Evening star., 1926-10-28
Question of Acquisition Of
Triangle South of Avenue
Ties Up Operations.
REVENUE AND ARCHIVES
STRUCTURES DELAYED
Desire to Plan Entire Tract Before
Erecting Any Offices Leads to
Dispute and Impasse.


gram for the Capital has been brought
to q temporary halt because of serious
differences Of opinion among officials
charged with carrying it out, and the
situation thus reached has reopened
the whole question of how architec-
tural treatment Of the entire famous
triangle south Of Pennsylvania ave-
nue. will affect the future of Washing
ton, 1t became known today.
No new contracts will be awarded,
1t was announced today, and no
ground will be broken until a new
policy can be developed OUT Of the
proposals under consideration.
This likely means a halt In the
plans for going ahead with the new
Internal Revenue Building, for which
q site already is being cleared as the
first big step in the building program,
and also for the Archives Building.
Entire Triangle Urged.
The question Of whether the Gov
ernment should purchase the entire
triangle in conjunction with the pres
snt building program, so that the build
ing development might be treated as
q whole. is the problem in the very
crux Of the discussion. There is
groups involved as to whether money
already appropriated could be used for
this purpose. It seems to be the con-
sensus that funds already appropri-
ated could not be used to the extent of
purchasing the entire triangle, but
that new legislation would be neces-
sary. Such proposed legislation. it is
known, will be presented to Congress
when It meets.
Should the Government purchase
the entire triangle shortly. instead of
piecemeal, 1t is understood the selec-
tion Of sites for buildings would pro-
ceed along different lines than at
present. 1t might even involve the
change Of location of sites which have
already been picked out. Right now
differences have arisen as to locations
for some Of the contemplated struc-
lures.
~ Odieidis ofssevefal hodtse concerned
in carrying out the program are un-
derstood to be in agreement that there
should be a temporary halt In ma
terial progress for the sake Of devel-
oping a plan which would be as for
ward looking in its way as the Len
FAINT plan for the city of Washington
was in the early days of the Republic.
Work Is at Halt.
Progress will be allowed on certain
condemnation proceedings for the ac-
QUESTION OF ground and for wrecking
of buildings. but there will be no
digging of foundations or building of
any single structure.
1t was understood today an entirely
new set of suggestions will in all
probability be laid before the Public
Buildings Commission, the Fine Arts
Commission and the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission when
full meetings of these important
bodies can be held here after the
elections next month.
The matter has boiled down to the
important questions not only of how
the famous triangle bounded by
Pennsylvania avenue, Fifteenth street
and the Mall would look when pres
ent sites, already picked, have been
built upon, but what kind of an ap-
pearance the triangle might present
100 or 200 years from now, when
much more construction and Federal
building may be necessary to meet
Federal needs.
Many officials upon whom rests
heavy responsibility for the next ma
terial steps In the program are un-
willing to go ahead under the pres
ton can be discussed in a more COM
prehensive fashion.
Whether. the sites for the Internal
Revenue building and the Archives
structure may be changed is q matter
of doubt now, whereas in the past
1t was understood to have been def
nitely closed.
The site for the Department of
Commerce is in more indefinite
stage than ever, although the office
of the supervising architect Is con-
tinuing with tentative plans for the
location at the corner of Pennsyl-
vania avenue and Fifteenth street.
1t was in order to give the Govern
ment advantage of expert outside ad-
vice on the whole problem with all its
complexities that the Treasury recent
ly called in the disting guished architect
and city planner, Edward II. Bennett
of Chicago. Mr.. Bennett Is known as
a consulting architectural specialist"
and has been comforting not only with
Treasury officials, but with members
of other commissions which are in
yolved in carrying out their parts of
the great Federal housing program
here.
Importance Is Emphasized.
In the Office at the treasury Where
Mr.. Bennett has started his work
there have been laid out numerous
great maps showing the entire TRAN
gle, as it exists today, along with
architects sketches Of the various
public buildings already projected for
erection on the triangle.
The importance Of the triangle as a
frame for the MALI Is being en-
phasized more and more as confer.
ences among officials Of the various
cooperating bodies proceed. 1t Is rec
ognized that the architectural as well
as the useful purpose Of the triangle
must be considered, and 1t Is hoped to
work out a plan which some day, per-
haps in two or three generations.
would develop this section into one of
the architectural show places of
America.
This would not mean that there
would be more money expended in the
triangle at the present. But officials
feel that more attention should be
given to the question Of how the
structures, which undoubtedly will
have to be added to the Government
list here within the next three gen
erations. might look when added to
the triangle.
No full meeting OF the vital Public
Buildings Commission can be held
until after elections, principally on
account Of the absence of Senator
Smoot. chairman Of the commission.
who Is campaigning In Utah for ~
election. -