Evening star., 1925-10-19
The Mall-Avenue Triangle.

\ committee of the Washing ton
Board of Trade has recommended the
suspension of taxes on all new prop
erty erected on the south side of Penn
sylvania avenue from First to Fiji
teenth streets for the next ten years
as a means of encouraging the devel-
opment of that section OF the city.
This brings pointedly to attention the
long delay of the Government in tax
ing for public building purposes a
tract of land in the Capital eXcep-
tioually suited to such uses and ur-
gently required in the Federal service.
\ project for the acquisition of the
entire Mall-Avenue triangle from
Second TO Fifteenth streets and from
Pennsylvania avenue to the park
was started more than quarter Of
a century ago. 1t was obviously the
most suita BILE location for public Of
fees. between the Capitol and the
White House. In conformity with
this plan. which was recognized by
the Senate Park Commission as in
the line Of logical Capital develop
ment, Congress appropriated for the
purchase of the five squares" at the
Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets.
Those tracts were acquired by con-
demnation. Previously the Post Of
fee Department had been erected.
fyyf n
District Building was emplaced one
block eastward of the five-square
tract Since then nothing has been
done toward putting this area to the
uses for which it is so plainly suit
able from the point Of view of public
convenience and Capital improvement.
Despite the delays of Congress in
this matter, the blight of possible
public purchase of these squares has
lain upon the tract to discourage pri-
vate development along the south
side Of Pennsylvania avenue and TO
react unfa vorably upon the property
on the north. In consequence. Penn
sylvania avenue. Washinston's main
thoroushfare. street famed through
out the world for its beauty and it's
historical associations, remains for
the greater part Of the stretch of
nearly a. mile and a half from the
Capitol to the Treasury in a back
ward state. unsightly for consider
able portion OF that distance and al
together unworthy of the Federal
city.
The building needs Of the Govern
ment are acutely urgent. Every de-
partment is cramped. At least ten
new structures are required to bring
the equipment up to date If they
were undertaken at once, a sufficient
part of a decade would be covered
by the building operations to bring
about further needs in consequence
of the gradual enlargement Of the
public service. II is desirable, there
fore, that in any comprehensive pub
lie building scheme areas should be
selected permitting of further ex-
pansion. The Mall-Avenue triangle
Is Pal lOI SuCIl use.
1t has often been urged in the in
terest of such an economical devel-
opmeht that the tract be taken as a
whole, and so far as possible treated
as unit for the location of struc-
lures with view to future enlarge
ments.
Remission of taxes for period to
encourage private building would be
predicated upon the hypothesis that
the Government does not intend to
take this area beyond it's present hold
ings within it. 1t is only fair to the
wners Of this land that they be
given some assurance as to the fu-
ture. and with the public building
program now in the way of early
adoption this would seem to be the
time for such a definition by de-
cision either to Place the new struc-
lures within this tract, so obviously
suited to that purpose. or to scatter
them without plan and without Sc
quence.