Evening star., 1952-04-11
TentativePIans
For Addition 10
Library Offered
Call for U-Shoped
Building Doubling
Present Space

OuiIuIHS OOuDIIHS
Present Space
Tentative plans for enlarging
the Central Public Library Build
ing call for a U-shaped addition
on three sides: Seventh, K and
Ninth streets NV.
Preliminary sketches of the pro-
posal were disclosed yesterday by
city officials before a Senate sub
committee.
Subcommittee Chairman Hill.
Democrat. of Alabama, who pro-
posed the study said, after look
ing over sketches:
"The District needs such a Ii
brary badly. am satisfied with
the progress in planning made to
date. We must keep the project
going"
No funds are requested in the
Districts 1853 appropriation bill,
now under consideration by the
Hill appropriations subcommittee.
At the instance Of the Alabama
legislator. Congress appropriated
$500 to finance the preliminary
studies this fiscal year.
Tentative So Far.
Architects sketches and floor
plans were laid before the sub
committee by Librarian Harry N.
Peterson, and Municipal Archi-
tect Merrel A. Coe. The proposal
is far from final, they emphasized.
1t must be approved by the Dis
trict Commissioners, the Fine Arts
Commission and the National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission.
At the present. Mr.. Coe said
It is a tentative study to estab-
lish the basic functions OF the
plan." It may be changed.
AS explained by the libraries.
the tentative plan calls for new
building around three sides OF the
present structure-on the east,
south and west. The addition
would join the present library,
but the main entrance, remaining
on K street. would be at the street
level. leading into a new ground
floor lobby. Outside steps now
lead up to the main library floor
entrance of the old building. The
present structure would not be al
tered materially.
Foundations of the new "U"-
shaped addition would be sturdy
enough to support. eventually, a
five-story building. But prelimi-
nary plans call only for a new
four-story addition.
Retains Present Height.
The proposed addition would
not be higher than the present
library, which has three high
ceiling stories. The extra floors
of the new structure would be
possible by construction Of stories
with lower ceilings, in conform
ance with modern, more economi-
cal building practices.
BY the use of such a design,
Mr.. Peterson told the subcommit-
tee, the present library surface
space Of $1,000 square feet would
be doubled.
The location of the library,
Senator Hill observed, has its dis
advantage because Of made
quate parking space. When Mr..
Peterson said the District Govern
ment is making studies Of the en-
tire parking problem in the city,
the Senator declared: "They
ought to solve it now"
The site, however. according to
the librarian, represents close to
the ideal location. Surveys of Ii
brary locations, he said, point to
the center of the retail shopping
section as the best place. The
present library. he said, is only
four blocks from such a center in
downtown Washington.
No Estimate of Cost.
Suggestion for the study came
first from Senator Hill during
hearings on the appropriation bill
for this fiscal year. He suggested
surveys be made of some site
other than the one on Pennsyl-
vania avenue, where an earlier
plan had located the library.
The first unit of a library was
built at 499 Pennsylvania avenue
years ago. It now houses the ad-
ministrative headquarters of the
Public Library, its processing de-
partment. and several Federal
and District agencies.
To remodel this as part Of the
principal Central Public Library
and continue construction Of the
rest of an adequate building there
was considered expensive.
No estimate Of the cost of the
proposed new addition at the K
street location has been made as
yet. Senator Hill was told by Mr..
Coe that plans are well advanced
and may be completed by July l.
Then an estimate may be avail
able, he said.
81 commend you on the prog
ress you have made" Senator Hill
concluded.