The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-15
ACTION |S ASSURED ON AUDITORIUM
 WITHIN s ] ] \ YS
Commission Throws Out Pre- vious Plans and Calls on Local Architects for
 New Start
Efforts of Commissioner William

Efforts of Commissioner William L, Harrison and Mrs. Mary Echols to unravel the auditorium tangle are certain to bear fruit Thursday morn ing at 10 o'clock wheh an adjourned session of the city commission will be held to discard plans of H. D. Breeding and to request the Asso- ciated Architects, who drew the first plans, to submit new ones, providing for a building to seat not less than 6,000 persons, within 60 days.
 Four members of the board agreed to vote for such a resolution at an adjourned meeting of the commis- sion Wednesday morning, action be- ing deferred until Thursday because of the absence of Commissi oner w. E. Dickson, in whose department the auditorium project falls, in Mont gomery. Commissioner Dickson re- turned from a two day stay in the capital Wednesday night.
 Elimination of all special experts and consultants in handling the au- ditorium is part of the new pro- Sedure to be followed. E. B. Van Keuren's services as consulting en- gineer and those of H. D. Breeding as architect will be dispensed with and these men will be paid off. It is understood that the question con- sidered in the new commission move was not the value of Worthlessness of the Breeding plans, but the clear ad- visibility of clearing away the mud dle which has cropped up since award of contract for the auditorium .r- uild- ing enclosed' to D. E. Manasco Jan uary 12 by four-to-one vote. on motion of Commissioner Dickson.
 Drawn by Harrison
 The resolution which will be adopted by the commission Thurs day morning, regardless of the atti- tude of Mir. Dickson, was drawn by Commissioner Harrison, after sever al days of research and conference. It places the auditorium project on the basis where it stood after the plans first submitted by the Asso ciated Architects were thrown out and Breeding employed.
 Provision to give the Associated Architects first opportunity to sub init plans for the auditorium with seating capacity of not less than 6.0O0 will insure money saving to the citizens of Birmingham, Commission CT Harrison pointed out.
 Under the contract held by these architects the city had no apparent loophole whereby the architects could not recover S10,000 or $12.000 for their work on the plans. The new plan of action will eliminate any litigation over compensation. it is assured. In case the plans sub mitted by the Associated Architects are not satisfactory the resolution reserves right for the commission to seek new plans from outside sources.
 Delay greater than 60 days is blocked in the resolution, as is any attempt which may be now made to cut the seating capacity. If the Associated Architects are unable to submit satisfactory plans within the specified period for an auditorium which can be built with the money in hand and with the seating ca pacity required, then other architects will be given practically the same period of time within which to sub init plans and specifications.
 Views of Architects
 Decision to return to the Asso- ciated Architects was discussed We'd nesday by Hugh Martin of Miller and Martin, a spokesman for the chapter under the last city administration.
 While l cannot speak for the group of architects associated in drawing original plans and specifi- cations for the auditorium. I can personally say that we will give the best service possible to the Cty of Birmingham's taxpayers when we again take the matter in charge" said MT. Martin.
 Our policy will be to give full information on progress and do as bestwe can what is called for"
 Impression at the city hall Wednes- day was that the Associated Archi- tects could handle the project satis- factorily under the new order of things and submit plans and speci- ficationS within the rennired limit.