Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04

evident from the Pennsylvania avenue
front-the Department Of Commerce,
and the Internal Revenue Bureau
Building. These projects are well un-
der way.
The Internal Revenue Building south
of the Post Office Department already
has its foundations completed, resting
on thousandes of concrete piles, sunk
into the spongy Subsoil. Contract has
| been let and preliminary work Is under
way for the superstructure OF this build
ing. Out Of the SIC, 900 900 which Con-
gress authorized as a limit Of cost for
| this important building, to house the
tax papers Of the American people, the
j Treasury has obligated total OF So
! 627,162, of which IS 900 Is to the
| last contractor for the SuperStructure,
| to be completed in the Summer OF 1881.
The Department of Commerce, which
| is to be the longest building in the
city. even exceeding in length the Ma
| tional Capitol on the Hill, Is bounded
| by Fourteenth and Fifteenth, B and E
| streets, and will form the west front
and great architectural feature of that
| end of the Federal triangle. 1t is to
| be q rectangular building. Pilings and
| foundations are now being placed by
a veritable army of workmen and ma
chinery in huge hole in the ground.
partly visible from Pennsylvania ave-
nue. across the park in front Of the
District of Columbia Building Con-
gress authorized a limit of cost of
ST. 500 900 for this gargantuan build
| ing. and the Treasury Department,
| through the supervising architects Of
fee, already has incumbered $1,534,896
of this. Bids for the building itself
will be opened March q, and about
| three years will be allowed for COM
pletion.
Key to Triangle Plan.
These two buildings, although not
fronting on the Avenue, give key to
the general architectural composition of
; the whole great triangle.
The general scheme of the buildings
to be erected on the triangle will be
around two great open spaces in the
center. to be known as the Grand Plaza
and the Great Circle. The Depart
ment of Commerce, at the west end of
the triangle, Is also at the west end
of what will be known as the rectangu-
lar Grand Plaza The Internal Reeve
nue. Building, in its location between
Tenth and Twelfth, B and G streets,
| is located on the southeast corner of
| what will be known as the Great Circle.
To SightSeers one of the interesting
| features of this huge square building
| is the circular corner cut out of the
northwest part Of the building. This
| is an indication Of where the Great
Circle will be. Eventually the circle is
to cut through what is now the Post
once Department Building, but 1t is
expected this will be in the far distant
future.
The triangle will be developed as
unit. and entrances at the cross-streets
running through the triangle from
north to south will be definitely marked
with what is known as an outstanding
architectural motive" so that the pub
lie will know it is entering the Fed
eral domain" At the entrance on
Fourteenth street. for instance, east
Of the Department Of Commerce, there
columnlike architectural features, to
give dignity and stateliness to the
entrance. At other street intersections
it is likely that the architects may
provide some kind of an overhead de-
vice. But it Is strongly emphasized,
there will never be anything to impede
traffic. For traffic in the Federal
triangle will be something to deal with,
once all the buildings are UP and filled
with the thousands upon thousands OF
Government workers. ..ss e.
Converted Into Park.
Just north OF the Department Of
| Commerce Building, at the corner,
where the inaugural parade turned to-
| day at the Treasury Department, an
| GLIDING Polls Theater, will be torn
down and the area created into a park
both for identification of that end of
| the long stretch of Pennsylvania
avenue and also to provide the very
practical and much-needed additional
| traffic arteries to carry the heavily in
creased load Of motor vehicle traffic
Proceeding In imagination from this
! beautiful corner Of parkway to the east,
/ toward the Capitol, the next feature In
the Federal triangle program of de-
velopment will be a building on the
| site of the present District of Columbia
Building to follow along the general
architectural lines Of the triangle. per-
haps connecting with the next build
ing. Already the Government has
purchased the structure next to the
| District Building, still occupied by the
Southern Railway. But as both Of
these buildings are in good condition at
the present time, 1t will likely be years
| before they are torn down to make way
for the eventual complete architectural
composition.
Proceeding In imagination still fur
ther toward the Capitol, the area be-
tween Thirteenth and Twelfth streets,
and extending back to B street, is
under condemnation proceedings for
the great buildings which are to be
erected there In the location between
the Grand Plaza and the Great Circle.
They are intended for the independent
offices of the Government and for the
Interstate Commerce Commission. Next
along the Avenue comes the Posi- Once
Department, with its towering spire and
clock. And across Twelfth street is the
President Theater, along the Avenue
a location where in past times great
functions in connection with the inau-
guration Of Presidents have taken place
This old theater, which has been re-
modelled many times, was recently pur-
chased by the Government for $3.50 00C
J a. part Of the triangle program.
The next block, from Tenth to Ninth
street, is under condemnation to be USED
eventually for an archives building, and
. o surrounding structure, to be known as
Q shell building. the use Of which will be
determined later. In the Archives
Building the Government plans te
house its valuable papers. Congress ha.
: authorized this building, to cost $780,
900. Plans are being drawn, but are
. still in q very tentative stage.
Center Market to Go.
, The next feature along the Avenue
: now is the huge Center Market. lyinf
between Seventh and Ninth streets ane
, from the Avenue to the Mall. This nov
; | Is owned by the Government and /!
: operated by the Department of Agricul
! ture as a market for the public 1t 4
' to be torn down and building for thu
: Department Of Justice erected there.
y From this point, Seventh street, OF
: down to the Botanical Gardens at Thirc
, street. the Government will acquire TO
/ the purpose of further developing tn
triangle project, but 1t has not as We