Evening star., 1940-08-25
Buildinq
Continued From First Page.)

south on Third street to D street,
and back by way of Second street
to Independence.
was said, to provide adequate trans
portation for persons working in the
new Census Bureau Building and
those who will take up defense work
in the two new structures for use by
the National Defense Commission
and the War Department.
Two new structures previously
eliminated fro impending legislation,
are likely to come up again in Con-
gress in the near future. They are a
big new storage-type building for a
site across the Potomac River in
nearby Virginia and an additional
heating plant.
The present central heating plant
in Southwest Washington has
reached its capacity in furnishing
heat to q large number Of Federal
buildings through the downtown
section, including the White House.
Consequently it is considered neces-
sary to plan another central heating
plant. A previous bill proposed a
heating plant to cost $1,000 900.
The new storage-type building
would be so designed that it could be
adapted for office use during an
emergency and later used for stor-
age and files. An item for such a
building, to cost $3.200.000. was
eliminated in Congress some time
ago.
Rental Bill Increased.
Recent reports show that the Gov
ernment increased its annual rental
bill since May by more than half a
million dollars a year.
Construction Of many Government
buildings is forging ahead through
out Washington and in nearby
Maryland and Virginia. -
Next to be occupied is the struc-
ture originally intended for the
Railroad Retirement Board. located
in the Southwest. between Third
and Fourth, c and D streets. Cost
ing about 100000 and delayed
several times by a series of strikes
the building is expected to be ready
for use about September IS. 1t will
be occupied by the Defense Com
mission, no whoused temporarily in
the home of the Federal Reserve
Board on Constitution avenue.
A larger structure nearby costing
about $40 900 900. originally designed
for the Social Security Board, will
be used by the War Department
At least three floors of this struc-
ture, which also was delayed by
several strikes. will be ready by
October Is. and the rest of the
building by about November /. This
building occupies the area between
independence avenue, Third and
Fodrth and c streets S.W.
Both of these buildings will sup
ply a total Of about million square
feet.
The new streetcar line will pass
by the Third street side of these two
buildings and the D street side of
the new Census Building, which lies
between Second and Third streets
At present, this area is being served
by bus, but the bus lines are consid-
cred inadequate in view of the large
number of additional Government
workers who soon viii! be going to
work in the Southwest
Many Methods Studied.
Onicials concerned with the trans
portation needs of the area are
known to have studied many meth
ods. They decided upon the plan
for tracks as the most feasible.
Agreeing to the proposal were the
National Park and Planning Com
mission. the Public Utilities Commits
sion. Public Buildings Administration
OF the Federal Works Agency and
the Capital Transit Co..
Independence avenue will have to
be widened to carry both streetcars
and the increased automobile traffic
expected. The avenue itself is not
cut through in its entirety between
First street and Seventh street,
where the new tracks will be laid
The section between Fourth street
and Sixth street. formerly occupied
by big block of buildings. was
razed and turned into a park area
when the Mall was Strengthened out
some years ago.
Other national defense construc-
ton under way includes the new
War Department Building, near the
Naval Hospital in Northwest, and
one additional story which is being
erected over each of the 13 wings
OF the War Department and NUM-
tions Buildings along Constitution
avenue. Contract for the new floors
was let in July and the schedule
calls for completion about October
IS. The old buildings had been
sinking into the soft underground
Of the Mall for several years since
thew uyere ArAcfAd for ,,sa hnfor> ~ a