Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-22
District Building Purchase.

representative summons mas 1nLr0s
duced his bill for the purchase of the
Municipal Building, q measure dis
cussed last Spring with the Secretary
Of the Treasury and which evidently
fits in with the Federal Governments
own building plans in the Avenue
triangle.
As far as the purchase Of the build
ing Is concerned, Mr.. Simmons plan is
fair to the District and to the United
States.
The cost Of the Municipal Building
including the site, was approximately
$2,50o,00o. shared equally between the
District and the United States. Recent
estimates Of present-day fair value OF
the building place it at about O.. 500 600.
Under the Simmons bill. this value
would be determined by a board Of ap-
praisal composed Of the architect of the
Capitol, the supervising architect Of the
Treasury and the District assessor. AS
soon IS the necessary legislation is en-
acted, the amount Of the purchase
price OF the Municipal Building-sAy,
$500, o0o-will be placed to the credit
Of the District in the Treasury, Its use
being restricted, however, to meeting
the cost Of the proposed new municipal
center.
In the interval between the transfer
Of ownership of the building to the
United States and the time that new
quarters are to be occupied by the
municipal government, the present
building will continue to be occupied
"rent free" by the city and the city
will continue to pay the maintenance
costs.
It is in consideration Of the new
municipal center project as whole that
one realizes that the United States stands
to gain through its purchase of the Dis
trict Building and that the taxpayers
Of the District are threatened with q
disproportionately heavy share Of the
burden Of financing this great under
taking. -
According TO the plans for purchase
Of sites and construction Of buildings
in the, municipal center group the Dis
trict win spend about $11 $4,000 be-
tween the fiscal years 1890 and 1884.
inclusive. The amount should cover
the cost Of all the land and pay for
the erection Of the proposed courts
building. After that the District will
undertake the erection Of the admins
tration building. cost of which is esti-
mated at $4,000, 900.
This makes . total in round numbers
Of $2l 100000 now planned for ex-
penditure on the municipal center and
the final cost will probably exceed that
amount. The United States contribu-
ton, under the Simmons bill and under
the present system of appropriations,
will be, as now estimated, the IS, 500 900
paid for the Municipal Building, plus
fraction Of the lump sum annually
contributed By the United States to the
general revenues Of the District.
The Districts equity in the present
Municipal Building, however, is half of
the present fair value, or $2,75O. O00
In purchasing the Municipal Building
for $780, 900, therefore, the United
States would be merely transferring
its two-and-three-quarter million dol
lar equity from the old building to the
new project, effecting like transfer
OF equity for the District and leaving
a balance Of $4,000, 900 to be paid out
Of the general revenues of the District
To continue that fair policy Advo-
Gated by Mr. Simmons in his bill for
the purchase Of the Municipal Building,
the United States should increase the
contribution that It ordinarily would
make TO the general revenues Of the
District toward helping to defray the
enormous expense to District taxpayers
in building the gigantic and inspiring
municipal center as planned.
The scale upon which this new
project Is planned 10 commensurate
with the size and design Of the build
ings TO be built by the Federal Gov
eminent to house its own oflces and to
beautify its own Capital. The munic-
ipal-center project Is out Of proportion
and beyond the reasonable reach Of the
pocketbook Of an American municipality
of the size and resources Of the Wash
ington community. The municipal
center Is not designed merely to care
for the needs of the municipality. II
is designed to conform to the Federal
Governments own plans Of beautifyinG
the American Capital.
This Is right and proper. To assure
its success without burdening local tax
payers with q load that should moi
rightfully rest upon their shoulders, the
Federal Government should increase IL.
contribution to the municipal center
and DOT restrict 1t TO the arbitrary anc
Inadequate lump sum that now goel
toward the provision Of the essentia
needs of the Capital community.