Evening star., 1942-07-13
War Building
Will Be Ready
November IS
Arlington Pentogon
Will Cost Sc, 900, 900
Above Estimate
Nv NELSON M. SHEPARD.

war Department IN Arlington Is ex-
pected to be completed by November
is, months ahead of schedule, it was
disclosed today, but at cost Of ap-
proximately s6,0o0,000 In excess OF
earlier revised estimates.
Since April 30, when the first en-
ployes were moved six months ahead
of the original schedule, 1858 en-
ployes have been transferred from
widely scattered buildings to the
Arlington site. BY mid November
the Pentagon Building will have a
population of 10000, adding more
headaches to the war-swollen Cap
ital's traffic problems.
officials said today the mammoth
Building, now about two-thirds COM
pleted, will cost little more than
S31 900 900. 1t is not likely, however,
that a supplemental appropriation
will be necessary.
When the plan was first conceived
hy 1t. Gen. Brehon B. Somervell,
commander of the Army's Services
of Supply, who was then engineer
officer in charge of Army construc-
ton, the cost was estimated at S35,-
600, 900. Congress authorized that
amount. The public outcry against
the Arlington project, which was de-
signed as the largest building IN
the world" resulted in drastic slash
ing of plans. The War Department
then announced the revised cost
would be $25 100000.
Nearly Third Completed.
The House Appropriations Com
mittee said today that no request
has been made for supplemental
fund, nor was one anticipated. The
Increased building costs, it was ex-
planned, can be met from the con-
gressional authorization of 5,00O,-
600. Difficulties encountered In con-
struction, due to the contour OF the
land and the foundations, 1t was
said, no doubt account for the extra
s6 10000
Now that nearly a third of the
buildings overall capacity of 4,000,-
600 square feet of space Is finished,
different staffs of the War Depart
ment are moving in steadily. The
Ordnance Department was the first
to move in Portions OF the Head
quarters, Services of Supply, Signal
Corps and the Adjutant Generals
Office already are quartered there.
A new moving schedule was an
nounced today. During July 1881,
a large segment of Headquarters
Services of Supply, will be trans
ferred to it. The balance OF the
Signal Corps will be moved from
August LIS and the remainder OF
Gen. Somervells headquarters will
be shifted August 1881. Other
transfers will follow until at least
30,00o employees have been moved.
The building, when completed, will
bring together under a single roof
employees of the War Department
who are now distributed in "a other
buildings throughout the Washing
ton Metropolitan Area.
Moving "a Hours a Day.
When the Arlington project was
first proposed, it was thought that 1t
would be large enough to release all
other buildings occupied by the War
Department. The Army has ex-
panded so greatly since then, from
an estimate of 100000 by the end
of this year to 4,500 900 men, that no
set plan for administrative office
space can remain unchanged for
long. In another year or so, the
armed forces probably will be around
1000 900 men and the need for addi-
tional Office space in or around
Washington will be pressing, indeed
The ALLEGATION of Office space ir
the Pentagon Building is being
handled by the Adjutant Generals
Office under the direction of Johr
j. McCloy, Assistant Secretary Of
War. The actual moving is being
conducted by the Moving Section
Public Buildings Administration
Hundreds of employees are being usee
in the moving operations, the mos
extensive ever experienced here
. They are going forward on "a.
hour daily schedule.
The Army Ground Forces, under
command of 1t. Gen. L. j. McNair
is among the major groups that vii
not be involved in transfers to th'
Pentagon Building. That group vii
remain in its present location in th'
Army War College, although official
said it will be allotted space for 1t
representation in the Pentagol
Building in connection with Genera
Staff activities.
Big Traffic Headache.
When the great Arlington projec
is completed, it will have 2,487,9 "a
square feet of Office space, 1864
square feet of other types OF workln
space, and 7l4,750 square feet o
storage space. Space needed TO
building maintenance and relate
activities will bring the total t
about 100000 square feet.
Cafeterias. each having an area
1890 square feet. will be located o.
all floors. with ample provisions 10
soda fountains and other conces
sions.
Col. Clarence Renshaw, DistriC
engineer in charge of constructor
said traffic conditions have improve
steadily since the opening in Apri
The War Department conducts
l5-minute shuttle bus service be
tween the Munitions and Pentago
Buildings, but that service is M
available to every one. The big traff
headache will come when 10000 en-
ployes, many of whom are living
outlying sections on the Washingto
side of the Potomac. go back an
forth to work during rush hours.
There was still no official wol
today as to whether Secretary {
War Stimson would eventually mo'
his quarters to Arlington.