Evening star., 1928-12-05
BUILDING
COST IS INCREASED
Change in Site Also Is Pro-
vided in Appropriation Bill
Presented in House.

Increase the authorized cost of the
Archives Building from $6,9O0,00O, as
fixed two years ago, to $8,750, 900, and
change in location to between Ninth
and Tenth streets, street and Louisi-
ana avenue, where a larger site can be
secured, but at an increase of 625, 900,
making the total of the site $1,325, 900,
is provided for in the Post Office
Treasury appropriation bill presented to
the House today.
For continuing acquisition of sites in
the Triangle south of Pennsylvania
avenue an appropriation of $5,O00,-
600 is made, which is a reduction from
S9,68O,O0O, appropriated for the cur
rent fiscal year.
137 Projects Covered.
Continuation of work on the new
Central Building for the Department OF
Agriculture. the ExtenSible Building for
the Department Of Agriculture, the De-
partment OF Commerce Building. the
Government Printing Office Annex and
on the Internal Revenue Building and
$350,O for remodeling public build
lngs IN the District are provided under
q Iump-sum appropriation of $1,000
goo, which is to be expended in con-
tinuing the public building program
all over the country.
ms lump sum appropriation is q
the new buildings already authorized
and for which an initial appropriation
Is available. This covers 1877 specific
projects, upon which limits of cost have
been fixed. This is departure from
past practice of specifically appropriate
ing on each building until it is finally
completed
The acting supervising architect
made 1t clear to the House appropria-
tions committee that under this meth
cd the building program will be car
ried forward with minimum of delay.
and that the lump sum will be suffi-
clent to carry on work on all of these
projects. 1t permits more flexibility of
public building funds, prevents the pill
ing up OF specific appropriations faster
than they can be used, and results in
better administration of the building
program.
$15,OOO,OOO for Sites.
With the $4,000, 900 carried for pur-
chase of sites in the triangle, the total
appropriated for this purpose is nearly
$15,000,000. The House appropriations
committee believes that with the prog
resS being made in purchase and the
results of condemnationS, it will be pos
sible to secure all of the proposed prop
erty at considerably less than the total
authorized appropriation of $25, 1000, 900.
In regard to the new location and
increase in authorized cost of the Ar
chives Building, Acting Supervising Ar
chitect Wetmore explained to the COM
mittee that the proposed building under
the $6,9OO,0OO estimate contemplated
a Stone-faced structure containing ap-
proximately 7,980,000 cubic feet, which,
together with the cost of stacks. had
been estimated at $6,20O,OOO.
Revised data from the several de-
partments show additional requirements
bringing the total to approximately H.
312, 100 cubic feet, which at the rate
of 64i2 cents per cubic foot will in
crease the probable cost of construc-
ton, including stacks. about $1,225, 900,
making total of $7,425,000.
This makes the additional cost of the
site and buildings $1.850,000.
Explaining the advantages of putting
this building on the new site rather
than where 1t was originally located.
Mr.. Wetmore told the House commit
tee it would not fit in at all with the
triangle plan as worked out by the ar
chitectS engaged by the Secretary of
Treasury to lay out the development.
The Archives Building, he said, Is one
that could be screened by surrounding
buildings and 1t has been laid out with
that in view.
New Location Held Excellent.
he said that the new location is ex-
cellent for the archives building. It
viii be directly west of Center Market
IN the middle block between B street
and Pennsylvania avenue. The loca-
tton Is central for all the departments,
including the files or archives that Con-
greSS will have in the building.
For rent of temporary quarters for
the accommodation of Government Of
f1cialS and expenses incident to NOV
ing the Secretary of the Treasury is
authorized to enter into leases for
periods not exceeding three years, with
a total appropriation of 100000.
The increase of $1,850,000 for the
archives building project enlarges the
total authorized limit of cost on 10
Federal building projects in the Nation
The first was the purchase of the
economics building for the department
of Agriculture with limit of cost of
$325, 900.
The next is the administration build
ing of the Department of Agriculture,
now under construction, with q limit
of cost of $2,00O,000.s
Then there is the extensible building
for the Department of Agriculture, at
o cost Of $5.750,000, which includes
the purchase Of two blocks Of land.
The Archives Building was to have
cost $6,960,000, but the recommends
ton of the committee today increases
this to $8,750,0O0.
The Department of Commerce Build
: .lconIingsd o. IsEe "a Column IA