Evening star., 1954-11-11
By WiIIiom A. kiIIen

ington's Federal temporary office
buildings totals an average OF
10 cents more per square foot
than the Governments most
modern building here.
This added burden to the tax
payers runs into thousands OF
dollars annually. The General
Services Administration today
released a new cost study. show
ing how expensive the tempos
are to operate.
But the answer, officials say,
is either a new Federal building
program or renting. additional
space. so that the temporary
buildings may be torn down
Some Of the ramshackle tempos
are more than 35 years old-ot
World War I vintage.
Commissioner Of Pubic Build
ings Peter A. Strobel. who took
office July l, made 1t clear that
the excessive cost for operating
the tempos has not yet out
balanced the free rent the Gov
ernment enjoys through their
continued use.
Edmund F. Mansure, Admin
istrator of General Services, re-
leased the new cost study, made
under direction of William A.
Miller, who heads GSA's Region
3, in which Washington is 10
Gated.
Comparative Figures.
Here are the latest compare
tive figures which cover main
tenance, repair, operation and
protection of the buildings thus
far in 1854:
The average temporary build
ing costs SO cents a square foot.
The average permanent non
air conditioned Government
building, costs so cents a square
foot. The average permanent
Government building with air
conditioning costs 66 cents a
square foot, for air conditioning
Is an expensive operation, re-
quiring experts to keep it in
trim, officials explained.
The General Accounting Of
f1ce, Fourth and G streets NV,
the Federal Governments most
up-to-date Office building in the
Washington area, costs only so
cents per square foot.
But officials point out this
building was erected with an eye
to economy Of operation.
Because Of reduced appropria-
tions; authorized by Congress,
less money is now being spent
on maintenance, repair, opera
tion and protection Of the pub
lie buildings, officials said. Ac-
cordingly, the 1854 figures show
a drop from those for 1863.
which follow:
The average temporary build
ing costs "a cents per square foot:
the average permanent air-con-
ditioned building 81 cents per
square foot and the GAO So
cents per square foot.
Sparing on Upkeep.
Admittedly. because OF the cut
In funds. the GSA is doing in
the temporary buildings only
what really has TO be done. Be-
cause the Government hopes
eventually to tear down the
temporary structures, officials
see little wisdom In spending
money unnecessarily on them.
they said. But they cost more
to heat in the winter and more
to cool in the summer, owing
to their comparatively fiimsy
construction.
Because the GAO building has
elevators and escalators, which
the 'tempos'' do not have, the
figures include 8 cents per
square foot for services not rem
dered in temporary building.
Due to the reduced appropria-
tions, officials pointed out, they
cannot clean the buildings as
frequently as they would like
or have the windows washed as
often Each charwoman is now
responsible for cleaning an area
OF about three-fourths Of an
acre which represents the size
OF 80 dwellings. each 40 feet
long and 26 feet wide and each
occupied by about nine people,
GSA officials declared.