Evening star., 1946-01-21
u. ). Office Rentals
To Be Cut Heavily,
Budget Reveals

Approximately 100000 square
feet of leased office space here will
be relinquished by the Government
during the next fiscal year, Presi-
dent Truman estimated in his
budget message to Congress today.
The space would help alleviate
overcrowded Office conditions here
it is believed. None of the Office
space turned over to the Govern
ment during the expansion
years has been released to date, de-
spite reductions in the total of
Federal employees in the Capital.
Occupies 100000 Square Feet.
AS Of December 81, 1945. the Fed
eral Government occupied 7,000,000
square feet of leased space in and
near the District.
AS result of the Office space re-
ductions the Governments bill for
rents and utilities in and near the
District will be reduced from S.
825 900 to Stool, TAO, a saving of
81, ,735, ,260, the budget message esti-
mated.
President Truman told Congress
he will delay asking appropriations
for the Federal Governments multi
million-dollar postwar building pro-
gram until Congress passes legisla-
ton authorizing the program.
The future program is incorpo-
rated in H. r. 4276. now under con-
sideration by the House Committee
on Public Buildings and Grounds, 1t
would authorize construction over a
period Of years of about 5000, 900 900
worth of permanent Federal Office
and other public buildings in and
near the District At the same time
it would provide for a shelf" of
building projects throughout the
country with which to fight future
periods Of unemployment.
Hearings Are Planned.
Chairman Lanham, of the House
committee, said today he would
probably hold executive hearings on
the measure week after next before
reporting 1t to the House floor.
Repair fund requests for expendi-
ture in and near the District by the
Public Buildings Administration are
81 500, 900, three times last years fig
ure of s50o,oo0.
Repair program funds are asked
to correct enforced neglect of Fed
eral Office buildings necessitated by
the war and represent the first in
stallment on a repair program which
is due to extend over a period of
years both In Washington and
throughout the country. Repair es-
Inmates for buildings outside the
District are increased from $4,000 900
to $1o,o0o,o00 for the next fiscal
year.
Advance Planning Proceeds.
Until the postwar program has
been authorized by Congress the
Public Buildings Administration is
clearing path for it by advance
planning and by preparing a series
of manuals to aid architects, engi-
neers and contractors who will par
ticipate.
The program, If approved, will
outclass anything 10 the way Of
building programs tae Capital has
yet seen. 1t calls for construction of
new State and Navy Department
buildings, extension Of the new War
Department building, Treasury and
Interior Department annexes, two
museums for the Smithsonian In
stitution, a General Accounting Of
flee building in addition to that al
ready authorized, general purpose
Office building, a PBA maintenance
building, City Post Office annex,
two storage buildings for archives
and would grant authority to pur-
chase all the land between B streets
NE. and Sc. from First street east
to the Anacostia River for the de-
velopment Of East Capitol street.
The PBA expects to spend $6,100.-
600, which already has been appro-
priated, for construction of the new
GAO building in the block north Of
the Old Pension Once at Fifth and
G streets NV. and completion of
the west central heating plant at
! Rock Creek and K streets NV.