Arizona republican., 1920-02-19
MODERN STRUCTURE
 FOR JOINT COUNTY
 AND CITY BUILDING

Phoenix and Maricopa county now face a definite prospect of having within the next Is months a modern building containing all the offices of the city hall and county court house. provided the taxpayers will warrant the building project by voting to that effect at a special election to be called probably within the next 50 days, ac- cording to announcement just made by the firm of LeScher Ss kibbey, archi- tects.
 The city and county authorities re- gently conferred on the proposal for joint building. and agreed to proceed under the direction of committee consisting originally of Mayor Peter Corpstein and Chairman w. K. Bowen of the county supervisors. The com mittee yesterday appointed T. C. Me- Reynolds as a third member, and later will appoint an advisory board of rep resentatives of civic and commercial bodies throughout the county. The committee of three yesterday in structed Lescher x Kibbey to proceed with tentative plans on which to base the final proposition to the people.
 Discussing his ideas for the pro- posed building; Royal w. Lescher East night said his firm would work with the expectation that one of the full city blocks now occupied by the city hall and court house would be chosen by the taxpayers and that she classical order of architecture probably would be preferred by everyone as that order is usual everywhere for important public structures.
 The tentative plans, on which to base estimates and to make proposi- tions to the people, can be prepared within the next 50 days while the of ficials turn the wheels for calling the special election. Lescher believes that all preliminaries can be accomplished up to the point of breaking ground, within six months and that the build ing can be made ready for occupancy within a year from that time or ap- proXimately IS months from this date.
 The city needs about one-third as much room the county requires for which one wing of U-shaped build ing would he just about right, it is stated, and it is probable that a build ing of about four stories in height will be constructed.
 While the architects hesitate to state the proba ble cost of the proposed building at this time, it is declared that the cost will approximate $1,0oO.0 if the building is to be adequate for keeping pace with the citys growth during the coming ten years.
 The architects propose to provide for three court rooms. and to install the dual city and county jail establishment on the top floor. Provision will be made in the tentative plans for sepa- rate establishments of the city and county assessors and other city and county officials whose offices might be combined at a later time. The double provision is necessary now as the various offices of a duplicating nature cannot be combined without the eX- pression of the people, and any space saved in the future through simpli- fled methods of government, quite possibly, will be needed then for variety of other purposes.
 In addition to the present official re- quirementS of the city and county the architects point to the need for great auditorium and convention hall which tion if their report to the civic center if the city and county offices are com bined in one buildings. unless the ab- sence of a convention hall is taken into account.
 The present buildings in use by the city and county are rated among the most prized antiques in Arizona, the court house being erected in 1884, just 36 years ago, at d cost of s35, 900. and the city hall being erected in 1888. at a cost of s22, 900. Previous to 1900. when the present state capitol build ing was completed, the city hall was used for capitol purposes during the brief preceding period after the time when the capital was moved to Phoe- nix from Prescott February 4, 1889.