Evening star., 1940-10-18
No Rate Chance
Seen With New
Gas Building
12-Story Structure
Plans Approved by
Utilities Body

Plans by the Washington Gas
Light Co. to erect a 81 1897 900 gen.
eral Offices building for its use at
the southwest corner of Eleventh
and H streets NV, approved yes
terday by the Public Utilities Com
mission. will in no wise disturb con-
sumer rates Of the company. COM
mission officials said.
In fact. the commission was ad-
vised that the company plans to
rent out three or four floors Of the
projected 12-story building. with
some hope that the net cost of its
new home should be even somewhat
less per year than the present quar-
ters. It was added that the COM
pany plans to sell its Tenth street
property, its principal offices.
BY the time the company moves
into its new quarters, the value
placed on its old properties will be
written of, and new figure added
for the new company Office building.
Involves 81 1000, 900 Loan.
The project is to be financed
through loan of $1,000, 900 with the
Acacia Mutual Life Insurance CO.
to the James Baird Co., Inc, con-
struction engineers, which will erect
the structure, the loan to be assumed
by the gas company upon transfer
Of title to the property by the con.
struction concern. The balance of
the cost Of the project is to be paid
out OF the general funds Of the
company.
The $1,000 900 loan is to mature
In Is years, bear interest at 3.5
per cent, payable quarterly; will be
redeemable. after 10 years on six
months notice. without premium;
the loan to be amortized at the
rate of 25 per cent per year, pay
able quarterly.
Limestone Facing.
The new structure will be of steel
and masonry. The outer faces will
be of limestone, in keeping with
many Government buildings Two
main entrances-one each on
Eleventh and H streets-will afford
the principal approaches. The
building will embody modern con-
veniences. including complete air
conditioning
AS to architectural style, it is
best described as a modern Office
building erected with efficiency the
main purpose. company officials
said. Jarrett c. White and Leon
Chatelain, jr., are the architects.
Offlcials said approval of the
building was given last week by
the Board Of Directors. the idea
having been under consideration
since early summer.
Hope for 1941 Occupancy.
Company officials said they hoped
to be able to move into the build
ing within a year of January l..
One effect of having a new build
ing will be to bring under one roof
three Offices of the company now
operating in different. parts of the
city in rented space
The company's appliance and
customers accounting Offices are
now at Thirteenth and F streets
NV, where about $50 employees
work About 100 more employees
are working for the sales depart
ment and Home Service Bureau at
1889 Wisconsin avenue NV. The
main Office is at All Tenth street
NV. The building will contain
approximately $4,000 square feet of
usable Office space.
The company placed the maxi
mum cost of the whole project at
not more than $1,387 900, but said
the price to be paid to the con-
tractor, including costs for lapd,
building and contractors fee, would
be limited to $1,327,OO The addi-
tional $4,000 cost was said at the
commission Office to be for a fee
for the architect and incidental
expenses Of the gas concern.