Evening star., 1946-05-05
Pentagon Nears
Capacity Due 10
Army Unit Shifts
8 D. c. Buildings
May Be Vacated
By December
BY Nelson M. Shepord

Recent moves of Army units from
downtown buildings to the Penta-
gon, have filled its 2,044 ,03s square
Ieet OF office space almost to capa-
city, but officials said yesterday the
war Department hopes to vacate
eight remaining buildings leased
from owners by December.
This can be accomplished, it was
believed, through the process of
Army rehabilitation which will re-
lease space now occupied in the
Pentagon by units ordered discon-
unued or reduced in personnel.
A Pentagon survey revealed yes
terday that by the end of this week,
when more units are moved into it
from the Munitions Building, the
huge headquarters building will be
accommodating approximately 29,-
800 employees. This would compare
with We day peak of 31,500, the
records showed.
As Buildings Still Used.
Even so, officials said, the War
Department still has space in As
buildings in the immediate Washing
ton area as against 81 in May year
ago. This brings up the oft-heard
question, when can the Pentagon
ever be able to fulfill its original
mission of housing all War Depart
ment activities in Washington under
one roof? The answer is: No one
really knows now.
The War Department in the last
three weeks has vacated, or is in the
process of vacating five leased build
ings downtown and has made con-
siderable headway for a month inI
moving Army units from the NUM-
tions Building. AS space becomes
available these units are being
moved into the Pentagon. Event.
ually the Veterans Administration
will take over the entire 534,139
square feet of Munitions space.
Approximately $4,000 square feet of
office, record and storage space have
been released in the five buildings
just vacated. The premises are 1924
street NV. formerly occupied by
suboffices of the Office of the Secre-
tary OF War; 1401 K street NV, the
Tower Building, where unit of the |
Army Service Forces occupied $3.50
square feet, and the old Hill g. Tib-
belts Building, which was occupied
by unit of the Stragetic Services.
Other buildings are those at 1916
twentieth street NV, also occupied
by the Strategic Services, and 300 I
street NV, in which the Finance
Office and the Office of the Secretary
of War occupied 41,178 square feet.
The latter building, however, will
not be completely vacated until Sep
tember.
8 Buildings To Be Vacated.
Officials said 1t is hoped" the
Army will be completely moved out
OF the Munitions Building by De-
cember. How soon the buildings
recently vacated, or so slated, may
become available to Washington
firms or professional men now seek
Ing Office space is problematical.
Government departments will have
priority on them if additional Fed
eral space is required.
The eight buildings which the
War Department hopes to vacate
by the end of the year are the
following premises:
601 Charming road NE, 300 II
street NE, go Florida avenue NV,
2 New York avenue NV, the
Fowler warehouse in Rosslyn, Va.
4809 Bethesda avenue NV. and
4813 Bethesda avenue NV. Some
are devoted almost wholly to
records and storage of supplies and
equipment.
; The last official census of the Pen
tagon gave .26,50O personnel six
months ago, the lowest level since
the building was filled. Offlcials
said it would be impossible to ac-
commodate more than $4,000 with
out sacrificing comfort and effic-
iency.
The individual desk space for the
10000 War Department personnel
now in Washington ranges from 70
to 81 square feet Before the war
the Government usually tried to
figure on 100 square feet per person.
The average Pentagonian occupies
SO square feet of desk space and in
the Munitions Building it was said
the figure now is IA square feet.