Evening star., 1945-10-26
Annex Planned
For Post Office
In Buildings Bill
Addition to Structure
At Union Station to
Cost $3.50, 900
BY RUDOLPH KAUFMAN II.

BY RUDOLPH KAUFMAN II.
An additional building today was
included in the Administrations
postwar Federal buildings bill-an
annex to the Washington City Post
Office, to be built at the east side
of Union Station at cost of $5,-
CSC, 1000.
The new project was inserted in
the bill by w. E. Reynolds, public
buildings commissioner, during
hearings on the measure before the
House Public Buildings and Grounds
Committee.
The bill already provides for ap-
proximately $l7O,000,0OO worth OF
new Federal buildings in and near
the District.
Fourth Assistant Postmaster. Gen.
eral Walter Myers and Washington
City Postmaster Vincent c. Burke
testified the postal business ir
Washington has caused the post
ofhce completely to outgrow its
present building at the west side OF
Union Station.
Suggested rewording of the bill to
permit purchase in a single trans
action of all land needed for the
long-sought development of East
Capitol street was placed in the
record today by Mr.. Reynolds.
He proposed that the bill, which
at present merely signifies intent te
locate future buildings in the East
Capitol street area, authorize in.
stead wholesale purchase of all land
not already in Government posses
sion, extending from the Capitol to
the Anacostia River, between g
streets NE. and Sc.
The amendment Is worded so as
to provide for continued use of the
land by present occupants on a lease
basis until Government BUILDING
actually gets under way. The
amendment also Stipulates that the
District be reimbursed for the re-
sulting tax losses and that public
service costs be betrayed out of rent
receipts.
The land in question Is now as
sessed at $19,100,897 of which SIT
659,888 is taxable, 1,439 ,267 is ex-
empt and $1,742 is in District owner
ship.
Revenues from the land amount
to little over $1,000 900 annually
There are 13 churches and two pri-
yate schools in the area. The only
large building is the Capital Tran.
sit Co.'S car barn near Lincoln Park
Whether the committee would
sponsor this revolutionary departure
from past practice in purchasing
land for Government buildings is
uncertain. However, in the last
lew days some members have taken
the attitude it would be a good busi-
ness proposition, likely to save the
Government much money in the
long run.
In other suggested amendments
TO the bill, Mr.. Reynolds proposed
a $750,000 increase in the cost of
the West Central heating plant. un-
der construction near the mouth of
Rock Greek and for which $1,000
600 already has been appropriated
He also suggested changing the
designation of the socalled War De-
partment building at Twenty-first
street and Virginia avenue NV. to
that of General Federal Ofice
Building"
The suggestion for the removal
OF the War Department" label
from the building, which the bill
proposes to expand to three times
its present size, was prompted by
reluctance on the part of committee
members to attempt getting House
APPROVAL on more Army office space
than is already provided by the
Pentagon.
Earlier testimony had brought out
that the Veterans Administration
rather than the Army, would be
principal occupant of the new build.
ing and that overall space require.
ments, rather than the needs of the
War Department alone, prompted
request for enlarging the building