Evening star., 1933-03-18


Hon Of a group of much needed public
structures, designed to house various
Government departments, in the area
Men occupied by number of ram
ahackle buildings. The plan favored
the ultimate expenditure of $3.50, ,0O0,-
600 on this and similar project on
the opposite side OF the White House
70 accommodate the War and Navy
Departments.
Saving Made on Contracts.
Now. with s1oo 100000 of this fund
already appropriated and large por-
ton of the program under way, the
question of going ahead with the re-
malnder comes up. In the letting of
contracts for the projects now in the
course of construction, considerable
saving has been made by the Treasury
below the amount appropriated, but leg
dslation prevents use of this accumula-
ton for any other buildings.
The question of going ahead with the
triangle plan probably will come up
when Congress, in response to Presi-
dent Roosevelt's announcement of yes
terday, takes up that phase of the ad-
m1nlstratlon'S legislative program deal
ing with the extension of public works.
The President has expressed himself
rs iavoring public building program
as stimulant to employment, as we'll
as to satisfy Government department
housing needs
Unless appropriations are authorized
Tor the continuation of work in the tri-
angle, the old Post Office Department
Building will remain as it is after this
department Is housed in the new struc-
ture now nearing completion just west
OF 1t, and the old building probably will
be used to accommodate other Gov
eminent units now located in either
rented or temporary quarters. Failure
to remove the structure also will halt
progress on the circular plaza develop
ment on Twelfth street.
With the old Post ONCE Building
will remain also awaiting further ap-
preparation for their displacement, the
group Of antiquated buildings between
Tenth and Eleventh streets on the
south side of the Avenue. This site.
together with that of the Post Office,
to run the entire two blocks and to
form an integral part of the whole
plan.
Three other important points in the
triangle plan also will remain unde-
veloped until Congress acts. These
are the buildings to occupy the sites
now used by the old Southern Railway
Building and the District Building, and
the land at Sixth street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue. which forms the apex
Of the triangle.
Hesitates to Press Action.
washington has been hesitant about
pressing for action on these projects
If, however, public buildings program
is approved by the present Congress, it
Is expected that the city's trade and
civic organizations will ask that work
already begun in the Capital be COM
paeted. On this subject the admins
tration is represented as having an
"open mind"
It is pointed out that the public
buildings erected in Washington, while
they provide a measure OF employment
to people Of the District, create a large
proportion Of work which goes out
side the Capital, besides inducing an
influx Of laborers from other parts of
the country. On so small a project as
the addition to the Library of Con-
gress, now in the course of construction,
there are represented no less than rs
contracting concerns from % different
cities. For this reason, it is not felt
that the community itself is being I'M
when work is authorized here.
The development of Washington
Municipal Center, for which land has
already been acquired on the north
side Of Pennsylvania avenue between
Third and Sixth streets, hinges on the
outcome Of what disposition the Fed
eral Government makes Of the District
Building. The District government
had hoped to realize about $4,000 900
from the sale Of this property to the
United States.
Plans for refacing the State, War and