Evening star., 1941-04-21

Inc DlSLrlcJ commissioners JOOay
agreed to all0t approximately one
half of the space in the east build
ing Of the new Municipal Center for
temporary use by the War Depart
ment
Tentative arrangements for the
occupancy were worked out at a
conference between the city heads
and Clay J. Guthridge. chief of plan
ming and space control of the Public
Buildings Administration.
After the conference, Mr.. Guth-
ridge told reporters that the Munich
pal Center Offices turned over to the
War Department would be used by
the Quartermaster Generals Depart
ment. He said upward of 1000 en-
ployes probably would be assigned
space there.
The question of remuneration and
other details of the temporary
Arrangement are to be worked out
as soon as Mr. Guthridge reports to
Federal Works Administrator John
M Carmody on the agreement
reached today.
Space Evenly Divided.
The Commissioners said the District
would retain for itself only those
Offices in which special facilities
have been provided The 225,000
square feet of space in the $780, 900
structure will be divided about
evenly by the District and the War
Department.
Mr. Guthridge emphasized that
the space would not be needed
longer than six months He eX-
planned that request had been made
of the District for emergency spacs
pending erection of a series of tenn
porary Government buildings, for
which provision was made in the
fifth deficiency bill.
Mr.. Guthridge said the possibility
| of requisitioning the new drill hall
of the National Guard Armory, being
erected at the foot of East Capitol
street, still is under consideration.
About a week ago a COMMITTEES
representing the Federal Works
Agency talked to the Commissioners
about the possibility of requisition-
ing part of the Municipal Center
Building, and the city heads made
an alternate proposal that the arm
ory drill hall be turned over to the
Federal Government temporarily.
Police Will Move In.
Municipal agencies which will not
be affected by the Governments
temporary use of the structure are
the Police Department, Department
of Vehicles and Traffic, Health De-
partment'S laboratories. the Refuse
Division, the fire marshal and the
fire staff.
A number of other District agen-
cies which had been scheduled to
move in to the East building in
June will be forced to wait until
the Quartermaster Generals De-
partment has been provided other
office space. Employees of the @. M.
D. now are located in the Railroad
Retirement and Social Security
Board Buildings.
Among the District agencies which
will be kept out of the Municipal
Center temporarily are the Public
Welfare Department, including the
public assistance division: the
Fairgrounds and Community Gen.
ter Departments. the Insurance De-
partment, Weights and Measures
Department. Minimum Wage Board,
and all of the Health Department
except the laboratories. There is
some possibility that the Board Of
Barber Examiners and the Cosmo-
tology Board may be able to move
into the building as soon as it is
completed.
The Commissioners said they were
making effort to cooperate with the
Federal Government in finding space
for defense agencies.
The East building, first unit of the
Municipal Center development. is
being constructed with funds pro-
vided in 1888 by the s18,150,00O P.
w. A. program for the District.