Evening star., 1927-05-17
ARCHITECTS TO AID
IN TRIANGLE PLAN
Nationally Prominent Experts
Coming Monday to Advise
Building Commission.

A group of nationally known archi-
tects will come to Washington Mon
day to give the Public Buildings Com
mission and the Treasury Department
the benefit of their knwledge in work
ing out the best possible layout for
the new Government building pro-
gram in the triangle south of Pennsyl-
Vania avenue.
This was announced today by Sena-
tor Smoot of Utah. chairman of the
Public Buildings Commission, follow
ing a meeting in the Senate Office
Building, at which the commission
discussed the various proposals that
have been made recently to modify
the earlier decision as to the location
of the various departmental struc-
lures that are to go in the triangle.
Although the commission postponed
action on these suggestions until next
week, Chairman Smoot said there was
no doubt in the mind of members of
the commission as to the wisdom of
selecting a new site within the tri-
angle for the Department of Justice
Building, in order that the site pre-
vously selected, on Pennsylvania ave-
nue. between Fourteenth and Fif-
teenth street and extending back be-
yond f street, may be left open for
the creation of a wide plaza that
would add dignity to the western end
of the Pennsylvania avenue vista and
at the same time simplify what is
now a congested traffic point.
Avenue Would Be Widened.
This suggestion contemplates widen
ing Pennsylvania avenue on the south
side between Fourteenth and Fiji
teenth streets to create the proposed
plaza. instead of placing one of the
new buildings on the block between
PENNSYLVANIA avenue and Z street.
Senator Smoot said there would be
no difficulty in selecting a new site
within the triangle for the Depart
ment of Justice, if this setback on the
South side of the avenue between
Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets is
finally decided upon. This would
leave the stretch of Government
owned land between Fourteenth and
Fifteenth streets and South to b street
free for development of an adequate
building for the Department of Com
merce which is to be one of the largest
in the entire program.
Discuss Linked Buildings.
The other proposals, which was
talked over this morning, but de-
ferred until next week, was that put
forward by the Fine Arts Commits
sion to link the new structures to-
gether along the South side of the
avenue by archways between the mp
per stories with a central court on
the interior of the triangle, somewhat
similar to the Louvre treatment in
France.
Senator Smoot said the group OF
architects. who are to consult with
those in charge of the building pro-
gram next Monday. would go over
these various suggestions and he in
dicated that they might recommend
some different scheme of treatment,
either entirely new or embodying the
best features of plans already under
consideration.
Among the architects who will join
in this exchange of ideas on the best
development of the triangle will be
John Russell Pope of New York, who
designed the Scottish Rite Temple
here. Milton B. Medary, a member of
the National Park and Planning Com
mission, also will take part in the
consultation.
New ID. C.. Buildings Planned.
The proposed development OF a
municipal group of buildings for Dis
trict of Columbia activities in the
area between Pennsylvania avenue
Judiciary Square, Third and Sixth
streets was not taken up today. The
city of Washington has many muni-
cipal agencies that will have to VA.
cate buildings in the triangle to make
way for the Federal buildings and the
Commissioners are working on a
scheme for a centralized group of
District structures to improve the
north side of the Avenue on both sides
of John Marshall place.
Assistant Secretary of the Treas
ury Dewey represented the Treasury
Department at the meeting of the
Public Buildings Commission, and the
Fine Arts Commission was represent
i IN.v 1I...