Evening star., 1948-08-20
Plans Rushed
For r22-MiIIion
GA0Bui|dinq
Contract May Be Let
In Late Fall; Structure
To House All of Stuff
By Nelson M. Shepard

After years OF delay, the new
s22,850, 900 home for the General
Accounting Once actually will be-
gin rising in the next few months
out Of the huge fenced-in crater dug
before World War II at Fifth and
G streets NV.
Completion of this modern struc-
ture for the worlds greatest auditing
house, officials pointed out today,
will bring about march OF prog
ress to a somewhat blighted area
within a few blocks of Union Sta
ton. The building will occupy all
of the square bounded by G, H,
Fourth and Fifth streets NV, ex-
cept the northwest portion, where
St. Marys Catholic Church will be
left undisturbed.
Commissioner w. E. Reynolds Of
the Public Buildings Administra-
ton is rushing plans and specifica-
tions to corApletion. He expects 1t
will be possible to let the construc-
ton contract in late fall or early
winter. The GAO building, which
will accommodate the widely scat
tered staff under one roof, will be
a PBA project from start to finish.
Nearly 100000 Square Feet.
The 995,6O0 square feet of usable
office and filing space provided In
the plans should be sufficient for
about 5000 employees. The addition
of such a large population load to
a neighborhood already crowded is
going to present formidable auto
mobile parking problems for Dis
trict officials.
Plans for the new building include
a basement garage for 300 cars.
That will go a long way toward
caring for the GAO personnel, espe-
cially il share ride" program
is instituted. The new building,
however, is expected to create de-
mand for additional services in the
neighborhood, and PBA ofnclals
predict a small business boom.
The District Motor Vehicle Agency
Is fully aware of the situation that
will be created when the GAO build
ing is completed and is making
studies Of the area, with a view
toward working out the parking
troubles.
The project is one Of the largest
the PBA has undertaken in some
wears. Mr.. Reynolds and Maj. Gen.
Philip B. Fleming. administrator OF
the Federal Works Agency, have
been working on it for years. One
obstacle after another was en-
countered.
Triangle Site Considered.
For awhile it was thought the
building would be erected in the So
called Northwest triangle in the
vicinity of the Munitions Building.
Finally, in 1941, the project had ad--
vanced so far that Congress au-
thorized it's construction on the
present site, and sufficient funds
were appropriated to draw up pre-
liminary plans and dig the huge
hole. In the seven years number
of fairly good sized trees have grown
in the crater, and the fence has
become delapidated.
PBA, in planning for the building,
was careful not to interfere with
St. Marys Church, which has stood
there for years. The building will
be seven stories high, with large
penthouse, and will be built of lime
stone. 1t will extend 638 feet on G
street, 470 feet on H street, 388 feet
on Fourth street and ITO feet on
Fifth street, where the church is.
Without Wings or Courts.
Designed without wings or inner
courts, it will be the largest single
block-type building in Washington.
On one side it will front the his
toric Pension Building, now hous-
ing part of GAO's operations.
The site had been purchased.
cleared and excavated for the new
building when preparations for war
caused suspension of the project.
For a while it looked as if the
new Federal Courts Euilding might
ne erected there, but GAO's prior
right to the site was .s5held by
Congress.
Mr.. Reynolds said the block-type
building was decided upon for two
main reasons: First, to get the max
mum usable floor area within the
limits of the site, while conforming
TO the restriction upon the height
of buildings in Washington, and
second. to provide large open areas
inside required to accommodate
voluminous filing equipment and
business machine operations.
Two Main Entrances.
The building will be supported on
a pile foundation. The latest meth
DDS of f1uorescent lighting will be
installed, All Office space will be
acoustically treated. The main pub
lie entrances will be on G and H
streets. Each of the entrance lob
bies will be served by elevators and
eScalators.
Congress recently placed limita-
tion of $22,85o,000 on the cost of the
building. That cost is exclusive of
about 100000 already spent for
the land, excavations and prelimi-
nary planning. Before the war, the
building probably could have been
erected at half the cost.
PBA has about IS 100000 in hand
to spend on the building. A provi-
sion in the bill prohibits drawing
funds above that amount until be-
ginning of the 1850 fiscal year.