Evening star., 1935-01-27
$7,5O0,0DO CIVIC
Center ADEQUATE,
WYETHDECLARES
Municipal Architect Says
Building Would Meet
Need for so Years.
MINOR COURTS PLANNED
FOR JUDICIARY SQUARE
Lower-Cost Project Would Re-
quire Only $l,0O0,O00 After
Sale of Part of Site.

A new Municipal Center, adequate
in size to meet the needs of the Dis
trict government for the next so
years can be built for about S7,500.000,
according to estimates by Nathan c.
Wyeth, municipal architect.
In advocating drastic revision of
present plans for the center, the Com
miSsioners are emphasizing that esti-
mated cost of the project now planned
would run to more than $22 100000.
The District is not able to finance
any such scheme as that, Commits
sioner Hazen has declared. The
Board of Commissioners has just ap-
proved his plan for sale of the two
lower squares of the site already pur-
chased at a cost of much more than
$6,000,000. The size of the site was
dictated several years ago by Con-
greSs.
Financing Details Incomplete.
The new plans, which have been
approved in principle by the National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion, call for use of a portion of
Judiciary Square for the minor courts
buildings. The main new District
administration building would be
erected on the northern half of the
present center site, from Third to
Sixth street and between G and D
streets.
Financial details have not been
completed, but it is indicated not
more than S1,000.00 would be needed
in excess of what would be expected
in payment for the lower half of the
center site and for the present Dis
trict Building property
One suggestion is that this extra
money be obtained from the Public
Works Administration as a grant and
loan, 70 per cent to be repaid by the
District.
Bill to Provide for Sale.
A bill to provide for sale of the
two lower squares is to be sent to
Congress soon. Coupled with this
will be a move for authority for the
District to acquire necessary portions
of Judiciary Square. In this con-
nection Wyeth has declared many
times such a plan still would leave
more than ample park space in that
square.
Under the layout indorsed by the
Park and Planning Commission, the
Juvenile, Police and Municipal Courts
Buildings would be placed in Judiciary
Square. The Municipal Administra-
ton Building would occupy the area
between c and D streets and the lines
Of Fourth and Fifth streets. This
would mean closing John Marshall
place north of c street.
Large Area for Expansion.
Such plan would leave the areas
bounded by Fifth. Sixth and C streets
and Indiana avenue and that bounded
by Third. Fourth and C streets and
Indiana avenue for future expansion
of the administration headquarters.
Juvenile Court would be erected to
the north and east of District Su-
preme Court. to balance the location
of the District Court of Appeals. to
the north and west of District Su-
preme Court.
The new Police and Municipal
Courts Buildings would be erected off
court yard in Judiciary Square For
the distant future there would be
room for expansion in the site of the
old Pension Office Building and on
streets bordering Judiciary Square, it
is argued.
Agreement Still Lacking.
1t would be especially fitting to use
a portion of Judiciary Square for the
Juvenile, Police and Municipal Courts
Buildings, officials argue. since two
important branches of the District
courts system already are there.
The Commissioners have not ar
rived at a definite agreement on the
courts phase of the center project
Lieut.. Col. Dan I. Sultan, Engineer
Commissioner. favors the plan as in
dorsed by the Park and Planning
Commission.
Commissioner Hazen Is more in
clined to favor construction of the
Police and Juvenile Courts Buildings
at the east and west ends of the
northern half of the present site.
This still would leave room for fu-
ture expansion, but not nearly as
much as the plan to place these units
in Judiciary Square. The cost of the
latter plan, for the present, would be
about 100000 more, however.