Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-08
NEW APARTMENTS
TO BE RAZED FOR
WAR-NAVY OFFICES

Continued From First Page)
remaining to be settled after the archi-
tectural studies are available. It was
indicated, however. that the purpose In
deciding to place the War-Navy Build
ings west of the White House and south
Of New York avenue was to round out
the triangular area west Of the White
House to balance with the Mall triangle
development.
Several Structures Possible.
Offcials also indicated, in announcing
the general area selected, that there
is a possibility the space requirements
Of the War and Navy Departments may
be taken care of In more than two
buildings, depending on what layout is
found to be best suited to the available
area. 1t was said that the War De-
partment would need about the same
space given to the Commerce Depart
ment in the Mall triangle and that the
Navy would require approximately the
same space allowed in the new Inter-
nal Revenue Building The Commerce
and Internal Revenue Buildings to-
gether cost approximately $27, 100000.
The triangle. in which the War-Navy
Buildings are to be placed is just south
Building, erected In recent years, and
brings that structure into coordination
with the public building program west
of the White House.
The Keyes-Elliott law Of last year
authorized acquisition Of land for public
buildings in this triangle south of New
York avenue. officials were unable to
estimate yesterday how long 1t will take
to decide on the exact sites within the
triangle M
Their completion will make possible the
removal of the wartime Navy and
Munitions Buildings on the south side
OF Constitution avenue, which intrude
on the park area near the Lincoln
Memorial and Arlington Bridge. This
new group Is expected to properly frame
and give character to the area north
Of the Lincoln Memorial.
Add Dignity to Avenue.
Constitution avenue is to be the
thoroughfare connecting the Capitol
with the Lincoln Memorial and Airing
ton Bridge, and the placing of the War
Navy Buildings in the area chosen yes
terday will help add dignity to the
western end of this avenue. Some of
the old wartime temporary buildings
now occupy part of the area which Is
TO be the site Of the new War-Navy
group.
The Government already owns a con-
siderable portion of this triangle be-
tween New York avenue and Constitu-
ton avenue. The principal areas which
the Government does not own are be-
tween Eighteenth, Nineteenth, D and
streets; Nineteenth, Twentieth, B and
streets; Twenty-first, Twenty-second,
New York avenue and C street. At the
western tip of the triangle there Is
another area between Twenty-second
and Twenty-third, south of C street.
but it was not definitely indicated
whether this would be required,
The area selected by the Public
Buildings Commission yesterday was
one of three general locations under
discussion for several months for the
War-Navy buildings. The other two
were along both sides of PENNSYLVANIA
avenue, west of Seventeenth street, and
south of Maryland avenue, west of
Canal street southwest, near the Capt.
tol. During the discussions it was
indicated that If the southwest area
have neceSsitated relocation of the rail-
road tracks in that vicinity.
Change in Plans Opposed.
The National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission several months ago
made a study for the information of the
Public Buildings Commission of the
problem of where to locate the build
ingS. The Park and Planning Commits
ure from the Mcmillan plan of 1901
and the plan of 1928 with a concentra-
ton Of Government buildings about the
Mall and the White House
The plan of 1928, as developed by
the commission, was based upon the
original L'Enfant plan and the plan
of 1901, inaSmuch as 1t recognized the
Mall and the cross axis of the White
House as the basis for the central COM
position of the city. The studies of
the commission indicated areas flank
ing the Mall for development with
Government structures ca in the
triangle for the executive group; Cb) in
the northwest triangle, between B street
(now Constitution avenue) and New York
avenue, and in the southwest for the
Agriculture Department and Smithson-
ian Institution
In addition to the three large apart
ment houses, two laundrieS, an eight
story Office building, a number of blocks
OF dwellings and groups of small stores
are located in the area.
Three Limestone Structures.
The three apartment developments,
all erected in the past seven years,
are the Riverside at Twenty-second and
c street and New York avenue, the
Potomac Park Apartments at Twenty
first and c streets and the Mayfair
Apartments, 2115 c street. All three
are eight-story buildings of brick con-
struction with limestone trim.
The Potomac Park Apartments, built
for Frederic j. Haskin was completed
in June, 1924, and was the first large
multi-family structure to be erected in
the old Southwest section below New
York avenue. 1t started a trend to i'm
provement of the then rather preten-
tiouS area, once a swamp area prior to
its reclamation, with the construction of
large new apartment buildings.
The Office structure is the Architects
Building, at the corner of Eighteenth
and G streets, built during the war for
Victor j. Evans, wealthy patent attor-
ney, who first leased it to the ordnance
department, War Department. This is
an eight-story modern building. When
other tenants had to be found for the
building it was given the name of the
Architects Building for the purpose, it
is recalled, of attracting architectural
Offices to the structure, though without
complete success. Other tenants, for the
most part, have occupied quarters in the
building.
Temporary Buildings.
In the site of the new War and Navy
Buildings also are a group of the tenn