Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-25
COMMITTEE MAY DECIDE
FATE OF NEW BUILDING
Meets Tonight With Advisory Archi.
tcct for First Time Since
Award.
MONEY QUESTION UpPER,iosT
Members Must Decide Whether 1t Is
Advisable TO Ask Early !Appropria-
ton or to PigeonhoIe Problem
for More Prodigal Day.

Whether the plan for the erection OF
n new municipal building, now that tho
prize designs have heon selected. Ia to
DO automatically piSeonholed to
await more prodigal day, or taken
from the table and carried forward to
completion. Will DO the question which
tho Joint committee on the proposed
municipal building, at Its meeting to-
night, Will make an effort to answer.
Advisory Architect Alfred G. Bos-
som. Of New York, who guided the
committee In selecting the best de-
signs In the recent competition. will
meet with the committee tonight and
take part in the deliberations. There
is no unfinished business on the docket
and everything that viii be done will
be with a view TO the future.
While there are several members
who are outspokcn in their desire to
carry the building plans forward with
out hitch, there are others on the
committee who are more reserved, and
who have takcn caro- not TO commit
themselves. II is more than likely that
the committee will, at to-nights meet
ing. settle the Fate OF Richmond's
proposed new municipal building as
far as the probability Of Its realization
within the next two or three years is
concerned.
MONEY HAS BEEN PAID
TO WINNING ARCHITECTS
with the funds supplied by a spec
TAI appropriation made by the Council
last month. the three priae-w winning
architects have been paid the amount
of their awards. The three prize do
signs are being held by the city. Tho
nine designs that failed to take prizes
have been returned to their authors
Mr. Blossoms task camo to an end
"hen the committee awarded the
prizes. He has declared his willing
n H.
mittee again for the purpose of ed-
Elsing 1t In any architectural questions
that might arise as the result of the
award. 1t was thought for n time that
discomfort on the part OF nonwInninr
architects with the manner OF award.
ing the prizes. might render advisable
a supplementary statement from Mr.
bossom setting forth In greater detail
the considerations that guided him in
making the recommendations he did
The discontent. however. seems to have
disappeared and the matter of the
award, IL is expected. will not be
touched upon Mt to-nights meeting
With satisfactory building design
selected, the committee Is now CON
ironted with the question of the ad-
Visibility Of recommending 10 the
council at this time, the passage OF
an appropriation FOR the structure 1t
SELF. II Is estimated that building
IN accordance with the winning design
VIII cost, in round figures. 1000. 600
There are many who believe that tho
structure would cost considerably more
whether II would be more polite to
press an early appropriation or per-
init the matter 10 rest until the bond
market and municipal finances, gem
erhllE. are improved. will be the big
question. 4 final answer to this aucs.
non ~ not expected at to-nights
meeting. The members will have an
sSceiient opportunity. however. OF in
'dicatinS their preferences In this d.
rection. and the committees action on
anything looking at early construction
VIII be the straw that will show which
way the wind blows.
me warmcst supporters OF the mu-
nicipai building project admit that the
Improvement OF the Ford Hotel lot is
good way In the future The re-
cent annexation and the far-reachinS
demands 1t VIII make on the cltv's
purse Tor the next two or three years
Will retard the ambitious municinal
building undertaking. notwithstanding
the fact that the latter would have to
be financed altogether by bond Issue
and would, therefore, have no logical
relation to current revenue except I'm
so far rs II would increase the annual
interest charge.
WHY RETAIN BOSOM
TO ADVISE COMMITTEE
At the last meeting OF tho commit
tee Chairman Seaton expressed the
nope. In the event the decision Is made
10 carry the building plans forward
that Mr.. Bosom could DO retained TO
advise the committee until the project
Is finally disposed of by the construc
uoh or the building or the abandon
ment Of the whole plan The other
members OF the committee agreed with
Mr.. Seaton that Mr.. Bossom's advice
would be as badly needed after the close
OF the designs competition as before
II.
While the design OF Carneal & John