Evening star., 1925-11-17
The Mall-Avenue Triangle.

The Mall-Avenue Triangle.
A bill for the purchase by the Gov
ernment of all the 1anG lying between
Pennsylvania avenue AVID the Mall
and the Rltanic Garden and Four
teenth S>reet, the so-called MNll-Avenue
triaDgle, will be introduced in the COM
ing session of Congress by Repre-
sentative Underhill. This bill win pro
vide for the immediate acquisition of
this land and the razing of all private
buildings within the area, which Will
then be added to the present Mall and
will be available for the erection of
public buildings.
This is the most suitable way in
which TO treat the area that has for
many years been virtually pre-empted
for public building purposes. 1t should
be taken as a whole and treated as
whole. with such disregard for exist
ing street lines as is possible in pres
ent conditions in order that building
sites may be available that will not be
cramped and restricted by thorough
fares.
No public building should be erect
ed in this city on strictly restricted
site. 1t is inevitable that a depart
ment should expand and consequently
outgrow its quarters. The main trou
BILE today with the Government build
ing equipment is that the structures
were only planned up to the needs
of the period in which they We're pro
vided. Expansion space was not al
lowed, and in consequence there is not
a single department in the Govern
ment that is not now scattered in de-
tached offices.
The case of the Department of Agri-
culture is we'll known. 1t is housed in
more than a score of buildings, many
of them within small area, but some
at considerable distance from the main
offices. The Internal Revenue Bureau
is housed in eleven different struC-
lures, which dot the map over a space
of several square miles. The loss of
time in administration as a result of
this dispersion is a serious handicap
in the conduct of the public business.
BY taking the Mall-Avenue as a
whole and treating it, in effect, as
a whole in the allotment of space
for building purposes. it will be pos
sible to provide for future extensions
OF public structures without marring
the architectural effect and without
adding to the administrative burden
that Is now so heavy in consequence
Of the scattering Of units.
There is, however, another question
In this connection, and that is the i'm
mediacy of action. 1t is due to the
city that this tract, so long, in effect,
pre-ernpted as eventual Government
property, should be taken at once and
as a whole, not in piecemeal as occa-
sional needs compel the adoption of a
particular site within the area. 1t is
due to the Government that it should
have such provision made for public
building uses. 1t is due to the admin
istrative forces that they be located
with convenience. The stretch be-
tween the Capitol and the Treasury
and the Avenue and the Mall is the
ideal location for public offices, CEN
trail, co-ordinated and in every respect
suitable.
One further consideration remains.
the rehabilitation of Pennsylvania
avenue, the National Capitals chief
thoroughfare, an historic street, the
scene of the country's most imposing
ceremonials, and for years neglected
and debased in consequence Of the
blight OF unfulfilled pre-emption along
the southern side. 1t was recently
proposed that if the Government is
not to take this land, which is so evi-
IDENTIFY suitable for Government needs,
taxes on private improvements there
in should be lowered or remitted as
means of encouraging the develop
ment Of Pennsylvania avenue and it's
redemption from it's present condition.
That, however. Is not to be considered
as long as there is a chance that the
Government will take this ground
and put it to use for It's own building
improvements.