Evening star., 1933-12-16
APEX BUILDINGS
FATE UP TO |CKES
AND ROOSEVELT
Or. Moore, Chairman of Fine
Arts Commission. to Ar
range Conference.
DECISION IS REACHED
AT NEW YORK MEETING
Clearing Of Area for Straus Me-
mortal Fountain Also Will
Be Considered.

The tate OF the Apex Building, de-
signed as the eastern tip Of the Triangle
development in downtown Washington
to house the Federal departments, will
be decided at a conference between
President Roosevelt, Secretary Ickes
and DR.. Charles Moore, chairman Of
the Fine Arts Commission.
At yesterdays meeting of the COM
mission. held in New York City in the
office Of John Russell Pope, designer
of the Archives Building, DR.. Moore was
empowered to take up the matter with
the Chief Executive as part Of the
general discussion on the Governments
housing situation here.
The conference will await the i'm
provement of Secretary Ickes, now in
the Naval Hospital recuperating from
a fractured rib.
Better Quarters Asked.
Meanwhile the Federal Trade Com
mission is urgently asking that better
quarters be provided for it. inasmuch
Of passing on new securities and its
temporary war-built facilities.
Participating in yesterdays confer
ence in New York were: Mr.. Pope
Louis Ayres, who aided in designing
the Department of Commerce Build
ing here, and is a member Of the Board
of Architectural Consultants of the
Treasury Department; Chester Aldrich
of the firm of Delano G Aldrich, which
is constructing the new Post ONCE De-
partment, and A. A. Weinman, former
sculptor member of the Fine Arts COM
mission. The location of future Gov
ernment buildings here was discussed
and the Apex Building considered. The
commission is hopeful Of starting
building development west Of Seven
teenth street, along Pennsylvania ave-
nue., shortly.
viii Discuss Memorial.
In the forthcoming conference with
President Roosevelt, DR.. Moore will
bring up the question of clearing out
the area Just east of the Department OF
Commerce, up to where the new Post
Office Department Building Is being
built, SO that the Oscar Straus Memo
rial Foundation may be constructed
without delay. H. p. CaeEamerer. the
commissions executive secretary, today
pointed out the memorial association
having this matter in hand stands ready
to spend $225,00 for the fountain,
which was designed by Mr.. Pope. This
will materially aid in the employment
situation here, Mr.. Caemmerer observed
Commission approval was given the
Pennsylvania Railroads plans for new
railroad bridge across the Anacostia
River to replace that recently weakened
by storms. This is the Magruder Bridge,
and the carriers plans were passed along
to the commission by the United States
Engineer Office. The National Capital
Park and Planning Commission will
likely consider them at its meeting next
week.
Swimming Pool Approved.
Plans for the Takoma and Benneker
Recreation Center swimming pools, sub
mitted by the Office of National Parks.
Buildings and Reservations, Interior
Department also received the indorse-
ment of the Fine Arts Commission.
These are being built by C. w. A. help.
Commission members went to the
Roman Bronze Works in BROOKLYN,
N. Y, to see the latest work on the
armillary sphere that will be placed IN
Meridian Hill Park in the Spring. The
sphere is ready for shipment to Wash
ington, officials said, but as foundation
conditions are not yet suitable, due to
the weather, it probably will wait until
Spring before being brought here.