Evening star., 1930-12-07
TO VACATE
SITE IN FEBRUARY
Work on New Post Office De-
partment Building Gets
Under Way.

With actual preliminary work al
ready under way on the site of the
new Post Office Department Building,
at Thirteenth and C streets, it was
learned last night that the Potomac
Electric Power Co. has made definite
plans to move out of its old home in
February to give way to the new De-
partment of Labor Building, which is
to rise on the site at Fourteenth and
B streets.
Work on the new Post ONCE Depart
ment Building consists of drilling holes
in the site to determine the nature
Of the Subsoil, so that detailed plans
for the foundation may be made. The
drilling Is being done by two crews Of
men from the Mott Core Drilling Co.
of Huntington, w. Va They have fin-
a depth of about "a feet below the
surface. The two drilling machines
will continue with their work all over
the site, so far as the buildings now
there will allow. The machines are
working on the sidewalks near the
corner Of Thirteenth and C streets
No determination can be made as to
the exact nature of the foundations
needed for the new Post ONCE De-
partment Building until further tests
have been made, but 1t is considered
likely by engineers that subsoil some
what similar to that found under the
new Internal Revenue Building will be
encountered There was so much soft
ground and water on the Revenue site,
which Is across Twelfth street from the
new Post once site. that it was found
necessary to sink concrete piles to hold
up the foundation,
Concrete Piles Probable.
Judging from the nature of findings
in the first drilling on the Post ONCE
site, it may be necessary also to use
concrete piles under the new Post Office
Department. The old Post once De-
partment Building Of granite stone Is
resting only on wooden piles.
Work on the new Post ONCE Depart
ment and announcement that the Po-
tomac Electric Power Co. will move out
in February are early signals of what
VIII be a tremendous building operation
early this Spring to result in tearing
down Of six adjacent blocks of build
ings in the Federal triangle, and erec-
ton Of four majestic connected build
tngs on the site.
This continuous site is in the shape
Of gigantic letter "L." with the TOP
between Twelfth and Thirteenth
streets, where the new Post Office De-
partment will start. This building will
occupy the width of that block run
ming southwark to join onto what will
be known as either the Interstate Com
merce Commission Building or the
General Accounting ONCE Building on
the corner of Twelfth and B streets.
This latter building is to be a twin to
the Department of Labor Building. to
20 up at Fourteenth and B streets, and
these two, connected by a big archi-
tectural feature, to be used for an as
semblv hall. complete the lower leg of
the big letter "L."
Property Mostly Acquired.
All Of this property is either acquired
by the Government or on the verge
OF being acquired. The two big blocks
occupied by the Potomac Electric Power
Co. have already been purchased. They
are known as squares 259 and $50
bounded by B street Thirteenth street
ana Fourteenth street and Ohio ave-
nue.. AS soon as the electric company
vacates these structures In February.
they will be torn down immediately to
make way for the new Department of
Labor and the Auditorium adjacent.
All Of the four small blocks lying be-
IWCCh 1Helltu ana 1nlTIee0Jn streets
B street and Pennsylvania avenue, have
been under condemnation and arrange
ments have been made for immediate
transfer of title to the Government of
all but 20 parcels, the owners of which
appealed from the decision Of the con-
demnation commission.
As soon as the long g-drawn-o de-
tails Of arranging for payment and GER
tlIylng the checks can be accomplished
through cooperation of the DEPART
ment of Justice, the General Account
ing Once and the Treasury DEPART
ment. immediate notice to vacate will
be given to all property owners and
tenants between Twelfth and Thir-
teenth streets, B and Pennsylvania ave
nue.. These notices will give 80 days
for the tenants to vacate.
It may take q month or longer from
now TO pay the checks and to acquire
title.
AS soon as the blocks can be vacated
q contract will be let to tear down the
buildings. Excavation and foundation
contracts will follow and the superstruc-
ture contract will then be separate
one later on.
Plans Well Under Way.
Plans for all four of the big struc-
lures are well under way, and the prof.
ects will be pushed along as rapidly as
the tedious processes OF the law will
allow, In order to help the unemploy-
ment situation.
In addition to the bdg ''L" group Of
old structures to come 6bvYn the Cow