Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-09-23
Reynolds Wants
u. .Agenciesin
Own Buildings
Fovors Permanent
Offices to Replace
Temporary Units
BY RUDOLPH KAUFMAN.

BY RUDOLPH KAUFMAN.
Public Buildings Commissioner w.
=. Reynolds said yesterday he favors
immediate construction of perma-
nent buildings to house Federal
agencies now occupying rented or
temporary buildings.
In an interview Mr.. Reynolds told
The Star he thought the chances of
building permanent homes soon for
these agencies are good"
Within the next few months, or
perhaps sooner, he said he expects
the Federal Government to make
a basic choice between the two
methods of taking care of Uncle
Sans offlce-space problem in WASH
ington.
Hopes to Avoid Mistakes.
There will be those, Mr.. Reynolds
said, who will take a short view of
the situation and advocate continued
use of rented and temporary build
lngs to save the taxpayers the
initial cost of permanent construc-
ton. But, he said, he felt that the
mistakes made after the World
War in the public building field
would not be repeated.
Another who advocated that the
Federal Government launch a build
ing program to house it's agencies
here was Representative Coffee,
Democrat, Of Washington, who
heads the District Appropriations
Subcommittee of the House. He
proposed that the Government get
busy, and soon," with construction
program.
He approached the subject from
the angle that the District govern
ment had been imposed upon by
the Federal Government in the
housing of Federal agencies in Dis
trict buildings.
Should Have Started Earlier.
Under war necessity" he said.
the District has been given some
pretty rough treatment in the con-
tinued occupancy of District gov
eminent buildings. Even though
there was necessity during the
war to take over such space, l think
the Government might have done
some building before and since the
war started"
Mr.. Reynolds, in his advocacy of a
building program, said permanent
construction will save the taxpayers
millions of dollars in the long run.
He reasons thus:
The Government now spends
about $4,000 a year to rent pri-
vately owned Office space. II it
continues to occupy temporary
buildings it will run into mounting
maintenance costs.
II it builds substantial permanent
structures, he estimates that In IS
years their expense will be paid of
by savings resulting from the dis
continuance OF rent payments and
high maintenance costs
Argument on Policy.
1t is this argument which he says
he hopes will convince those who
might be inclined to be penny wise
but dollar foolish
1t took more than 20 years. he
pointed out yesterday, to rid the
Mall and similar areas of temporary
buildings put up in the World War
at time when Washington was be-
ginning to emerge as the city its
founding fathers had intended 1t to
be-a home for the Government,
combining impressive beauty with
utility and permanence. At least
four of these buildings still are with
us, he said-the Navy and NUM-
tons Buildings and temporary
structures Immediately west of the
new Interior Building and near
Fourth street in the Mall.
Spokesman for the Office of Ma.
tional Capital Parks yesterday
agreed with Mr.. Reynolds and said
they "anticipated' that as soon as
President Truman officially declares
the war is over all temporary build
ings on park land would be torn
down and the land on which they
stand, some 90 acres, returned to
park use.
Views Voiced Repeatedly.
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission and National
Commission of Fine Arts have gone
on record often as favoring per-
manent structures for the Govern.
ment.
The parks Office, which lists 100
different activities of a nonpark ma
ture for which land was loaned on
permit during the war, and the plan
ming and fine arts commissions
fought tooth and nail during the
years OF peace to have the situation
corrected. But they made little
headway until the depression of the
SOS and the Roosevelt administra-
ton combined to push through tho
present Mall development and other
improvements.
Mr.. Reynolds said yesterday he
hopes to be able to tear down the
So temporary structures built since
1910 as well as relics of the World
war as soon as possible, under .
system OF priorities which wo,,,o
start from the Lincoln Memorial
and Rejecting Pool areas and work
east.
Permits for use of park land for
temporary structures (the aioritv
are on park lan6 expire either on
the date the war Officially is declared
over. or six months to a year there
after. wa
Concurrently Mr.. Reynolds hone,
70 get a green light from the adj
ministration and Congress for con.
struction of high-priority perman-
ent buildings with completion of the
new War Department Offices.
Twenty-second street and Virginia
avenue NV, and construction of a
new Navy building west of TWENTY
tnlro street NV, and a new State
Department building.
He described these three as the
kingpins in the building program.
Once they are finished" he re-
marked, I'VE will be able to see the
light"
Baptist Religious Census