Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-08
AVENUE SITE URGED
FOR NEW BUILDING
Commerce Department Edi-
flee May Be Placed Be-
tween 7th and 10th SITS.
BY WILL y. KENNEDY.

Erection of the new $10.00O.O00
home for the Department of Com
merce. already authorized in the pub
lie building act. on the south side or
PENNSYLVANIA avenue between SeN-
enth and Tenth streets, running back
to the Mall. or great central park
garden, instead of on the Mall itself.
along the south side of E street. be-
tween Twelfth and Fourteenth streets,
is now seriously considered by the
Public Buildings Commission and the
Commission of Fine Arts.
This plan meets with the hearty ap
proval of Secretary Hoover of the
Department of Commerce.
This would be an extremely happy
solution of two problems that are
confronting the National Capital Park
and City Planning Commission, the
Public Buildings Commission, the
Commission of Fine Arts, the Secre-
taries of Agriculture and Commerce
and the District Commissioners-t1)
preserving the integrity of the Mall
from encroachment of public build
ings and (2) establishing a new model
market center in the National Capt.
tai. with the three branehes-retail,
wholesale and farmers market-in
proper economic relation.
1t would more closely coordinate
the grouping of important new depart
mental and other Federal buildings
and would give an impetus for which
Washington has been waiting for
more than quarter of a century to
the proper development of the Ma
tion's Main street and great parade
ground, historic PENNSYLVANIA avenue.
Site Is Convenient
Being midway on Pennsylvania
Avenue between the Capitol and the
White House. and about equidistant
from Union Station and the national
home for business. the new Chamber
of Commerce of the United States
Building. this site would give the De
partment Of Commerce not only the
command place it deserves on the
Main street of the Nation. but would
make il most convenient for the many
leading business men of the country
who come here to transact business
and advise with the business experts
Of the Government.
and Pennsylva MIA avenue, now oCcu-
pied by the Oxford Hotel and Polls
Theater, set aside for the new De
partment of Justice Building, and the
site at Fifteenth and B streets allo
Gated to the Labor Department.: with
the Post Office Building facing Penn
sylvania avenue between Eleventh
and Twelfth streets and with the
square between Tenth and Eleventh
streets reserved for expansion of the
Post Office Department, no more At
ting place could be found for the De
partment of Commerce. which, under
the Hoover reorganization. having
brought in the Patent Office and the
Bureau Of Mines. has become one OF
the largest administrative units OF
our Government.
In the very nature of things the DE
partment of Commerce. being thu
great business and service to he -peo
pie agency, must continue to grow
with the growth Of business and in
dustry and commerce which it pro
notes and safeguards. Provision
should be made at this time for 8
properly impressive setting for thi.
great department instead Of shuntint
it to a back street place on the Mall
which would be inconvenient for bust
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