Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-04
Treasury Asks Bids on Clear.
\
ing c Street Square From
18th to 18th Streets.
BLOCK ONCE HOUSED
CITY BUILDING INDUSTRY
will Form Site of New I. G. c.
Edifce, Part of Huge Group From
10th to 18th Streets.

The former center Of the building In
Kiustry in Washington was doomed TO
destruction today when the Treasury
Department advertised for bids to be
opened May 19 for tearing down all
structures on the site bounded by
Twelfth and Thirteenth, c streets ana
Constitution avenue.
This area is to be used by the Gov
eminent for the erection of monu-
mental building for the Interstate Com
1nerce Commission. which low is housed
in a rented structure at Pennsylvania
avenue and Eighteenth street.
Property owners and tenants are now
moving out of the old territory, wnicn
at one time was the heart of the prln-
ripal building industry OF Inc CITY,
around which centered not only the
woodworking mills, but many OF tne
heading contractors.
Plant Being Moved.
Three of the largest structures in the
hrea were formerly WOODWORKING OF
s,lening mills. but only one Of these Is
now active. the Washington Woodwork-
Sne Co. at the corner of Twelfth street
and Constitution avenue. This COM
MANY Is now busily engaged in moving
~ its new location at 9l2 Fourth sCreet'
Nvhere it will be completely installed py
.yune /. The extensive machinery OF
the old mill is all being moved 10 the
new location. "a. =,
The first mill erected on the site OF
the washington Woodworking Co. plant
was operated by Dan Smith, ACCORDING
~ ol-tiners connected with the COM
many. and this building was burned
down in about 1885. A new plant was
ERECTED on the site and has been OPP
Grated continuously since as WOOD
working plant.
Former Gov. Jackson OF Maryland
was once the operator OF mill locateo
on the corner of Thirteenth street ana
Ohio avenue but this old structure, ait
er passing through several hands, mas
lain idle for several years. the smell
only remains, the machinery having
been removed years ago. The yard for
some time has been used as an automo-
bile parking space.
Riding School to Move,
The third former woodworking mill in
Che area, at the corner OF Thirteenth
and C streets, was at one time operated
by Belt e. Dyer. it was recalled TO-DAY
nome of z. G. Shafer Co, wholesale
Snlumbing and heating supplies. This
company Is now moving TO its new FOUR
story warehouse and ONCE building, at
HE corner Of Rhole Island avenue and
Eourth street northeast, and will be
fcnpletely out of its old structure be-
kore demolition starts
Tn Potomac Riding School. from
which horses and ponies take on" for
khe bride paths OF downtown Washing
aon, occupies part Of one Of the former
woodworking plants at the corner OF
Twelfth street and Ohio avenue. The
riding school will move to new loca-
ton at 1922 e street. between Twenty
sixth street and the Potomac River.
A large number OF other business
houses In the area are also moving or
making plans for early moving, as all
buildings in the area will be torn down
shortly after contract is let. The Treas
Aary usually considers bids for a few
AMAys after opening, lets contract, and
IA the case of demolition jobs, the work
usually starts very soon Afterward.
Part Of Huge Structure.
One reason for speed on the two
asouares for the l. C. c. Building Is that
Ehis new building is to be a part of the
khree-part structure facing Constitution
{avenue. and extending from Twelfth TO
gFourteenth streets, TO occupy all the
Hntervening space between the new IN
hernal Revenue Building and the new
department OF Commerce Building. Al
ready an entire block OF buildings De-
tween Thirteenth and Thirteen and
A-half streets on Constitution avenue
has been demolished for part of this
extensive building. Workmen are now
tOusily engaged in tearing down both
hhe ONCE building and the old sub
station of the Potomac Electric Power
pCo IN the block bounded by Constitu-
G,on avenue, Fourteenth street, G street
1sid Thirteen -and-a-haH street.
The l. c. c. site will thus be needed
Is soon as possible. so that the next
contract TO be let can be for the exca-
Mation of the entire site, stretching from
gwelfth TO Fourteenth street along Con-
4itution avenue Plans for this three
bart building, to house the Interstate
Commerce Commission. Government
Auditorium and the DEPARTMENT OF
Labor, are being completed by Arthur
Brown, ir.. Of San Francisco. architect
who is a member of the. Treasury Board
II Architectural Consultants.
Attached TO the Interstate Com
Enerce Commission Building on the
north, along Twelfth street. win be the
curiously shaped Post once Depart
anent Building, plans for which now
me well along Bids for both the demo-
httion of buildings and excavation on
Ifhe Post once Department site, be-
tween Twelfth and Thirteenth streets,
Pennsylvania avenue and c street,
probably will be asked soon by the
Treasury Department.