Evening star., 1917-12-18
BUILDINGS
FOR GOVERNMENT
Commission Submits Report
Calling for Outlay of Fifty
Eight Millions.
SUGGESTIONS GIVEN OUT

Outlining a general building plan for
housing all the governments activities
in the District of Columbia, the public
buildings commission, created by Con
gress, today submitted its first report,
calling for an outlay of $5s, ,443 ,365.02.
The report was signed by Elliott
Woods, superintendent of the Capitol;
Col c. S. Ridley, United States Engineer
Corps, and James A Wetmlore, super
rising architect.
The commission explains that owing
to war conditions it has been difficult
to get all the facts and figures which
it requires. It adopted a basis upon
which to plan. conditions as they were
here January of this year. considering
this normal time.
Government Employees Increase.
In the last fifteen years the number of
government employees in the District
increased about 100 per cent, the report
says. This increase, of course. has moth
ing to do with the vast Inflow of gov
ernment employees since the war began.
The s5s.000,e00 which it is proposed
TO expend is to be used 10 erect per-
masent government buildings and to
acquire further land for sites These
buildings are, Of course, in addition to
the permanent government buildings al
ready in the District
Rules Adopted by Commission.
The following rules were adopted by
the commission in determining upon
locations for new buildings:
l. Public buildings other than those
of the executive departments should
face the Capitol grounds.
2. New executive departmental build
ings may well be located so as to face
Lafayette Square in such fashion as to
complete arrangements already begun,
and south of Pennsylvania avenue and
along 18th street to B street on the
land already purchased and awaiting
such occupation.
g. Both sides of the Mall, with the
exception of the space needed by the
Department of Agriculture or its
grounds, should be occupied by mu-
seums and other buildings containing
collections in which the public is gem
orally interested. but not by depart
ment buildings.
4. The space east of f4th street be-
tween Pennsylvania avenue and the
Mall should be occupied by other pub
lie buildings.
Types to Be Adopted.
For the departmental type of buiI41
ing, the commission has adopted a fve-
story building above basement, keep
ing in mind the Treasury building,
and others already constructed.
For the type to be erected on the
Ma1J fi,a
signs similar to the new National Mu-
scum and the new Department of Agri-
culture and the proposed George Wash
ington Memorial
For the office type the commission
has adopted the style of the new Of
flee building of the Department of the
Interior.
Total Cost of Buildings.
The total cost of the proposed new
buildings is s47.965.990 and the cost
of the land which the commission be-
ieves should be purchased for sites,
s10,4TS 266.02.
The commission carefully explains
that it has not estimated for those gov
ernmental activities which are pri-
marliy connected with the war, such
as the food administration.
1t has. however taken up tAe nues
ton of housing all the permanent de-
partments and bureaus and ccmris-
SONS OF the government, very many of
which are now occupying rented Of
flee buildings in the District.
New Structures Recommended.
Among those buildings which fbe
commission recommends is new pub
lie market, located on the same space
as the present market, to cost 81. .ooo. 600
A general garage and stables on the
square bounded by Sth and 9th streets
and and D streets southwest
a national archives building, to be
located on squares 294 and 295 and to
cost S5.115.G coo.
New buildings for the government
printing Office to be erected on the
same square now holding the printing
office at a cost of $3,95o,000.
Buildings for the Court of Claims and
the Court of Customs Appeals to be To-
Gated in Judiciary Square.
Building for the Supreme Court of the
United States, if it becomes necessary
for the court to move out of the CAPITOL
building. to be located on squares east
of the Capitol grounds.
All of the other various government
departments. commissions. etc. are pro-
vided for in the report.