Evening star., 1944-08-02
New Navy Home
Project Again
Being Studied
Potomac River Site
Likely for Huge
Postwor Building
BY HAROLD B. ROGERS.

The ong-pending proposal for .
new Navy Department home on the
banks of the Potomac River north
of Constitution avenue NV, has
been placed under new, intensive
study by Government agencies, a.
one of the first and greatest projects
for postwar Washington.
President Roosevelt, an ardent
mariner and a former Assistant Sec
retary Of the Navy, is known to be
interested In providing for the Navy
q great and dignifled department
building in keeping with the impor-
tance and distinction Of this great
fighting arm Of the United States.
Widely Scattered Now.
The Navy now Is housed in some
Of the most inappropriate structures
Of any Of the principal departments
Of the Government. Its headquar-
tiers formerly was In the old State,
War and Navy Building at Seven
teenth and Pennsylvania avenue
NV, from which 1t was moved in
the First World War. Now the Navy
ofhces are scattered throughout a
series of temporary buildings, which
are destined TO be torn down as
soon as possible after Sthe war.
Hence the pressure for a new Navy
home after the close Of hostilities.
Studies for the new Navy build.
ing are being carried on by tho
reorganized Public Buildings Admin.
istration of the Federal Works
Agency, which has been given the
specific task Of planning for future
housing Of the Federal Government.
1t will confer, of course, with the
Navy.
Congress recently appropriated
$500, 600 for research on design,
building materials, and for a survey
of the whole country as to postwar
space needs of the Government.
This includes the needs of the Ma.
tional Capital.
Much Progress Made.
Already the survey has made SUBJ
stantial progress in the matter of
inquiry into suggestions for i'm
provements in design and construc-
ton of public buildings. From the
eight district engineers of the Pub
lie Buildings Administration have
come thousands of constructive pro-
posals for improvements.
The proposal for a new Navy De-.
partment home is only one of sew
eral plans for future Federal build.
ings for Washington which will be
studied by the PBA, and by ofIicials
who are to be housed in new homes.
The Navy proposal reached the
stage OF legislation in June, 1899.
when bill was introduced providing
for building on the Potomac River
site. The measure estimated the
cost at $23.466, 900. Hearings were
held by the House Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds. But
the bill never was enacted.
The Government already own,
much Of the site which was outlined
in the bill, but considerable valuable
property would have to be acquired
before the big new Navy Depart.
ment could be located there.
Would Affect Brewery.
Whether the original site will be
large enough is another question
which will have to be considered.
The original site was bounded by
the Potomac River, Constitution
avenue, Twenty third street and p
street NV. 1t may be too small for
the project.
Most of the proposed site is COW
cred by temporary Government
buildings which could be cleared
away after the war. But the big
gest piece of privately owned prop
erty IN the area which would have
to be taken by the Government is
the Heurich Brewery.
Among the original proposals in
connection with the new Navy De-
partment building was the con-
struction of a pool near the shore
OF the Potomac for tying up some
OF the most historic ships of the
Navy, including the Constitution.
now at Boston Navy Yard.