Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-27
Bills viii Clear WAY
For New 500 Million
Bus Terminal Project
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ditions should cut expenses "at
least 10 per cent" On the basis
of $4,000 employees. he figures
such a 10 per cent saving would
be almost double the entire lease
cost.
Mr.. Beasley said lone defense
agency" he would not identify
already is very much inter-
ested."
At the moment. however. even
the start of negotiations is block
ed by a provision of the 1949
Public Buildings Act which re-
stricts Federal office-space leases
to one year in the District.
Changes introduced.
Bills to wipe out this restric-
ton have been introduced with
in the last few weeks by Senator
Clements, Democrat. of Ken
lucky, and representative Flood,
Democrat, of Pennsylvania. and
Broyhill. Republican. of Virginia.
Mr.. Broyhill said the Federal
restriction, which does not apply
to similar leases outside the Dis
trict, is "the kind of thing that
has been holding back the demo-
lition of the tempos."
"There is unanimous agree
ment the tempos should co." he
said. But the answer no one
has come up with is where the
employees will go.
Maybe these people have one
of the answers. At least, they
should be free to present their
case and negotiate with the agen-
cies of Government concerned"
The restriction was imposed in
the first place. GSA officials said.
because of Congress feeling that
Government facilities here-ap-
parently including the 6 million
square feet of tempos-should be
big enough to handle most needs.
Restriction Explained.
1.-THE feeling" a spokesman
said, was that if an emergency
forced use of new rental space,
Congress wanted to restrict lease
terms so that the space could be
given up as soon as the emer-
gency was over" ss
Admittedly, the officials said.
This policy was not calculated to
help remove tempos.
The biggest hope tor tempo re-
moval has been the new Fed
eral lease-purchase act. under
which the Government can rent
a building for a set period. then
take title to it. This is the for
mula William Zeckendorf, New
York real estate man, wants to
use to get new Government
leases in the Southwest redevel-
opment area. Lease-purchase
could not apply to the Beasley
project, however, because the law
forbids mixed Federal and pri-
vate commercial users in the
buildings.
The Washington Board of
Trade also has voted to urge the
one-year restrictions removal,
after a recent presentation by
Mr.. Beasley. Aside from the tenn
pos. a trade board official said,
his group also Endorsed the prof.
ect "in principle" because Of the,
critically-needed municipal tax
revenues it's promoters claim
would result.
Mr.. Beasley said the biggest
money return his group would
get come from the retail shop
ping facilities, catering to the
needs of both the transit riders
and employees.
His proposal would require that
the two city blocks be acquired
by the District Redevelopment
Land Agency and sold to the
combine at the full cost of ac-
quiring and turning over the
land"
John R. Searles, jr., RIA di-
rector, said his agency was very
sympathetic" with the PROPOSE
tion-particularly the guarantee
of full reimbursement. A similar
agreement, he said. was used for
the acquisition of Pittsburgh's
now-famed Golden Triangle"
commercial area, at no city or
Federal expense.
Before the RIA could move,
however, the project would have
to be certified for redevelopment
by the National Capital Planning
Commission and approved by the
District Commissioners.
Two Groups Interested
Both the planners and CITY