Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-23
Allied Architects, Inc, Win
Be Asked to Name Terms
for Services.
$4,000 Is AVAILABLE
FOR PRELIMINARY PLANS
Municipal Building Project Should
Be Pushed as Rapidly as
Possible, He Says.

The first definite step in shaping
up the plans for the buildings to COM
prise the new municipal center was
taken by the Commissioners today when
the city heads authorized Municipal
Architect Albert L. Harris to invite a
proposal from the Allied Architects Of
washington, D. C., Inc. for services
In connection with the design of the
municipal center and to submit the
terms OF the agreement to the Com
missioners for action.
1nere Is an appropria ton Of SIC. 900
now available for preliminary plans for
the center. and Mr.. Harris is anxious to
nave associated with him architects of
experience and ability from the start of
the work.
Originally Had Three in Mind,
He had originally three men in mind.
EDWARD W. Dom. Nathan c. Wyeth and
FRED b. Murphy. Upon inquiry, how
ever. ne found that they comprised the
designing force Of the Allied Architects.
ana decided to seek authority for asking
the cooperation Of the Allied Arcti-
tects.
In his recommendation to the Engi-
neer commissioner Mr.. Harris wrote on
july 8 The necessary legislation for
beginning the municipal center having
passed during my absence. It Is desir.
able that steps be taken at once to de-
velop the necessary duties and tenta.
tive plans for the proposed buildings.
feel that the time now has arrived
when I should make a definite recon-
mendation to the Commissioners as to
the procedure I believe might be fol-
lowed in the further development of
this group of buildings.
LAS this is project for the housing
OF the local government, it would seem
that as far as possible and practicable
the architects of Washington, with their
knowledge OF local requirements and
conditions, are peculiarly fitted to as
Sst with the development of these
plans" Mr.. Harris then outlined the
history Of the organization Of the Al
lied Architects and pointed out that
they had made the plans and had been
retained to superintend the construc-
tion OF the new House Office Building.
at 3. South Capitol street, New JERSEY
avenue and c street southeast. a nroj-
ect which will cost several millions Of
dollars. The design for the building
already has been approved by the Fine
Arts Commission.
Urges Project Be Pushed.
Mr.. Harris recommendation con-
cIuoes' 1t seems to me vital that We
should push the project as RAPIDLY Is
possible, so as to have before CONGRESS
at an early date more definite inforna-
ton as to the ultimate cost of the first
unit to, be constructed"
At the same time. the work Of ac-
curing the property on which the
center eventually will be built is be-
ing pushed ahead by the purhcase COM
mittee, of which Assistant Engineer
Commissioner Layson E. Atkins is
chairman.
Invitations have been sent to all
property owners in the squares bounded
by Third and Sixth streets, Pennsyl-
vania avenue and Judiciary square, to
offer their property for sale to the
District. In cases where the parties
cannot agree as to the sale price. con-
domination proceedings will be resorted
to. Several offers already have been
made, it is understood, but none Of
them has been accepted.