Evening star., 1933-09-09
FE|KER COMMENDS
MODERN|z|NG WORK.
Remode|ing Takes on New
Meaning at This Time,
He Says in Forum.

"At this particular time and because
of the situation confronting u.s. modern
izing and remodeling take on a new
meaning, not only to those who depend
on building for their livelihood, but to
the owner of property and to the entire
community" writes Frederick NJ Feiker,
chairman. Committee on Recondition-
ing Remodeling and ModerniZing, De-
partment of Commerce, in the Archi-
tectural Forum.
undermining may prove to be the
means of maintaining and of raising
morale. 1t is work that is needed that
can be financed. and that gives en-
ployment to the largest possible number
of workers, directly and indirectly. It
puts money into circulation as few
other projects can. It lessons the need
for direct employment relief by putting
self-respecting men to work instead Of
on demoralizing dole.
Work for Architects.
'"The architects, due to their unique
professional standing, can be the most
powerful force in performing the pub
lie service of actively stimulating mod
ernilng work in their communities.
The promotion of this work demands
active architectural participation. The
architect can be Of immediate value
through:
a. Individual initiative, which implies
an architects study of the buildings
in his community that need modern
izing and then convincing the property
owners of the necessity and value of
the remodeling; or
p. A cooperative undermining cam
paign, in which the architects function
with all the local factors in the build
ing industry and other groups, such as
the Chamber of Commerce, civic and
commercial! organizations and the press.
The success of community modern
iz1ng campaign has been shown to be in
direct ratio to the cooperative attitude
OF the groups who organize it. Where
ever the civic, religious, educational and
commercial groups unite to better the
conditions in city, they accomplish
their purpose. Campaigns sponsored by
one group receive the wholehearted CO.
operation of others. Each group has its
special function in the activity Cham
berS OF commerce. veterans organiZa-
tons. churches, schools, clubs, trade as
soclations, publicity agencies, construc-
ton interests and contractors organiZa-
t1ons, architectural and engineering
representatives, are all important
No Longer Experiments.
such undermining campaigns are no
longer experiments. City after city has
reported practical results measured in
terms OF labor and business obtained
IN conducting a well-planned, organ
lied, civic campaign aimed to educate
property owners to the value of making
needed repairs and improvements.
Millions OF dollars have been spent, and
are being spent. on properties as re-
suits Of such campaigns The aggre-
gate sum pledged In American cities
for modernizing work, mostly on resi-
dental structures, is a little more than
$106,000,000. Although great part of
this work has been completed. recent
reports indicate that numbers of jobs,
resulting indirectly from such cam
paignS, but undertaken after the pub
licity programs were finished, have
caused some local committees to main
tain continuing activities.
Reports from dozen cities, with an
aggregate population of about ,200,00
where modernizing campaigns have
been conducted, show that about $4,000
skilled and non-skilled building workers
were employed as result of these
special activities. Statements from GER
tain cities indicate that during the
progress of their campaigns appeals to
public charities fell of as much as so
per cent.
M0dernizing Profitable.
"Modernizing has been found tre-
mendously profitable in residences,
stores, garages, Office buildings, apart
ment houses and hotels. It Is becom-
ing important in factories and indus
trial plants. Progress among indepen-
dent grocers Is evidenced by a survey
of $4,000 stores that have been COM
pletely modernized and $4,000 more
that have made various construction
changes and Improvements for the bet
ter. Wherever these stores have been
properly reconditioned records show
that sales have been materially in
creased
Taking into account the prevailing
surplus of desirable skilled mechanics
and laborers in the building field, and
that the costs of materials involved in
reconditioning property are probably at
the lowest they have been for Is years,
the present time is-to the property
owner able to do so-propitious for
making needed renovations and repairs.
However, in addition to advantages Sc
cured by the individual property owner,
trade in building materials improves
when a campaign progresses and, as
more people are employed and money
is circulated, beneficial effects are felt
throughout the community