Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-23
Secretary Mellon Announces
Aim to Construct Three
Projects Here in 1880.
$92, 600, 900 TO BE SPENT
BY GOVERNMENT IN YEAR
Remodeling of State, War and Navy
Headquarters Included in
Immediate Program.

New buildings for the Public Health
SerVce, Interstate Commerce Commits
sion. and remodeling of the old State,
War and Navy Building to make it con-
form to the Treasury Department we're
forecast for this year in a formal state
men last night by Secretary OF the
Treasury Mellon.
This program, which Secretary Mellon
said would add 100000 to the $780,
100000 project already under way here,
was declared to be Gin line with President
HooVer'S policy Of increased construc.
ton as means Of relieving unemploy-
ment." The new program 'acceierat-
ing" work for the whole country is for
$50, 00o, 900 worth Of public buildings, In
acoit,on 70 the $40,ooo,o00 now under
construction.
The most surprising part Of the local
announcement concerned the new Pub
nc Health Service structure, which Is
70 De monumental building overlook
ing the great Lincoln Memorial. The
new buildings Is being planned for the
site facing 3 street northwest. sorne-
Mnere between Twenty-third and,
twenty sixth not far from the Naval
Hospltal 1t will thus not be far from
Sne Gygien1c Laboratory OF the Public
-
streets. The cost viii probably be about
$ISo,OOo' according to preliminary esti-
Administration Confident.
Prospect for the three projects de.
RenoS upon passage Of the Keyes-El-
MOTT public building bill. This measure.
Wnlcn mas passed the House and e
now on the Senate calendar, authorizes
$3.50, 0o0, 900, half of which is for tl1is
city and half for the States. It is I'M
0erstood the administration Is confident
that this bill will be enacted. The
senate plans to take I'D the Calendar
with this bill as soon as the tarifY hill
Is disposed Of, which will probably be
tn!S week, according to Senate leaders
Inc site for the Interstate Commerce
commission Building is between Ohio
avenue and B street. running weat
from Twelfth street for probabiy NOR.
tnan square. It Is part of the creat
plan for the so-called Federal trianSle.
some surprise also was manifest
over the announcement by SecretaYv
OF the Treasury Mellon that remodel.
ing the State, War and Navy BUILDING
would be undertaken this year. It has
oeen project Of deep personal inter.
~ 20 PRESIDENT Hoover, but was not
AnoWn 70 De on the program for such
last night by Secretary Mellon,
Sketches Have Been Made.
President Hoover first brought the
proposed plan for remodeling of the
olo State, War and Navy BUILDING
iorcibly to the public when he scored
IL last year before a distinguished
gatnermg OF officials at the Chamber
OF Commerce Of the United States:
Sketches for remodeling the building
have been drawn by Waddy B. Wood.
architect. No definite announcement Il
forthcoming concerning how the work
VIII be accomplished.
Plans for the Interstate Commerce
Commission and its twin building. the
Department Of Labor, are being drawn
by Arthur Brown, jr., of San Francisco.
The plans are preliminary" as q basis
for estimates which are to be submitted
70 Congress for construction. The
sketches are for the structure as seen
graphically in the model Of the Fed
eral triangle. which has been on public
exhibition In several places, the Treas
ury Department, lobby of the Capitol
and woodward & Lothrop's department
store.
These twin buildings, the Depart
ment OF Labor and the Interstate
cover the entire B street frontage be-
tween the two new public buildings
now being erected In the triangle. the
Department of Commerce, between
Fourteenth and Fifteenth, and the
Bureau Of Internal Revenue, between
Tenth and Twelfth. They win have
fronts.
Site Already Bought.
Already the Government has bought
the site for the Department Of Labor
from the Potomac Electric Power Co
and is acquiring by purchase and con.
demnation the rest Of the property for
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
The site for the commission building Il
now occupied largely by the Washington
Co., Potomac Riding
School and huge planning mill, which
has been idle for years. The yards OF
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