Evening star., 1933-10-08
The Districts Building Needs.

The District Commissioners have for
mally applied to the public works ad-
ministration for a grant of $4,000, 900
for construction Of the Municipal Gen.
ter courts unit. They state that the
failure soon to appropriate funds for
this purpose might force the District
to erect less desirable structure in
another area, and they also note that
immediate action for this local purpose
would afford unemployment relief in
other sections, because seventy five per
cent of the money would be used to buy
material outside Of Washington. They
further state that the grant of this
sum from the SO 800 900 600 fund would
be fair exchange for the present Dis
trict Building, eventually to be taken
over by the Federal government
Some weeks ago Chairman Norton
of the House Committee on the Dis
trict of Columbia made a similar rep
resentation to the Public Works Ad-
ministration. stressing the deplorable
conditions prevalent at the Police Court
and the lack of suitable accommoda-
tions for the Municipal and Juvenile
Courts as well. Mrs Norton strongly
urged immediate ALLEGATION of suffl
cient sum to permit the execution Of
the projected first unit of the Municipal
Center, to be devoted to the local courts
and to house the police headquarters
and other municipal activities.
In all respects this work lies within
the scope of the purpose of the public
works appropriation. 1t is needed. 1t
is an inevitable improvement, and it
--ill give work to several thousand peo-
pie in the production of materials and
m the erection of the structure. The
site has been acquired and partially
cleared. Everything is ready for con-
struction The Municipal Center project
Is indeed part Of the general public
building program in Washington. which
is now being executed. The present
Municipal Building is destined to be-
come the property of the United States
to conform either by architectural al
teration or by reconstruction to the plan
of a great single building covering the
space bounded by Twelfth and Four
teenth streets and Pennsylvania and
Constitution avenues. 1t cannot be
vacated until new municipal building
Is erected on the site already chosen
and in part prepared on the north side
of Pennsylvania avenue between Third
and Sixth streets. The courts unit is
the first of these structures to occupy
shat space. The sooner it is undertaken
End completed the sooner will the gen.
cral plan be brought to conclusion.
No more urgent need has been pre-
eented to the Public Works Administra-
lion than this which the Commits
tioners now present for action. The
District is at present operating with
IN inadequate equipment. The Police
Court has long since been outgrown.
!ghe Juvenile Court has never had
suitable home. The Municipal Court has
from its creation been housed in adapt
So oNCAll1lSS. 4llC pOllCc llCdO0Udl lclS
establishment, ousted from the District
Building for need of room there for
other uses, is quartered in one OF the
structures that are to be razed on the
Municipal Center site, with the Traffic
Bureau as a cotenant Altogether the
situation is most unsatisfactory.
The cure for these conditions is the
immediate erection of the courts unit
Of the Municipal Center. Funds are
available under the dispensation of the
Public Works Administration. Whether
ti,e ALLEGATION of the amount the Com
nissioners ask, $4,000 900, is to be re-
Earded as the Government payment
for the present District Building is a
matter for later consideration. The
urgent need is for the ALLEGATION of this
fund now. in order that work may be-
gin at once and thus contribute to the
relief Of unemployment, which is the
primary purpose of the public works
appropriation.