Evening star., 1937-04-07
|CKES OFFERS BILL
F0RPAN,AMER|CAN
UNION SITE CHANGE
Secretary Seeks to Cancel
Act of Congress With
New Measure.
PRESENT PLANS COST
TOLD TO COMMITTEE
Cabinet Member Would Have
$45,o0O Paid, However, to
Change Location.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

After protesting to the House Public
Buildings and Grounds Committee to-
day against erection of new Pan
American Union Building on the site
where foundations are being eXca-
waited, Interior Secretary Ickes laid
before the committe the draft Of
new bill providing for erection of the
structure on the rear of the site of
the present American.
His proposal is to place the new
building where the Van Ness stables
and a sheet metal garage are now
located
1ckeS and other witnesses told the
committee the erection of the building
where now planned would obstruct
the view, create serious traffic
hazard and upset the general plan
for development for that section west
Of Seventeenth street.
Costs Are Cited.
Commissioner Hazen testified it
would cost upward of $4,000 to move
the street lighting and sewer mains
in that area. Traffic Director Van
Duzer declared it would result in a
serious traffic hazard Melvin Sharp,
representing the Potomac Electric
Power Co., said his firm would be
forced to spend approximately $4,000
If the building is erected.
DR.. L. S. Rowe, director general Of
the Pan-American Union, said any
action he might take would have to
await instructions from his board of
directors, who had gone ahead on the
plans, thinking the authority in the
act of Congress was sufficient. The
directors will not meet until next May,
however Chairman Lanham broke up
the hearing by telling DR.. Rowe not
to worry, because I'VE will still be here
in May"
Secretary Ickes reviewed the his
tory of the plan to place the proposed
Pan-American Union annex building
north of Constitution avenue, in the
vicinity of the present building. The
act of Congress approved May l6.
1928, authorized erection of the annex
on the triangle between Virginia ave-
hue and C and Eighteenth streets.
That measure was rushed through
as emergency legislation. Another BILL
approved December 26, 1929, amended
the former act authorizing the con-
struction of the annex on the quad
rangle Immediately south of the tri-
angle, bounded by Constitution and
Virginia avenues and Eighteenth and
Nineteenth streets northwest.
Street Relocation Feared.
1ckeS last year requested Congress to
pass a bill to prevent erection of the
annex as contemplated. Hearings
were held and some objections we're
made to the bill as then drafted.
Ickes explained his main objection
a that Eighteenth street would be re-
ginia avenue northwest and would be
projected southWesterly at an angle
to connect with Virginia avenue. He
said that there is quite general feel
Ing that such relocation of Eighteenth
street would be a mistake. The Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission also considered that such
IelOCdUlOIl VI GlSlIUStllJll SUIetG WOulu
seriously impede the flow of traffic at
its intersection with Virginia avenue.
Secretary Ickes told the committee
the substitute bill he offered had been
prepared after conferences with
various officials of the Interior De-
partment and has been submitted
to the Bureau of the Budget. The
new bill would repeal the authorize
ton contained in the acts of 1928 and
1929.
Investigation, the Secretary said,
has disclosed that removal of the old
Van Ness stables and the tin garage
would furnish sufficient space for the
erection of the proposed building. This
would keep the unions activities con-
solidated within one square and would
improve the appearance of that lot.
The new bill also provides for pay
ment to the Pan-American Union Of
q sum not in excess of S45 900 to cover
the cost of plans and excavations thus
far made by the union on the site
designated in the act of 1929.