Evening star., 1926-10-13
Building Site Considerations.

Building Site Considerations.
In letter to Senator Smoot, chair
man of the Public Buildings Commits
sion, Chairman Moore of the Commits
sion Of Fine Arts has expressed the
conclusions Of that body relative to
the emplacement of the new home for
the Department of Commerce, oppos-
ing its emplacement in the Mall and
advocating a site on the western end
of the MallAvenue triangle. already
owned by the Government. The Com
mission of Fine Arts takes the posi-
tion that the Mall area in question
should not be allotted to any depart
mental building, but should be "re-
served for a building of the museum
type, which can be kept down to the
height uniform with other buildings
In the Mall and can have those land
scape features essential to park build
ings."
The conclusion of the Commission
OF Fine Arts adverse to the location
concurs with the recently expressed
opinion of the President that depart
mental structures should not be 10.
Gated on the reservation. 1t does not.
however, GO to the extent Of banning
any further constructions in the Mall.
It's present conclusion is in unity with
Its previous recommendations that
Mall space be utilized only for "mu.
scum type" buildings, such. for ex.
ample, as the contemplated home for
the National Gallery, a site for which
has been tentatively indicated imme.
diately east of the New National Mn.
scum.
Should the recommendation of the
Commission of Fine Arts that the
Commerce Building be placed at the
west end of the Mall-Avenue triangle
be adopted, there will remain the ne.
cesslty OF selecting other sites for
the Departine; t. of Labor and Justice,
Which are 20 hs provided with new
homes under the present public build
lngs program. In the first layout of
the sites for the buildings to be
started Immediately or soon. it was
proposed to place the Commerce Build
Ing In 'he Mall, the Justice and Labor
buildings on the "five-square site"
on Fifteenth street, the Internal Rev.
enue Building fronting on B street
and including in part the open-air
market and the Archives Building
Just to the west.
The proposal of a site for the Com.
merce Building on the area occupied
by Center Market and the commission
house establishments in lieu of the
Mall site has met with emphatic ap-
proval as a practical advance toward
the utilization of the MaIl-Avenue tri-
angle for public building purposes
and the solution of the problem of
the reclamation of Pennsylvania ave.
nue.. If, however, the Commerce
Building is to be located on Fifteenth
street, there is no reason why the
Justice and Labor buildings should
not be placed elsewhere within the
triangle, perhaps at the point favored
by many for the Commerce Building.
between Seventh and Tenth streets.
All things considered, the location
Of the Commerce Building, which is
to be perhaps the largest public
structure in Washington, on the mar
ket site wsuid be more satisfactory.
There Is better opportunity there
for the development of suitable
structure OF this character than on
the space between the Avenue and
the Mall. Fourteenth and Fifteenth
streets. However, architectural con-
siderations may determine the choice
of site, and there remains, in any
event, the prospect, as there is sound
reason. for the emplacement of the
other two buildings within the great
triangle in a consistent development
Of public building grouping for gen.
eral convenience and for the redemp-
ton of the Capitals chief thorough
fare from its present deplorable con.
dition.