Evening star., 1953-08-14
New Buildings or Agency Cuts
Held Key to Rozing of 7empos

tion in Government personnel in
Washington. The only alterna-
tive is authorization by Congress
of additional construction in
outlying areas"
43,632 in Tempos.
AS of June 30, the latest
figures available, there were
1852 Federal workers in tenn
porary buildings in this area,
GSA officials said.
There are 1928 employees in
leased space, and the Govern
ment has leased 100 buildings
here, in whole or part. to house
them. This totals 3,676.278
square feet.
A net reduction of $500 en-
ployes would mean the elimina-
tion of about 250,000 square feet
of space, officials said. About
100 square feet of space is al
lowed for each worker usually,
they explained.
There are in all the temporary
buildings a grand total of $780,
396 square feet of space, GSA
officials noted.
They said they have to use
the temporary buildings because
there are too many Federal en-
ployes to be housed in the per-
manent Government buildings.
Temporary buildings would not
be torn down wing by wing
when the time comes, they ex-
planned, but as whole units.
Because Congress only recently
passed the appropriation bills,
the Government departments
now are engaged in working out
their money and personnel prob
lens. So GSA, at this time, does
not know the exact extent of
Government diSmiSSals and can
not tell just what space will be
released as a consequence. Any
space released will be given up
in rented buildings. The tempo
rary buildings, and others in
public ownership, will be used to
house the workers moved out
of rented property.
"a Leases Dropped.
Since January, GSA said, it
has released 591,559 square feet
of leased space in the WASH
ington area. This represents
"a separate leases and includes
entire buildings and parts of
buildings. Included in the list
are such well-known structures
as the Barber & Ross Building,
Eleventh and G streets NV, and
the Hurley Wright Building,
Eighteenth street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue NV. Death of the
control agencies of the Govern
ment was partly responsible for
the cut.
The temporary buildings are
considered more vulnerable to
fire than more permanent struc-
lures; are costly to maintain,
uncomfortable for the Govern
ment workers that have to oc-
cupy them, and are our of keep
ing with the monumental char
acter of the National Capital.
They are considered unworthy
of the Capital of the most pow
erful Nation in the world.
Furthermore, they occupy
parts of park lands, thus de-
priving a growing population of
much-needed recreation areas
and add to the traffic problem.
through concentration of build
ings in restricted areas. They
mar the beauty of the Mall,
Potomac Park and other scenic
spots of the city.
On June 80, the Defense De-
partment had 26,592 Federal
employees in temporary buildings
here. That department is using
21 temporary buildings here.
Altogether. the department has
1851 OLA square feet of space.
OF this. about 1888, ,432 square
feet are in temporary buildings.
There are 1,O59,210 square feet
in the main Navy Building
Eighteenth street and Constitu-
ton avenue NV, which with
the Munitions Building, was
built in World War I and occu-
pies park property.