it is unique in that it applies the principle of aesthetics. This was recognized by the "Founding Fathers", as set forth in the preamble of the Act, as follows:

That in view of the provisions of the Constitution respecting the establishment of the seat of the National Government, the duties it imposed upon Congress, in connection therewith, and the solicitude shown and the efforts exerted by President Washington in the planning and development of the Capital City, it is hereby declared *

THE MCSHAIN BUILDING

Under date of August 25, 1950, the Commission received a set of drawings from the Director of Inspection of the District of Columbia (Application No. 1359), for an office building at Third and C Streets NW., to be known as the McShain Building, designed by Leon Chatelain, architect, of Washington. The building was designed in the monumental style of architecture, with limestone facing and granite base, in keeping with monumental buildings of the National Capital.

The Commission made some suggestions in matters of detail, which were embodied in the design, whereupon the Commission approved it.

ADDITION TO THE ACACIA MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY BUILDING

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, held on October 22, 1952, Chairman Finley

brought to the attention of the Commission a letter from the National Capital Planning Commission requesting advice regarding a plan of the Acacia Mutual Life Insurance Company to enlarge its building fronting on the Capitol Grounds between New Jersey Avenue and Louisiana Avenue. The proposed addition involved a change in the zoning height on the First and D Street frontages from 90 to 110 feet.

A design, which was submitted, indicated that the addition would extend only one story, plus penthouse, above the present six stories, and that the added height would not exceed that of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board Building, fronting on the west side of First Street.

The Commission were informed that the addition would be faced in limestone and noted that it would be in harmony with the main part of the building. Accordingly, the Commission approved the design.

OFFICE BUILDING AT 425 13TH STREET

The Secretary submitted at a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts held on December 12, 1952, a set of plans received from the Inspector of Buildings (Shipstead-Luce Act Submission No. 1538, dated December 12, 1952) for an office building at 13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. The Commission inspected the design, which was in the contemporary style of architecture. The architect, Mr. Edwin Weihe, was present. He said, "We were here by your permission at the meeting of the Commission on October 22d, and showed a preliminary sketch, which was considered to be satisfactory, subject to submission of detailed drawings. We present these today. We know you are concerned particularly with the exterior appearance of the building. It is a flat plate job with vertical peripheries on the outer columns. The space between the floors will be 8 feet 11 inches. The

first floor will be used for stores and the second floor sets back on the first floor only four inches.

"The building will be built in limestone, and will thus be in harmony with the Post Office Department Building across the street along Pennsylvania Avenue. At the 110-foot height there will be a setback as required by the D.C. Zoning Regulations. Between the spandrels we use a slightly darker limestone, but the predominant color of the material would be buff."

The architect members of the Commission made several suggestions in matters of detail, and Mr. Weihe said, "We would like to make those changes that the members have suggested with permission then to ask for our permit to start the building."

The Commission thereupon approved the design, with the recommendation that certain minor changes be made if they are acceptable to the architect and his client. The Director of Inspection was notified accordingly.