Evening star., 1926-12-03
MODEL MUNICIPAL
9U|LD|NGSoLANNED
At 7!'H AND AVENUE
Commissions Consider Grour
on Site Now Occupied by
Center Market.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

Erection of a new model municipal
group Of buildings, to house District
of Columbia business. on the site be
tween Seventh and Ninth streets,
Pennsylvania avenue and B street.
now occupied by the Center Retail
Market, Is being seriously considered
by the Public Building. Fine Arts and
National Capital Parks and Planning
Commissions. It may be made part
Of the recomme ndations to Congress
next week for an appropriation of
$25,0O0.0O0 to complete the purchase
of all privately-owned land In the
triangle south of Pennsylvania ave-
nue. to B street, between Third and
Fifteenth streets.
A bill has already been drafted for
early removal of the Center Market
from this area which is desired for
new Federal buildings to house Gov
ernment departments and other i'm.
portant agencies Of the general Gov
ernment
Legislation also has been drafted to
House and Senate which will pro-
vide for the cutting of Ninth street
through the Mall, in conformity with
plans of these three commissions.
Art Gallery Change.
This will necessitate the use Of
part of the site that has previously
been set aside in the Mall for an art
gallery building, facing B street
north on line with the new National
Museum and between Seventh street
and the museum.
1t is now proposed to locate the
art gallery on the Mall site between
Twelfth and Fourteenth streets.
where it was at first planned to erect
the new $10,000,000 building for the
Department of Commerce.
Plans are also being considered by
this conference Of the three commits.
sions, working in cooperation for
Capital development, for the biggest
natural science and park develop.
ment in the world, comprising sew.
eral thousand acres at one of the most
important entrances to the Capital
This is to be achieved by purchase
of the Mount Hamilton tract for a
national arboretum. with aquatic plant
museum and bird sanctuary, which
would link in with the Anacostia
Park development, and adjacent to
which would also be the new expert.
mental farm for the Department OF
Agriculture, which must surrender its
present location on the Virginia side
of the Potomac for enlargement Of the
Arlington National Cemetery.
Moore Discusses Plan.
Proposal is also made that Massa.
chusetts avenue, the one great avenue
cutting straight across the District
of Columbia for 10 miles, should be
extended on both ends to give en-.
ira noes from Maryland, and the east.
ern entrance would be part of this
great natural science and park pre-.
serve.
Part Of this program was discussed
before the Gibson subcommittee Of the
House District committee today gvhen
Charles Moore, chairman Of the Com.
mission Of Fin Arts. was before 1t as
a witness.
The proposal to erect a municipal
group of buildings with the Center
Market site as nucleus mas been a
dream" Of the Fine Arts Commits
sion and city planners for more than
20 years, Mr.. Moore stated. Chairman
Gibson Of the subcommittee and Rep
resentative Houston were particularly
interested in this suggestion. as they
have been wrestling with the District
government housing problems. They
have invited DR. Moore to appear
again DeIOre IN6 COIriInlLtccs SO thai
this matter can be thoroughly dis.
cussed.
In connection with the Federal
building program, for which Congress
has already authorized an expenditure
| Of $50 1000, 900. the area south of the
District Building has been charted of
for new Federal buildings, just at the
time that District officials were en-
phasizing before the Gibson subcom
mittee the need for space for ex
pansion of District government hous
ing. The 4 Gibson subcommittee
promptly indorsed a plan for erection
of a municipal group to meet this
need. which 1t will support at the com
ing session Of Congress
Problem Has Developed.
In connection with the Federal
building program very serious prob
lem has developed as to where the
work Of the income tax unit, now oc
| cupying temporary war buildings tie
tween Fourteenth and Fifteenth
streets. at 3. can be housed while the
new Internal Revenue Building. which
will eventually house them. and the
new Commerce Building to go up or
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