Evening star., 1937-01-28
Public Building Plans.

In connection with the need of large
public auditorium in Washington the
President the other day said that plan
Is being worked out for consideration by
the appropriations committees of Con-
gress looking toward long-view public
building program for Washington to be
developed on ten-year step-by step
basis. This new building program, he
stated, would be somewhat similar to
that in the Mall-Avenue triangle which
has resulted in the magnificent build
ings on Pennsylvania and Constitution
Avenues.
It is greatly to be hoped that such q
program will be developed and adopted
and that the necessary appropriative
legislation will be enacted at this present
session of Congress. The need of 1t has
been apparent for some years. The
Mall-Avenue triangle program has not
been completed owing to suspension of
appropriations for the construction Of
the remaining units included in the
original project. One Of them is now
under way at the "apex" Of the triangle.
Meanwhile the housing needs Of the
Government have been increased. Many
thousands more Government workers
are employed in this city-indeed some
Of them have had to be transferred to
Baltimore for lack of space here. Old
buildings are overcrowded. Some Of
them are OF the temporary" type, con-
structed during the war period to meet
the emergency Of a sudden great en-
largement Of the Government service at
the Capital.
Unless Q definite, comprehensive and
progressive project Of building emplace-
ment Is designed and is executed as
adopted, to be followed consistently and
uninterruptedly for a period Of years,
with appropriations assured for its con-
tinuous execution, there will be a
repetition Of the hit-and-miss experience
Of the war period, when necessity re-
quired the taking Of sites even in the
parks without regard to any definite
grouping plan. These needs must be met.
1t is assured that the Government
personnel in Washington will not ap-
preciably diminish. Every consideration
Of economy requires the immediate
adoption Of a broad plan which will
comprise provision for all the present
and Immediately prospective require
ments Of the public service.
There is no real economy in unrelated
building emplacement, design or con-
struction. A hundred million dollar
expenditure for permanent buildings
erected without reference to any system
Of relationship is in large measure q
waste Of public funds, whereas twice that
amount spent in the development OF Q
specific program would be an economy.
There are two areas within which new
Government construction should be
placed to accord with the broad plan
Of Capital maintenance. These are the
southern flank of the Mall and the region
north Of Constitution Avenue, now in
part occupied by the Department of the
Interior and somewhat definitely al
located for the future War and Navy
Departments. Any project that may be
adopted should be based upon the use
Of these spaces, which have relation to
existing constructions and to Govern
ment activities.
It Is to be hoped that differences Of
opinion as to location, design and cost Of
the new buildings which are now
urgently needed and which should be
included in the present plan of ten
year step-by-step program will not be
permitted to cause delay, as in the past,
but that Congress, on the advice and
recommendation of the President, will
proceed speedily with the enactment Of
the requisite authorization and the pro-
vision Of the necessary funds to set this
often postponed federal project in
motion.