Evening star., 1927-10-17
Must Hasten Municipal Center.

Must Hasten Municipal Center.
Congress should act promptly on a
report and recommendations now be-
ing prepared in the Engineer Commits
sioner's office for building a group of
District Government buildings on the
north side of Pennsylvania avenue be-
tween Third and Sixth streets, south
of Judiciary Square. The joint COM
mittee on public buildings and
grounds asked that such survey be
made. Congress will now be asked for
a modest appropriation so that expert
study may be made as to how this
area, which allows space for future ex-
pansion, should be developed to fit
in best both with the needs of the To-
cal municipal administration and
with the City Beautiful plans.
The housing problem Of the District
Is, briefly, this: The present Municipal
Building was outgrown several years
ago. Various District Offices and
agencies that should properly be in a
municipal center or in permanent
homes Of their own. are now occupy
ing ramshackle Federal buildings
that should be torn down, or made
quate rented quarters. Some ten OF
these are in the triangle south Of
Pennsylvania avenue to The Mall, and
notice has been served on them to va
cate to make way for the big Federal
building program. Even the present
District Building is included in the
Federal building layout.
So the District must expand its
housing facilities and has no room to
expand in its present location even
II the Federal Government were not
going to take the building the District
now owns and occupies. 1t takes time
to plan a municipal center, more time
to get action in Congress authorizing
the work and then more time for the
actual construction work-so that the
District offices may be moved out OF
the way Of the Federal building op-
erations. That Is why action should
be taken as promptly as possible
after Congress assemblies.
The site selected is admirably
suited to its proposed use, and
while slightly larger than Immediately
needed, is just about the right
size to provide adequate room for
future needs that are already fore
seen. It fits in beautifully with the
long-cherlshed plans Of the Commis-
sion Of Fine Arts for a parkway de-
velopment south of Judiciary Square
to Pennsylvania avenue. It would
give the Municipal Government a
commanding position, as 1t deserves,
at the juncture Of the new avenue
from Union Station with historic
Pennsylvania avenue parade grounds,
and the already authorized extension
of B street to be the main approach
10 the new Arlington Memorial
bridge.
Through authorization Of the pro-
posed municipal center Congress
would make 1t possible for the Dis
trict to cooperate with the Federal
Government by starting and COM
manding the improvement OF the
north side Of Pennsylvania avenue
cotemporaneously with the improve.
ment Of the long disreputable south
side by the Federal building program
and the squaring up of the Mall.
The entire area proposed-between
Third and Sixth streets on the east
and west, Pennsylvania avenue and
street extended on the south, Indiana
avenue, D street and Louisiana ave-
nue. on the north-should be acquired
at once. But no buildings should be
erected theron until a very careful
study has been made by experts, in
conference with those who know the
the needs of the District administra-
ton, and after the problem Of group
ing the various agencies and activities
of the District Government has been
considered from all sides. 1t is for
such a study that an immediate appro-
priation is to be asked from Congress.
There is need for a model municipal
group of buildings that will adequate
ly accommodate and give fitting recog-
milton and dignity to the headquarters
Of the most beautiful city in all the
world, but when the job is done it
must be done right. 1t demands the
best technical skill and experience.
practical knowledge of requirements
and sympathetic regard by Congress
because it should be an imposing ex-
ample during future years for all
other cities, and because it should
dominate the entire north side of
Pennsylvania avenue.