Evening star., 1934-11-18
KING TO CONFER
WITH OFFICIALS ON
CENTER PROJECT
Approves Principle of Modifi.
cation, but Insists on
Study. .
EXCHANGE OF GROUND
FOR new SITE URGED
Commissioners Appoint Committee
to Consider Program-Senator
to Press for Action.

Chairman King of the Senate Dis
trict Committee this week will make
study of suggestions for modifying
the costly Municipal Center project to
make possible start on construction
of new home for the District Gov
eminent.
He said yesterday he was in SYM
pathy with the general purpose of
modifying the original plans for the
development, but wished to confer
with the city and Federal officials
before committing himself on any of
the newly suggested schemes.
The District Commissioners, mean
while. called upon a group of District
officials to make a new survey of the
office space requirements of all mu-
nicipal agencies to guide the Commits
sioners in a revision of plans to cut
down the cost. Commissioner Melvin
c. HaZen has declared it is financially
impossible for the District to proceed
with plans for buildings to cost be-
tween $4,000 900 and SIS 100000.
Would Sell Part.
The new space study is a result of
suggestion by Hazen that the lower
half of the site be sold to provide
funds for starting construction on
the remaining portion. He is con-
vinced the upper two squares would
afford a site of more than ample
area.
In this connection, it is recalled
that the Commissioners originally
suggested the purchase of only the
upper two squares, but Congress
ordered purchase of all the land be-
tween Pennsylvania avenue and Indi-
ana and Louisiana avenues, from
Third to Sixth street. This has cost
the District more than $4,000, 600
Senator King indicated he would
continue his efforts to solve the
Municipal Center problems. either by
special legislation or by future applica-
ton to the Public Works Administra-
tion. if Congress decides to make a
new general p. w. A. appropriation
this Winter.
Committee Appointed.
4IC SOuliillSolOIclS ycSIcIudy dp-
pointed a Municipal Center Com
mittee, consisting of the following:
Maj. Paul A. Hodgson, Assistant
Engineer Commissioner; Presiding
Judge Gus. A. Schuldt of Police Court;
Presiding Judge George C. Aukam of
Municipal Court; Nathan C. Wyeth,
municipal architect; William P. Rich
ards, District tax assessor, and Edward
P. Brooke, assistant superintendent OF
the District Building.
Since Commissioner HaZen pro-
posed sale of the portion of the site
south of c street to Pennsylvania
avenue, between Third and Sixth
streets, several architects have sug-
gested disposition of the entire present
site and seeking authority from Con-
gress for use of Judiciary Square for
site for the new city buildings.
Among those are Gilbert L. Rodier and
Louis Justement, Washington archi-
tects, and Wyeth.
Would RaZe Building.
Rodier and Justement have sug-
gested that the present site and the
District Building might be exchanged
for the Judiciary Square. plus about
100000, which would be sufficient
to build the Districts new home.
This plan involves raZing of the old
Pension Office Building. These two
architects declare there is no worse
eyesore in Washington than this
| building"
Under their suggested scheme, they
say, the park space on the inside of
rectangle group of buildings would
be greater in area than that of
Franklin Park. They argue that the
Federal Government could make bet
ter use of the entire area of the pres
ent Municipal Center site than with
just the two lower squares.