Evening star., 1941-07-26
BUILDING
Continued From First Page.)

worked down to the last details, it
was learned, and the airport owner,
the National Airport Corp. has been
told to vacate by September 2 to
make room for the Army. The War
Department thus will control ap-
proximately $50 acres of land be-
tween the southern extremity of the
old airport and Arlington Memorial
Bridge roadway.
How many persons will be drawn
TO the vast tract in addition to the
10000 who will work in the War
Department Building itself, could
not be learned Immediately. The
War Department declined to reveal
its plans for the area beyond what
was said yesterday about the new
s35 ,o0000 building.
Hesitant on Forecast.
The magnitude of the project and
Its ramiflcations into almost every
phase of public and civic life in Ar
lington County in particular and
nearby Virginia in general caused
officials working on the plans to
hesitate in making any forecasts
We don't know yet what all this
will mean" one official remarked.
1T is the biggest remodeling job in
a thickly populated and growing
community of this type that has
been undertaken during the pres
ent emergency
Mr.. Hanrahan said he was some
what "daZed" by the new project,
but expressed confidence that every
angle of the many-sided remodeling
task could be worked out.
A few of the needed changes were
suggested by the experience in con-
struction of Navy Building No. 2 at
Columbia Pike and Arlington Ridge
road, which was considered a large
project when first launched several
months ago and which caused con-
siderable increase in plans for en-
larging county utilities. 1t is de-
signed to accommodate about 5000
employees. one-eighth as many as
the new War Department structure.
OF first importance was the wide
ming of Columbia pike from the
present two lanes to four lanes at
cost of about S175,000, so per cent
of which is being borne by the Fed
eral Government and the remainder
by the State. Since it is only a
stones throw from the site of the
new War Department Building,
further widening of the pike doubt
less will be necessary, which Will
entail acquisition of additional rights
of way.
Because of the new Navy building
and large scale residential building
throughout the county, which dur
ing the last year reached nearly
$l5,OO0.000 the county was asking
for 100000 for new water mains
but this amount will be revised up
ward Immediately.
Another request for S250,000 for
an addition to the county incinera-
tor plant and a third bid for
S350.0O0 for sewer extension also
will have to be raised MANIFOLD to
accommodate the new building and
the increased population it is ex-
pected TO bring to the county.
100. 900 Population Forecast.
Mr.. Hanrahan said the population
Of the county was estima ted at about
10000 at the present time, but that
It probably would reach nearly l00.-
600 by the time the new building
program is completed. The 1910
census gave Arlington County, only
"a square miles in area, one of the
most thiCkly populated areas In the
country, a population of about ST.
07O.
The acquisition of additional
property adjoining and nearby the
Experimental Farm site, such as the
Washington airport and other prop
critics. will mean temporary loss
of revenue to the county. The taxes
paid on the airport alone were about
$4,000 a year. However, the in
creased valuation of other properties
now in the county and new building
in the near future should more than
make up any loss, 1t was claimed
Expenditure of s35 900, 900 on the
new War Department building in
Arlington County" Mr.. Hanrahan
explained, is only a part of the
money that eventually will be spent.