Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-19
old ?. 0. BUILDING
MAY Be WRECKED
Replacing of Structure May
Be Asked at This Session
Of Congress.

monumental structures to be erected in
the so-called Pennsylvania avenue-Man
triangle may be recommended to this
session of Congress.
The question is receiving serious con-
sideration by members of the Public
Buildings Commission, ID was learned
last night, and If pushed forward. &C
cording to present plans, would bring
to much earlier completion the vision
of this administration for what Presi-
! dent Hoover called yesterday. "a great
and effective city for the seat of our
Government, with a dignity, character
and symbolism truly representative OF
America"
The Post Once Department Building,
IT has been decided by officials who
have studied the question, Is neither
effective practically or intellectually.
An Inefficient Building.
From a practical standpoint Also it
is considered one OF the most inefi-
eient buildings, because Of the great
waste of space inside it and the waste
OF fuel necessary to heat this huge
space inside known as the "cortile."
The offices run only around the outside
OF the building, instead of being con-
Structed also facing an interior court
as is now the universal practice in ONCE
buildings. The new buildings are being
erected with courts open to the sky and
of1ces facing on the court. The POST
ONCE Department Building has roof
over the whole structure, much Of the
inside of which is wasted.
This building has been scheduled by
the Governments building program for
some time, for eventual elimination, but
it is only recently, according to dis
closures last night. that officials have
seriously considered its early elimina-
NNnnnIAttnO
Pennsylvania avenue-Mall Triangle in
its plan Of unified architectural COM
position"
Other Buildings N"t Affected.
Elimination Of the incongruous build
ing soon does not mean, however, that
| the Government Is considering early
replacement of the District Building or
its neishbor. which was purchased from
the Southern Railway. These two
buildings more nearly harmonjZe with
the architecture planned for the tri-
angle, and as they are good buildings
In substantial condition, they can be
| used for many years.
The Post once Department building
is now standing out In a particularly
bad light in view of the virtual COM
pletion of the exterior of the new In
ternal Revenue Building, directly
south OF It, This new building, which
covers about two squares from Tenth
10 Twelfth streets, B to G streets, has
been constructed with view to even
tual connection with the building
which is to replace the Post Once De
partment. and hence Is now exposing
TO the general view from Pennsylvania
avenue, not only the interior court
facade OF part OF 1t. but also some plain
bricks In other parts, where 1t is
planned to connect the other structure.
This Is the feature which has caused
much comment concerning the Inter-
nal Revenue Building. and has brought
many questions % to why the bricks
show.
Corner AsOnsea Comment.
The northwest corner Of the Internal
Revenue Building, for instance. shows
itself to be more nearly incomplete than
any other part, for 1t Is this corner
which Is built In the form OF one
segment of the great circle which Is
to center about the intersection Of
Twelfth and C. streets. Some marble
columns. and q circular effect, show at
the corner, which ut tirst glance reveal
no good reason for being there. They
viii stand as incompleted monuments
to the complete plan, inst as the two
white wings of the Department of
Agriculture Building stood separated
and apart, with unsishtly bricked-in
ends until the beautiful new admins
tration building, also OF marble, was
built between. This agriculture a6-
ministration building Is nov virtually
complete, and finishes q building which
was begun in the administration OF
President Roosevelt.
The location for the new Post Once
Department Building has not been dis
closed, but 1t was learned that officials
are considering something In the same
general location in the AveDue-Man
triangle.
What activities would be placed in
the building to be erected on the site
of the Post Q6lco Department will have
to be decided lauer.
EnIsrging II Program.
The plan to dispose Of the Post Once
Department question at An early date Us
under consideration. while the new pro-
posal Of Representative Elliott, chair
man OF the House committee on public
buildings and grounds to greatly en-
large the scope OF the building program
Leaders have predicted certain pas
sage NJ the Elliott legislation, which
would increase the authorized eXpendi
lures for this city from &7S 900 900 for
buildings and ground, to $4,000, 900
When the Elliott bill. including also
large increases for building throughout
the country. becomes law, as is con-
f1dently expected. the administration
will then be In q position to push for
ward the building program in Wash
ington with greater speed. Among the
outstanding new developments in the
proposals which would then be submit
ted TO this session Of Congress TO for
ward the new program, would be the
erection of the new Post once Depart
ment Building, and tearing down Of
the old building to make way for more
new construction.
The general architectural scheme of
the triangle will still he preserved under
the plan OF "unified architectural COM
position" shown graphically by the
model on display in the rotunda Of the
Capitol Building.
Plans for Design.
The structure which will 20 ZIP IN
the site OF the present Post once De-
partment will complete the east side
Of the half circle, and will be Of claSsi-
cal design, with a. front of marble
columns facing Pennsylvania avenue
1t will be OF the same height as the
present new Internal Revenue Building
The structure will provide for a trafic
passageway under the building on c
street, which would thus pass through
the great circle east and west. This
passageway would cut through the
building on the east side Of Twelfth
street, into the courtyard, and out on
Tenth street 10 the east. This would.
Of course, be a different kind of We
hicular traflc way than is at present
provided.
The circle at the intersection of
Twelfth and C streets would be large.
as can be seen by its indicated dimcn-
sions in the small segment apparent
on the Internal Revenue Building,
These semi-circular facades will carry
columns, giving q beautiful architcc-
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