Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-24
BIDS FOR LARGEST
FOUNDATION ASKED
Base of $1,000, 600 Depart
ment of Commerce Building
to Cost About 81, 900, 900.

Bids for the largest foundation con-
struction job in Washington were called
for today by James A. Wetmore, act
ing supervising architect OF the Treas
ury Department. when he invited Of
fers for work on the base OF the new
Department OF Commerce building-the
largest structure thus far authorized
BIZ Congress under the $50, 900 900 pub
lie buildings program here. which will
cost in excess Of sl7,000,o00. Bids for
constructing the foundation, which VIII
cost between 81 900 600 and 81 500 900
and include tearing down the House
o; Detention which will be vacated
November l. viii be opened on Septem-
Der IS
In putting this JOB "on the market"
today. the Treasury Department mate
rislIv boosted the local building program.
II Is anticipated that bids for con-
ur1lction Of the guperstructure Of the
building will be called for about the
middle Of December The building viii
be- located between r and B streets
and Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets.
and plans call for q structure five stor-
les high at the northern end AND six
stories at the 3 street end. due 10
the grade Of the site.
10 Use ISsBv8 Hhee.
In the Department Of Commerce
Building foundation viii go more than
$4,000 piles. The contractor for the
foundation viii be given seven months
10 complete the work for erecting the
building, which will be approximately
900 feet vide and between 900 and
100 feet long
The invitation for the foundation job
reads as follows
Sealed bids Will be opened In this
Office al 3 pm. September %. 1928, for
foundations, etc, for the Department
o. Commerce Building Washington
y c. Drawings and specifications, not
exceeding six sets. may be obtained al
this Office IN the discretion Of the .su
y3srvising architect BY any satisfactory
general contractor, snc provided q DE-
g,osd Is made ~ $50 for eacn set u
assure its prompt return. Cheeks Of
feyec as deposits must be made payable
10 the order Of the Treasurer Of tbs
United States james a Wemore
Acting Supervising Architect
Plans for the building were drawn
by York IL Sawyer, architects Of New
YORK. who originally won the compe-
tition gears ago for the Department oi
Commerce and Labor Building. In 1910
Congress authorized designs 10 be pre-.
Egared for buildings for the Department.
q! state, Justice and Commerce anc
Labor. The plans now under coflsid'
Grafton are different from the plans o.
York IL Sawyer, which won the com
petition, as the structure that II 10 ~
erected soon is much larger than tbt
1910 model
A plaza will be- laid of in front 81
the building, on the square between
street. Pennsylvania avenue Fourteenth
and Fifteenth streets. This project
xa.ch will include razIng Polls Ii1eateI
and the Trafflc Bureau, az well ~ othel
STRUCTURES will await further progress
IA the construction 81 the building.
Substantial excavation has been com
rleied on the future site Of the build
Ing which was formerly occupied by TN
Gid Income Tax Building
Excavation In proceeding rapidly ~
tne ste Of the nfw Internal RtVenu
rJilding which Will cover ne gfoln'
Isgun<eo b. Tenth and Twelfth street