Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-02
No Such Opportunity Ever Before Offered
in Capitals History.
QUESTION OF SITE IS STILL OPEN
Plans as Approved Cali for One Building on Mall
Congress Must Give Consent.

When the commission of fine arts, June
16 last, approved the plans for the three
new government buildings which are to
be erected south Of Pennsylvania avenue
between 14th and 18th streets northwest
there was inaugurated not only the great
est building project in Washington, but
the greatest in the country.
The construction of the new homes for
the Departments Of State. Justice and
Commerce and Labor will. it is believed.
mark the beginning of a new era in the
grouping Of federal buildings in the Ma
tional Capital This is one OF the few
times in the history of the world when
such a group OF important structures has
been conceived and studied as whole
each individual building subordinating it
self to the group. 1t is this. rather than
the expenditure of sS.O0O.O0O. a cost not
infrequently exceeded by federal or state
buildings. which makes the project now
under way remarkable.
President Taft and officials of his ad-
ministration have had but one end in
view; the best final result obtainable-a
group composed of whole units. har-
monious in itself-suppiementing the ex-
listing architecture of Washington.
Change in Site Plans.
TIL site proposed by the fine arts COM
mission. with the approval of President
Taft differs from that which was contem-
plated by Congress when the appropria
ton was made for the purchase of the
land The original idea was that the
three buildings should be embraced with
in the five squares bounded by 14th and
18th streets, Pennsylvania avenue and the
Mall. 1t was pointed out at the time that
this land was chosen that such an en-
placement would seriously crowd the
buildings and prevent them from being
given adequate park settings.
The fine arts commission, recognizing
the unsuitability of placing three build
ing in a space not more than large
enough for two giving each sufficient
approach. has recommended that one of
the buildings be placed upon the Mall
Immediately south of the lately con-
demned land. the southern line of the
construction coinciding with that of the
new National Museum building, some
distance to the east. No such use Of the
Mall. however. can be made without the
consent of Congress. and the question is
now pending at the Capitol, with some
opposition in evidence TO any further en-
croachments upon the Mall reservation.
In this connection it has been urged
that IL would be preferable 70 secure the
condemnation of an additional site within
the Mall-Avenue triangle for one of the
new buildings and thus continue the work
OF utilizing for public buildings purposes
the land lying between the city's chief
thoroughfare and the largest and most
important urban park.
Location of Buildings.
The Department Of Justice building
will according to the commissions
plan. occupy the north end of the site,
It's principal front on Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. diagonally across from the south
front of the Treasury building.
The Department OF Commerce and La
Dor building structure of the same
width. but of much greater length north
and south. comes next, extending nearly
TO the Mall.
The Department of State building,
banking the group on the other end, will