Evening star., 1942-01-04
State Department Annex DOOms Historic Buildings
By John Clagett Proctor.

By John Clagett Proctor.
II everything goes as planned. new
Federal building will soon be begun ir
square 167, just to the north Of vha1
is known as the State War and Navy
Building, and which will probably be
used by the Department Of State. In
deed, the occupants of the property
along Seventeenth street from Penn
sylvania avenue to H street, and those
controlling an interest in property for
some distance east of Seventeenth street
and Pennsylvania avenue. and the own
ers of property on H street, east Of the
corner of Seventeenth street to the De-
catur residence, are said to have been
given notice to vacate the property by
the coming January S.
This means that the Court Of Claims,
which occupies the early Corcoran Gal
lery of Art Building, must soon move
elsewhere. and the occupants OF 7l5 and
TIT Seventeenth street, and the Lotus
Lantern Lunch and the intervening
parking station must seek quarters in
some other place, If this is possible The
tenants occupying the old Davidge resi-
dence, at the southeast corner Of Seven
teenth and H streets, are similarly
effected, as Is the realty company and
the parking station to the east. In
other words, almost the entire east half
OF this square is to be taken by the Gov
ernment and new building erected on
the site.
Generally speaking. and SO far as
known, there are now but three of the
early structures standing on the ground
to be taken. which includes the Court of
Claims Building, before mentioned. the
Davidge house and the Linkins realty
Office. where was once the Hobbs resi-
dence. and the Court of Claims, which
is OF first importance.
Old Corcoran Gallery
The latter structure was commenced
in 1859 by Washington's noted philan-
thropist. w. w. Corcoran, and when it
was nearing completion and the Civil
War coming on, it was taken over by the
Government, and from 1861 to 1869 was
occupied by the quartermaster general,
United States Army. From the begin
ming 1t was said the building was being
erected for the Art Union, but the
chances are that Mr. Corcoran supplied
all the funds for the building and
grounds, and here he housed his art
collections. which had formerly had a
setting in a special wing of his resi-
dence, which stood on the corner of H
street and Connecticut avenue, where
is now located the National Chamber of
Commerce Prior to this Mr.. Corcoran,
together with Mr.. j. C. Mcclure, had
his paintings in gallery attached to
Mr. McGuire's home at 6l2 E street
northwest. which is still standing.
The private opening of the art gallery,
where is now the Court of Claims, took
place January 10, 1874, and the entire
building thrown open to the public in the
following December. On Washington's
birthday anniversary, 1872, grand ball
was given in the building for the benefit
Of the Washington Monument.
The building and the grounds cost the
donor s250,000 and the value of the COL
lection Of statutes and pictures with
which the gallery was started, 100000
more Says an old account:
1T is in the renaissance style, and has
frontage Of 104 feet on Pennsylvania
avenue and 12412 feet on Seventeenth
street. The exterior is constructed of
brick, with facings, trimmings and orna-
ments of Belleville freestone The front
on Pennsylvania avenue is divided into a
central pavilion with curtain on either
side, and flanked by two other pavlions,
one on either corner and divided into
two stories. The central pavilion has
vermiculated quoins in the corner, and
these inclose the grand entrance door
with carved jamb and arch. overtopped
with fierce tigers heads, in relieve. The
anticom Of the first story is simple in
design and detail and at the same time
with the massiveness of the
luoins at the corners of the building
The second story of the central pa
vilion consists of an arched recess. The
span between the import and the sufit
Of the arch is filled with decorations, and
contains the monogram Of the founder,
with carved wreaths and en-
scrollments. Just beneath this there is
palladium window, with fluted pilasters
and columns and capitals, expressing
American foliage, exquisitely carved. In
the arch are two wreaths, encircling
various implements Of painting and
sculpture.
The central pavilion is fanked on
either side by two fluted columns, with
capitals representing the broad leaves
and fruit of the cornstalk. These sup
port an entablature, on which are
trophies. representing the arts. on the
frieze of the central pavilion; and on
this are inscribed the words, Dedicated
to Art The cornice over this has
pediment, in the tympanum Of which Is
base relief, representing the genius of
painting. surrounded by figures embla-
matical of the sister arts.
The entire structure is surrounded by
an imposing mansard roof, carried 10
feet higher than the ordinary roof of the
building. The architects were James
Renwick, jr., and r. T. Auchmuty of
New York The cost of the building
was S150000.
THE entrance is on Pennsylvania ave-
nue. and opens into a vestibule Is by %
feet, from which lead the broad stairs to
the second story. These stairs are of
freestone, 10 feet wide. On each side
are passages 81a feet wide, leading to the
sculpture hall The stairs and halls are
lighted by two courts.