Evening star., 1939-06-14
Vinson Offers Bill
For $23,4@,000 for
Navy Buildings
Museum and Berths for
Four Historic Ships
Included in Plan

Chairman Vinson of the House
Naval Affairs Committee today in
troduced bill authorizing construc-
ton in Washington of new build
ings for the Navy Department at q
cost not to exceed $23, ,466, 900.
The project. Representative Vim
son explained, contemplates two
building units comparable to those
already authorized to house the War
Department, and in addition a
naval museum and berthing for
four historic vessels of the Navy.
The site contemplated is between
Twenty-fifth street and the Poto-
mac River, south of F street NV,
in the vicinity of the present Navy
Hospital.
The Navy museum and the his
toric vessels along the water front.
Chairman Vinson pointed out, will
aud point of interest for sight
seers. The ship berthings on the
river side of the Potomac drive
way are intended to give a perma-
nent home to four vessels repre-
senting four wars.
The Constellation will represent
the War of 1872; the Hartford, the
Civil War; the Olympia, Admiral
Dewey's famous flagship. the Span
American War, and a World
War destroyer. The Constellation
was chosen, Chairman Vinson said,
rather than the Constitution, since
the latter, now at Boston, is def
nitely identified with that city.
The berthings would carry out
project on which Chairman Cochran
OF the Expenditures Committee has
been working for nearly 10 years.
This building project for the Navy,
according to Chairman Vinson, will
provide adequate quarters for the
last of the executive departments
needing adequate quarters.
The Navy building group would be
located between the present Naval
Hospital site and the Potomac River
and would include the site of the
Heurich Brewing Co. plant and other
buildings adjoining the Rock Creek
and Potomac Parkway.
The project, to be spread over a
period of years, would include a de-
partmental building facing Consti-
tuition avenue between the Naval
Hospital site and the Potomac River;
the naval musetm building facing
the river; an underground garage;
ship berths for the permanent hous-
ing of historically important naval
vessels; connecting tunnels between
the buildings, and relocation of
Potomac drive.
The site proposed for the building
group already has been tentatively
approval for this purpose by the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission as a part Of its per-
manent development plan for Con-
stitution avenue.
In his letter transmitting the bill
to the Speaker, Mr.. Gibbons ex-
planned that the Navy Department
building group is "the next major
project in order in the public build
ings program" for the National Cap
ital, following the War Department
group, for which initial funds al
ready have been appropriated.
The Navy group, he explained,
will provide "a harmonizing con-
tinuation" of the public buildings in
the northwest rectangle. This rect
angle includes the Interior Depart
ment and the New War Department
groups and other buildings north
of Constitution avenue between
Eighteenth street and the Potomac
River.
Mr.. Gibbons explained that the
Navy Department is in urgent need
of new quarters, not only because
Of the naval expansion program, but
also because its present temporary
building, constructed 81 years ago
for World War occupancy, is unit
for present requirements. The cost
Of maintaining the present quarters,
the Treasury Department said. is
iucreaaing at IN iuordinate rata"