Evening star., 1926-03-09
ADDITION
TOBE BEGUN SOON
Bids for Construction of II
New Buildings at Walter
Reed Sought.

Plans have progressed through all
preliminary stages, and bids soon will
he asked for the construction Of II
permanent buildings at Walter Reed
Hospital, to cost about $3,000,000 and
entirely to replace the temporary
wooden shacks now housing American
war veterans.
This was learned today from Lieut..
Col. IT. r. Casey, in charge of the con-
struction service. Quartermaster Gen.
erals Office OF the War Department,
who announced that within a few days
contractors will he asked to bid upon
the project as whole or in part.
Contracts will he let within about 80
days later. Col. Casey said. and con-
struction then will be expected to start
at once. The old wooden buildings
which since the early days of the war
have housed Walter Reed patients
will he demolished and the fire hazard
which officials have for years consid-
cred a terrible menace will be oblit-
Grated.
$4,000. 900 Given.
The II buildings will serve interests
OF the Army, the Veterans Bureau
and the American Red Cross. from
which three sources the funds OF
more than 5000. 900 have come.
The style Of architecture to be used
will follow that already set by the ad-
niniStration building. which is now the
center of the hospital activities. This
building is of four stories. of brick.
with stone trimmings. The other II
buildings will I've Of the same general
design. and will he generally of two
or three stories. depending on the
topography OF the land on which they
are located. The entire group of build
ings will be connected by corridors of
the same general type Of construction
so that there will he access to the en-
tire group from any one building.
The general plan shows that the
new buildings for the most part, Will
be to each side and back OF the Ad-
ministration Building. so grouped as
practically to constitute clump.
This design and final plan was agreed
upon after two years' OF intensive
study. conference and consultation
among officials concerned. including
the Quartermaster Generals ONCE Of
the Army. the Office Of Surgeon Gen
eral Ireland OF the Army and that OF
Director Hines of the Veterans Bu-
reau, and the Fine Arts Commission.
Numerous outside hospital experts
were called into consultation.
Wings to he Wards.
On either side Of the present Ad
ministration Building there will be
constructed a large wing. These
will serve as wards.
Immediately to the rear of the Ad-
ministra ton Building will he the new
kitchen and mess hall. In which food
will be prepared for the entire hos
pital. and where all patients able to
come to the dining hall will be
served.
Further back will be three wards
erected in communicating row.
These three wards will be at the
rear OF the clump OF 4uildings and
To the left.
TO the right rear will he erected
a clinic building. a laboratory. an iso-
latiOn ward and tuberculosis ward.
The American Red Cross has con.
tributed $lb0.000 for the construction
OF its new building. to he located at
position i'm front OF the wards. but
to the left side of the extreme left
wing OF the administration building.
thus placing 1t between the new wards
and the Army Medical School. which
will he on the left and somewhat to
the front of the Red Cross Building.
except the Red Cross Building come
from two other sources. The Vet
erans' Bureau received an appropria-
ton from Congress Of S?00.o0o. all
Of which is to he devoted to bed ca
pacity. Congress has appropriated a
fund of 81 900 900, which will be
used for the other construction.
Hospital Nucleus.
The construction, which will now
get under way this Spring. is expect
ed to take care of the immediate
needs of Walter Reed Hospital prop
er. The hospital, however. is but one
part Of what the Army calls its great
medical center there.
Other structures which are in pros
pect at a later time in the continued
development of the medical center
are the Army Medical School, nurses
school, officers quarters. nurses
quarters. barracks for enlisted men,
museums. library and further addi-
tions to the Medical School.
The new construction at Walter
Reed will enlarge its permanent bed
capacity to about 900. The present
capacity of Walter Reed Hospital,
with beds in both the administration
and the temporary buildings, is about
900 beds.
Preparation Of plans and super
vision of construction is all In the
hands Of the quartermaster generals
office. 1t Is not known how many
contractors will he involved in the
project, as bids will he requested both
on the ba sis of whole or any part
of the work.
Col. Casey explained that the Army
oore;dared Walter Reed 'its biggest
and most important hospital" and
hoped that the new construction when
completed would provide most up.to-
date institution which at the Nation .
CAPITAL would be not only model OF
it's kind, but a source of pride to every
American.
This hospital" he said, SIS to be
not only q useful convenience. but a
credit to the heart of the Nation and
the most becoming institution that
can be built. Its architecture, we feel,
will be both simple and sympathetic. "