Evening star., 1948-12-19
Plea for Census,
;StateAnnexes
Seen asLike|y
FWA Expected to Ask
Funds for Additions,
Offices in Other Cities

Offices in Other Cities
An addition to the State De-
partment Building and expansion
Of the Census Bureaus Offices at
Suitland, Md, are expected to be
sought when the new Congress con-
veneS next month.
Federal Works officials are giving
these two projects top billing in the
Washington area, it was learned
yesterday, as they work on the final
draft of a request for authorization
of badly needed Federal construction
here and throughout the Nation. \
Washington's chances for lib
eral authorization for new perma-
nent public buildings appeared very
slight, with the hopes of building
officials centered on these two. ii
The State Department addition
would help take care of the ex-
pansion brought on by the cold
war" and Americas increased in-
ternational responsibilities. The
Census addition would house extra
activities growing out of the 1850
Census.
2,500 New Buildings Listed.
Federal Works Administration
Philip B. Fleming is expected to ask
for re-introduction of his agency'S
billion dollar building authorization
bill that postwar Congresses so
far have failed to approve. :
This bill would authorize $500
new buildings-mostly post Offices
throughout the country. But hopes
for approval of the full program are
about nil.
What Gen. Fleming and Public
Buildings Commissioner w. E. Reyn-
olds have fair chance of getting
from the new Congress, it was said,
is an authorization for the most
badly needed buildings on their list
plus 40 to so million initial appro-
priation" to buy land and draft
plans and specifications. ..
Under any such program, Mr..
Reynolds said yesterday. he would
like to see a start on the Census
and State additions.
Hinges ON 1949-50 Budget.
The whole puLlic building pro-
gram, here and elsewhere, was said
to hinge entirely on the new budget
proposals for national defense. the
European Recovery Program. housing
and other emergency needs. PBA
officials hope the amounts allotted
to them will be sufficient, however,
to take care Of some urgent build
ing emergencies.
Aside from the proposed District
hospital center slated for construc-
ton on the old Naval Observatory
grounds, "if and when" the Navy
releases the space, the three top
priority Federal buildings are all
ready under way here.
The s22,950.O00 General Account
ing ONCE building to be erected at
Fifth and G streets NV.
The new Sl8,665, 900 Federal court
building which is to front on John
Marshall place, occupying a huge
site directly south of the District s
Municipal Centers.
The $40 1000, 900 hospital and clini-
cal building project at Bethesda,
Md, on the expanding acreage Of
tthe National Institute Of Health.
Already Authorized.
These three projects are in various
stages of planning. They are part
of the program already authorized
by Congress.
Selection of sites for new build
fngs also is a factor in any new
program, and Gen. Fleming would
reserve portions of any new appro-
priations for this purpose.
Gen. Fleming is said to believe
no new construction would be
started until the housing shortage
has been relieved to a satisfactory
extent. That should not interfere,
however, with planning for the fu-
ture under appropriations ear
marked solely for sites and plans, it
was said.
From all indications, the District
r fospital center is still stalled be-
cause the Navy Department has not
yet acquired site for new observ-
atory within a reasonable distance
of Washington. Little headway in
planning this must" project to
provide more hospital beds in Wash
ington is expected until the Navy
actually provides for a new observa-
tory.
The need for hospital expansion
here is so urgent, officials admitted,
that another site may have to be
found in the event the Navy moves
too slowly. The spacious grounds
on Massachusetts, avenue were
chosen for the hospital after many
other ideas were abandoned.
The GAO. court house and Be-
thesda research center should gain
momentum during the coming year.
Appropriations are in hand to let
contracts and expedite the work.
To Take Three Years.
Congress set limit of $40 0,000, 900
on the huge Bethesda project, to
be one Of the great medical centers
in thes world. About $5,0O0,0 900 al
ready has been appropriated and
another s25 ,000, 900 has been granted
in the form of contract authorize
tions. The project is scheduled to
take three years to complete,
about year longer than either the
courthouse or the GAO building.
Development Of the Suitland area