Evening star., 1935-12-08
j. S. OFFICE MOVE
FROM D. C.L0OMS
Big Consolidated. Building
Units Need of Scat
tered Agencies.

structures, apartment houses and for
mer private homes are the primary |
need for solution of the Federal rental
problem in washington.
Lack of such consolidated units in
the Capital led to recent rumors some |
bureaus might be moved away to Bal
timore, Philadelphia or Richmond. A
canvass of the situation yesterday,
however, revealed Secretary Ickes and
Interior Department officials in charge |
OF Government space have no present
intention of removing whole bureaus
away from the District.
With Uncle Sam now leasing about
$500 900 square feet of space here,
Offices remain available only in scat
tered buildings, while authorities hold
1t Is necessary for good administration
and efficiency to have the units housed
not merely in the same structures, but
on the same floors.
Some Units May Be Moved.
Officials have heard that If the
space pressure continues. such self
contained groups as the Patent Of1lce
and the Bureau of Mines might be
moved from Washington. They could
function elsewhere almost as we'll as
here, according to some observers.
The National Park Service, however,
Is not placed in that category, as 1t
has dealings with the Bureau OF
Public Roads of the Department of
Agriculture, the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission, the Fine
Arts Commission, and other agencies
here.
Some building authorities indicated
that within two years the Social
Security Board would need building
as large as the Veterans Administra-
ton.
While there is no immediate relief
In sight for the public housing situa-
ton. there is hope Of easing the
crowding. The new Interior Depart
ment Building is to be completed just
a wear hence. That will take care of
the Office of Education, the Indian
ONCE. and other Interior Department
agencies which now occupy the whole
of the Hurley Wright Building.
Secretary Ickes has recently allo-
Gated $3,6O0,OOO for the new Apex
Building, at the eastern tip OF the
Triangle. OficialS say this should
be finished, if the work is pushed,
about this time next year. Into that
building the Federal Trade Commis-
sion will be moved, releasing space
elsewhere.
In the interim, the Division of Gov
ernment Space Control of the National
Park Service, in charge OF Clay j.
Guthridge, is making ready to move
the Trade Commission out of the
temporary structure at Twentieth
street and Constitution avenue into
three buildings-The Rochambeau,
The Premier and 1924 I street, the
floor space of which totals 100000
square feet. The present site OF the
Federal Trade Commission Building
will be occupied by the new Federal
Reserve Board Building.
Another factor in relieving pressure
for space will be the remodeling OF the
old Pension Office Building in Judici-
ary Square, occupied by the General
Accounting Office. Plans were pre-
pared for constructing wings on the
buildings, but this program was in
conflict with the ideas of some of the
other governmental agencies. The
project is linked with the development
of the Municipal Center. Previous
plans have been to construct the new
Police, Juvenile and Municipal Court
Buildings and the Recorder of Deeds
Office in Judiciary Square, and there
has been some talk of shifting the
kxy
structing a new building along Penn
sylvania avenue, in the vicinity of the
Municipal Center development. The
Procurement Division of the Treasury
Department is now arranging for the
remodeling.
Expansion Program Studied.
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission and the Fine
Arts Commission have been studying
a program for expansion of Govern
ment buildings in the Northwest Rec
tangle, bounded by e street, Seven
teenth street, Constitution avenue and
the Potomac River. Into this area
are slated to go the new War and
Navy Departments and the new In
terror Department is unit in pro-
posed new group of public buildings
designed to balance the triangle de-
Velopment downtown. Other buildings
to 60 into that area are the Pan n-Amer-
ican Union Annex and the Federal
Reserve Board Building. The Navy
Department hopes to secure funds for
q new Naval Hospital here to replace
the present ramshackle buildings, and
1t is considered likely Congress may
grant around $4,000, 900 for this work
Uncle Sam rents space in l03 build
ings here, and he has some 100000
square feet in 101 GovernmenU-owned
buildings, Secretary Ickes says The
Secretary'S own department is scat
tered in IA different buildings here,
which makes difficult good admins
tration. The War Department is in
16 different buildings, the Resettle-
ment Administration in Is buildings
and the General Accounting Office in
10 Government-owned buildings,
while the Works Progress Admins
tration is scattered in 10 buildings.
Secretary Ickes said:
Several of the more recent build
ings acquired have been hotels and
apartment houses, but it is the policy
of the Department of the Interior to
lease residential space only as last
resort, and only after a thorough
survey of available buildings that
have adequate space to meet the i'm
mediate requirements Of the Govern