Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-25

be better to purchase all this property at this
time than to pay s275.OO0 for the lot contem-
plated In House bill for the purchase OF city
post Office site.
NEEDS OF THE CITY POST OFFICE.
am informed by the city postmaster that
the whole square contains 36,417 square feet,
while the part allotted to the new post Office
consists of 10,198 square feet, which is not
more than that now in nse in the cramped
quarters of the Seaton House. The actual
needs OF the proper post Office for Washington
city are $4,000 square feet and this should be in
one floor. To put 100000, as proposed into a
small building and be obliged to use upper
stories, reached by elevators and porters.
would be vast and unnecessary expense. The
present rental OF the Seaton House property in
use for the post office is $1,000 The rent at S
per cent for the proposed new building and
fixtures would be S55,0O0. and the increase of
expenditure in such an inconvenient and i'll
adapted building for watchmen and porters,
elevators and other expenses would prac cal,y
bring the rent up to about $4,000 per annum.
This rental could nearly all be saved by COM
bining the post Office and department build
ings, on the property adjoining the site
selected or at eth and streets, but if
the committee considers it impracticabe
to unite the two buildings, I respectfully
submit that it would be at least worth
while to consider abandoning the
building of any structure of several
stories for city post Office that does not need
upper rooms, and put the amount required in
constructing upper stories, in ground area,
covering the same with structure of one story
which, in height for the sake of appearance,
could be equal to two ordinary stories, with
overhead lighting and abundant ventilation.
and model of construction and utility Of
American post-ofice building. Such building
could be erected for from one-third to two
htths OF the usual class government building.
and the ground bought with what would be
saved from the cost of "a many storied building,
would enable the post Office to work without
double handling of mails or if space not
needed Immediately, could be reserved for
future enlargement To squeeze the Washing
ton city post office into structure of the shape
and size of the proposed plan is not lettering
the postal service. and before the building
could be completed the subject would be up
again from the pressure of actual needs and
compel the consideration that could be more
wisely given today.
The Washington city post Office now occupies
on the first floor about 10 900 square feet.the new
site offers on the first floor (estimated) 10. 1873
square feet; the new site offers on four floors
(estimated) 40. 800 square feet; the actual needs
today are 10000 square feet; the actual needs
IN live years will probably be 100000 square
feet
1t is already admitted by many that the pro-
posed new building is too small, and that lit
is only beginning" and that the remainder
OF the block can ''or ought to be secured" II
THIS is actually done the entire area would be
36,4lI square feet, and calculating at the same
ratio OF cost for proposed building under House
bill the total cost of lot will be about $780, 900;
for building S2,5O0,Oo total S3.4OO, 600; rental
calculated at 5 per cent, $4,000.
The Postmaster General added that the mat
ter handled at Washington City post Office re-
CURES offce space at least equal to the build
ing at Cincinnati, $1,000 square feet
ESTIMATES OF SUPERVISING ARCHITECT w1SDR1M
nryiya all
present post Office building an additional build
ing covering lot bounded by 9Th, 9th, E and F
streets, connected with present building as one
structure, 81 600. To erect a city post
office building on squares numbers 1923 and 349
bounded by Pennsylvania avenue, C. 10th and
18th streets, with $1,000 square feet first floor
area, main portion of building one story
structure, with two and three story sections
only On principal street fronts. constructed, of
free stone or brick, with stone trimmings, ST.
100000 To erect on blocks numbers 1873 and
349 a building to accommodate city post Office
on first floor, and five floors above. each of 90
600 square feet area 50 600 600. For buildings on
squares 1913, 324 349 and $50, department build
Ing facing Pennsylvania avenue, basement and
four stories. with $4,000 square feet floor area
and q one story city post Office building in rear
with 10000 square feet floor area, 1000 900.
The above estimates are exclusive of cost of
site"
REcAPITULATIoN.
The Postmaster General said: at is apparent
that the outlay for extending the department
building on the block adjoining the resent
building would be AS per estimate, SO, 400, 900.
The new city post Office in its proposed form
would cost l.075000; when extended over the
full block, 60 400. 900
The city post Office and departing Mt build
ing could be combined at 9th and F streets or
upon a new location for but little more than
the outlay for city post Office alone that will
Ultimately be necessary at Pennsylva nia ave-
nue.. If the House bill becomes law"
RECOMMENDATIONS
Inasmuch as l have been requested to give
my opinion fully on this subject would say
that believe, in view of the facts submitted.
that it would be best to appoint a commission
consisting of the Postmaster General the chair
man OF the committee on public buildings and
grounds of the Senate, the chairman of the
committee on public buildings and grounds of
the House Of Representatives, which commits
sion or majority of its members, shall be au-
thorlzed to select and purchase a site for the
building or buildings necessary to the city post
Office and the Post Office Department, and that
said commission be instructed to report their
action to Congress within three months from
the passage of the bill.
Worth KuOwfnO