The Commission has taken an active part in the effort to have the public buildings of Washington grouped and arranged not only for the convenience and beauty of the result but also that they may fit into the future plans for streets, highways, and parks, and thus promote the orderly development of the city and region. When the first important step in the public-buildings program was taken in 1926 the Commission urged the purchase of all of the land necessary for a plan of the group as a whole instead of undertaking individual building projects as separate units in the scheme. The problems of parking and transit facilities in relation to the public-buildings groups have caused the Commission great concern, and efforts have been made to secure the cooperation of the architects in charge of the building program in order to solve these problems. In all of its activities concerning the public-buildings program the Commission has been guided by the principles announced by the plan of 1901, under which Federal buildings will be concentrated along the axis of the Mall and about the White House. The Commission has given favorable consideration to an enlargement of this program by which semipublic buildings and possibly State buildings might be located along East Capitol Street in order to help the balance between the northwest and the eastern portions of the city of Washington.
In the same way the Commission advises the appropriate authorities on matters of zoning and control of use of private property. Zoning has now been adopted not only in the District but also in the Maryland suburban area and in Arlington County and Fairfax County, Va. Also Alexandria has prepared a zoning plan. It is hoped that in the not distant future other portions of the Maryland and Virginia areas may be added to this list. In matters relating to zoning in the District, the Commission has contributed statistical data and expert opinion, and was particularly active in the segregation of single-family houses from 2-family and community groups.
In brief, it is the function of the Commission to revive, review, and revise the efforts of past generations toward a “great and effective city for the seat of our Government” and to keep that ideal constantly before the public, to the end that each separate undertaking by the countless public and private agencies concerned may be coordinated and related to produce a result in which future generations may take pride.
FORT DRIVE CONNECTING THE CIVIL WAR FORTS ENCIRCLING WASHINGTON
EAST CAPITOL STREET—EXTENDING THE MALL AXIS EASTWARD
Some one has said “the beauty of Washington is its trees.” No one who has seen the thousands of trees in Washington and in the country adjacent to the city can deny this. There is no national capital in the world that has more beautiful trees than Washington. Those seen on East Capitol Street are typical of the large massive trees throughout the city. Thousands of them were planted during the Presidency of General Grant, and it has been the policy of the District of Columbia government to plant trees along streets opened for residential sections.
EAST CAPITOL STREET