Evening star., 1926-09-17
15THST. SITE URGED
BY FINE ARTS BODY
Location of Commerce Build
ing on Avenue From 14th
to Treasury Approved.

Location of the new Department OF
Commerce Building in area already
owned by the Government between
Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets
PENNSYLVANIA avenue and B street
will be recommended to the Public
Buildings Commission by the Commits
sion of Fine Arts, as a result or Its
deliberations last night.
The Fine Arts body favored that 10
cation for the Commerce Building IN
preference to the two other sites that
had been under discussion. namely
In the Mall, on the south side OF
street between Twelfth and -Four
teenth streets, or on the land now oc
cupied by the market between Seventh
and Tenth, Pennsylvania avenue and
b street.
There is still some uncertainty as
TO how far the Public Buildings Com
mission will go in bringing scattered
branches Of the Commerce Depart
ment under the roof of the new build
ing. Officials of the Fine Arts body
explained today that if 1t is decided to
20 the limit in putting all OF the De
partment of Commerce except the
Bureau of Standards in the proposed
structure the site favored at yester'
days meeting would be ample in size
On the other hand, if it is decided to
leave the Patent Office where it is. as
well as certain other scientific bu
reaus, the theory of the Fine Arts
Commission is that there would then
be room enough on the proposed site
for a Department of Labor building,
also.
Reasons for Decision.
I'm deciding to favor the area be
tween Fourteenth and Fifteenth
PENNSYLVANIA avenue and Is street
for the Commerce Building, the Fine
Arts Commission, it was explained to-
day. had q number Of reasons in mind
among which were the following:
A belief that it was the original in
tent of Congress to place the Com
merce Building in that area; feeling
that there was the proper place TO
begin a cleanup of the south side of
PENNSYLVANIA avenue and the triangle
between the Avenue and the Mall. 1t
was further explained by member
of the commission that the site pro-
posed forms a part of the frame sur
rounding the Treasury and White
House. and that it was thought desir-
able to have a pretentlouS structure
there.
The Fine Arts Commission already
naO maze up IT'S InlHu tiidt tilC az
ent Office should remain in its Sepa-
rate building between Seventh and
Ninth, r and G. streets.
Approve Bathing Pools.
The commission also gave its ap-
proval yesterday to the locations for
che first groups of bathing pools in
various parts Of the city, as recon-
mended by the National Park and
Planning Commission. The first pool
for white bathers will be in the
grounds of the new Mckinley High
School, near Second and t streets
northeast, and the first pool for the
colored population will adjoin the
school being erected at Twentyfourth
and n streets.
Plans for the new fourteenth police
station. in Tenleytown, as submitted
by Municipal Architect A. l.. Harris,
were approved by the commission.
Much of the day was devoted to a
study OF designs for memorial chapels
to be erected in American cemeteries
In France. Belgium and England.
These plans have not been finally
passed upon.
The commission gave its advice as
to the location of bronze memorial
tablet by the G.. a. r. in the amphi-
theater in Arlington National Gene
terry.
The commission yesterday after
noon visited the Botanic Gardens to
inspect the Meade Memorial, now in
progress of erection.