Evening star., 1937-01-08
new $26,ODQ,0DO
BU|LD|NGPLANNED
War Department Structure,
to Occupy 4 Squares, Ask.
ed by Roosevelt.

n IcW UullQAB lOE lLC WAL AcpAIte
ment, to cost s26. .o0o. 900. including the
site, was recommended to Congress
today by President Roosevelt to be
placed on four squares bounded by
Twenty-first, Twenty-third. c and E
streets.
In his budget, the President asked
an immediate appropriation Of $1,000
900 to begin the project He set up
the figure Of $4,000 900 as a limit
of cost" for the structure
The site was specifically named in
the budget. which would authorize the
Government to purchase. IS soon as
funds are available, any or all Of the
property within those bounds.
Tentative sketches for the new War
Department already have been made.
to make 1t fit into the magnificent
plan for development of the so-called
northwest "rectangle."
Would Buy F Street Building.
The President also asked Congress
for 5000 900 to buy the old building at
1924 r street. formerly occupied by the
Civil Service Commission for many
years. He sent up In his budget re-
quests for additional funds to 60 for
ward with construction next fiscal
year. on the two other projects Of the
Government Printing Ofice-a ware
house and annex-and the annex to
the Bureau Of Engraving and Printing.
now under way. He asked for $685.
900 for the Bureau Of Engraving struc-
ture. as compared with 1000 900 this
fiscal year. To continue with the
Government Printing ONCE jobs. the
President asked for 81 500 900 as ccm-
pared with 100000 this year.
G. A. O. Extension Provided.
Another public building item car
ried forward from last year was that
of nearly 100000 for extension of
a building for the general accounting
Office" These funds we're appropri-
ated last year. but not spent. as no
decision was reached as to what to do
about a general accounting Office.
At one time, 1t was planned to put q
new building in Southwest Washing
ton on Independence avenue. not far
from the Capitol. but nothing was
done about it. The original appropri-
alton was to extend and remodel the
old Pension ONCE Building, now occu-
pied by the general accounting ofice.
headed by acting Controller General
Richard N. Elliott.
The new War Department Building
actually would be constructed in two
parts. according to preliminary plans.
A larger building would be erected
along the Twenty-third street west
side Of the area, from c to E streets,
and a smaller structure would be con-
structed along the eastern front,
abutting Twenty-first street. This
type Of construction would be designed
to balance with the large development,
the new Interior Department Building,
Just completed and ready for occu-
pancy between Eighteenth and Nine
teenth. c and D streets. Eventually,
under the plan for developing q ma
jor concentration Of Federal buildings
around the center formed by inter-
section of New York and Virginia
avenues, there would be constructed
. smaller building Immediately to the
west Of the new Interior Department
Building.
Defects New York Avenue.
Under the present layout Of the
land Virginia avenue cuts of q small
diagonal slice from the northeast cor
ner Of the new War Department site
and New York avenue cuts OF q much
larger slice from the southeast corner
Of the site. Under the plan for de-
velopment Of the whole section it Is
proposed to defect" New York avenue
somewhat southwark 50 that It will
cut on only the same kind of . slice
from the southeast corner rs Virginia
avenue cuts OF the northeast corner.
In other words, this detection would
make the larger triangle of land be-
tween Twenty-first and Twenty-sec.
ond, G street and New York avenue.
about the same size Is the smaller
triangle now bounded by Twenty first,
Z streets and Virginia avenue.
Housed in 10 Buildings.
Tne war Department at present u
housed in 10 different buildings scat
tered throughout the District and
nearby Virginia. The ofice Of Sec
'fetary Of War Woodring. the Assistant
Secretary. chief Of stan, deputy chief
Of star and some other aides, tnclud-
ing total Of about 400 people. are
In the so-called State, War and Navy
Building at Seventeenth street and
Pennsylvania avenue. This eventually
= to be used only for the State De.
partment.
Adjacent to headquarters. across
the street In the Winder Building, At
Seventeenth and F streets. are located
the ofacea> Of the general stan. In
the big te{ porary Munitions Building.
on the NsA, The war DepaTtment has