Evening star., 1926-06-07
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
NORK IS STARTED
Appropriation for Technical
Staff TO Be Asked at
Once by Officials.

l.mnar, - an early start on the
xicAntic S50 600 0oo Fedora office
building program f"r the National
CAPITAL
The wheels ~ administration hcGan
10 grind IN determined form follow
inE he announcement al the Treas
ar, SATURDAY. of estimates acGrf GAi F
irc 4pproXimateI, So 00n 400 for i've
cr~inc actual construction on four
uretentious new public editces, com
rletion ~ TWO others, purchase Of one
ncA rented and acquisition Of = site
for another
The first steps in carving out the
schedule mapped ont for the first NeAr
of The hVeNear program Will he the
sending To Congress &C request i"l
2 deficiency appropi iatinn To cover
salaries Of a group of about l50 en-
2ireerS and other technical experts
needed for the preparatory work.
Immediate Action Needed.
II was learned TODAY At the Treas
ny, that this appropriation will be
sought without delaE in order that
he drawing up ~ plans and the eI-
~rutiOn Of numerous other ConstruC-
tion details of preliminary nature
ma, he facilitated
Work on some of the hnildnss is
expected to start this summer. il i
stated The projects provided FOR in
the initial estimates are the archives
building the Department of Com
mcrCe building. the now home for tho
lnrArnal Revenue Bureau. = general
Office structure for the Department of
Agriculture, completion of connect
ing link between the present wings Of
The Aericultural Building remodel
tnc and enlargement of the Liberty
Loan Building and purchase NJ a
rented agricultural building and Of
site for an addition to the Government
Printing Office.
Force to Include $50.
The technical force of $50 will in
c'ude in addition To engineers such
employees ss draughtsmen. computers
ctlm4tnrs, supervisors etc They
1y''l he charged with working out. in
detail. plans which already may have
been sketChed for various buildings.
o. drawing. where necessary, an en-
tIrely new set ~ diagrams
The technical force will concentrate
it, attention first on the Archives
EuiI1in2 which is 10 he reared on
the ground lying between Twelfth and
Thirteenth and + and c ttreetS. near
the Post ONCE Department building.
This apparently involves the closing
NJ Ohio avenue
4 complete new design for this i'm
posns structure has been made neces-
eary because IF change ia the site
Formerlv planned as rather narrow
h-iiding 10 conform with the site
originally in mind the Public Build
irGs Commission IS understood now
10 have agreed on a much bulkieT
building having ample accommodations
for The Government $ priceless records.
The hrstyes estimate for this
building specified hr the Treasury
saturday is 81 900 600. Il will cost
- 900 GOO. under the revised plans, The
instruction. as in the case OF the
niher buildings. to he distributed over
period OF five years.
Avenue Site Named.
1t was learned today from official
sources th2t the new buildings for
Commerce and Justice probably will
share tho blocks skirted by Four
teenth and Fifteenth, Pennsylva MIA
avenue and street.
This vlll mean the closing Of Ohio
Avenue between Fourteenth and
Fifteenth streets. It now ends at
Fifteenth street The Archives Build
ing also will block Ohio avenue be
tween Twelfth and Thirteenth streets,
in AL probability.
The sites for the Commerce and
Justice structures are now occupied
hv Polls Theater. the House OF De
tention and group Of temporary
buildings extending from Ohio avenue
II r street
No provision for beginning work on
the projected Department Of Justice
home was included in the estimates
for tho next fiscal wear, but $500 900
win he asked by the Trea sury for the
new Commerce headquarters to cost,
when completed $40 600 0G0.
Will he Pretentious Structure.
The Commerce edihce, which is ex.
pected to ne one ot the most pre-
feOtinus and practica bIe Federal Office
buildings In Washington, viii house
eventually all Of the now widely scat
tered bureaus and divisions OF the de
rartmsnt. with the exception of the
Bureau Of Standards The latter bu-
raau will continue 10 occupy it's
present grou0 of II buildings on Con
b necticut avenue
The Commerce Building will he
erected In sections work on the first
portion being rushed in order 10 take
care n pressing housing situation
uo0 confronting The administration
,,ludee the Offices IF the Secretary Of
commerce together WITH the Bureau
If Foreign and Domestic Commerce,
ie facing expiration Of its present
lease within TWO wears. with the
lessons unwilling further 70 extend il.
In the first section. also. will be placed
the Bureau of Mines, which. in re
moving from the Interior Building 10
fhf Winder Building, has FOUND itself
markedly cramned.
The Deps rtment or Commerce. with
lfs far-funs subsidiaries now is scat
tered in 81 different structures Fx-
elusive Of the Bureau OF Standards.
these offices occupy about 900, 900
square feet of work space. The new
building Win provide about that mum
her Of square fee ~ office space. not
including corridors. stairwsNs. ele-
yators. etc The Consolida tiuu Of the
activities ot these bureaus and di-
visions under one roof is expected
effect striking saving in floor
<nace needed 80 hat the office area
provided in the new structure will be
ample 70 take care of reasonable flu
ture expa rsion ~ the department
Room for Coast Survey.
The Bureau of Mines will take up
2 bout a. nNn square feet or space. il
ie estimated and this bureau, with the
Offices now in he rented Adminstra-
tion Building. AT Nineteenth street
and Pennsyiva nia avenue, will occupy
approximately $50. 600 square feet Of
cffce space.
The nev building will afford relief
ureentlN needed by the Coast and Geo
5etic Survey. which is sadly crowded
INTO = group ~ buildings across from
TIE House Ofice building. When the
survey vacates its present quarters it
is anticipated that steps will be taken
~ acquire this land as a site for new
House Office building or annex.