Evening star., 1927-12-07
MELLON BANS NEW-FANGLED
STYLE IN FEDERAL BUILDINGS
Future Structures to Follow Lines of
Present Architecture, Secretary
Assures Congress.

luton Of the entire problem is prom
ised."
Secretary Mellon explained the scope
and difficulties of responsibility In de
, veloping the public buildings plan for
Washington, and told Congress of the
appointment by his Board of Architec-
tural Consultants. and their develop
ment of the triangle plan, for the
area bounded by Fifteenth, B and
Sixth streets, and Pennsylvania ave.
nue.. In this area, the first three
buildings are the Department Of Com
merce, Internal Revenue. on both OF
which excavation has begun. and the
National Archives structure.
1.-THE very obvious necessity for re-
lating these buildings to other future
buildings, which are even now needed
to eliminate rental charges and tenn
porary housing of q very unsatisfac-
tory character" said the Secretary,
led to the general plan as developed,
for eight other additional buildings
Broad Vision Urged.
His consultants had been appointed
Secretary Mellon said, ito give assur-
ance that the solution of the problem
in hand would be conceived with
breadth of vision and a thorough rec.
ognition of all the elements involved
in it,
Difficulty experienced in deciding
what general plan to follow was eX-
planned by the Secretary.
"It soon became evident" he said,
that the future expansion of the Gov
ernment's housing needs called for
decision as to whether the Govern
ment's policy should be aligned with
one or the other of two opposing ideas.
@f
ment buildings should be separated
by locating them in various parts of
the District, each building treated in
dividually, each creating It's own CEN
ter of activities and personnel. all de-
pending for interdepartmental commu'
nication on the various methods Of
rapid transit and transportation that
play their part in the equipment of
modern city. Whereas, from the sec.
ond point Of view, the grouping of
new Federal buildings in one large
area under system OF reasonable con-
centration interspersed with open
spaces would better serve the Govern
ment's needs, this department un-
hesitatingly recommends the latter
plan as the means of accomplishing
certain very definite detectives, which
include the following:
with the dominating position which
the Capitol Building occupies, and
with the White House, the Lincoln
Memorial, the Mall and the bridge to
Arlington in their respective locations,
there is set up a series Of isolated TO-
cal points of the major plan. In fur
therance of this plan 1t is proposed to-
form a connecting link by the estab-
lishment of group of buildings work
ed out with due regard to the mainte-
nance of a proper relationship to the
Mall and to the other focal points of
this portion of the city's plan.
"2. The grouping Of the new build.
ings places them in such relation
to each other that the transaction
OF public business is facilitated.
"3. In reclaiming the south side of
pennsylvania avenue. the opportunity
Is presented to dignity that thorough.
fare as an important artery between
the Capitol and the White House
and by the rehabilitation of B street
second important line Of circula-
tfon is created connecting the Capitol
with the Lincoln Memorial and the
bridge to Arlington.
a. The proposed grouping gives
recognition to the plan Of L'Enfant,
and accords with steps heretofore
taken by officially appointed commits.
sions In furtherance Of that plan"