Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-01
Tempo at 14th
is Scheduled
To Come Down
Agencies Instructed
To Get Ready to
Move in so Days

Building ", once known al
"Mellett's Madhouse." on Penn.
sylvania avenue. between Four.
teenth and Fifteenth streets
NV, is due to be torn down
soon.
This was the word today from
the General Services Admins
tration. which has informally
told the agencies occupying 1t
that they might be out in go
days or so. About 900 workers
occupy the building, represent
ling a variety Of governmental
activities
The tempo is opposite the
willard Hotel.
Included are part of the Vet
lerans' Service Center and also
the Department of Vocational
Rehabilitation, both of the Dis
trict Government. Sharing oc-
lcupancy are the recruiting sta
tons of the armed forces and
IS of the labor. State, Treas
lury and Health. Education and
Welfare Departments, as well as
a commission set up by the
White House.
Get so Days Notice
Gas quickly as we can re-
locate the people. we will teal
down the building" a GSA
spokesman said today. 1--WE
have informally advised the
agencies to be prepared to move
on so days notice. But formal
notice has not yet been served
The District government will
have to find other quarters fol-
its Department of Vocational
Rehabilitation and part of the
Veterans Service Center now
housed in Tempo v. The rest
Iof the Veterans Service Center
headquarters of Director Wal
dron E. Leonard, is located in
another temporary building
1880 Pennsylvania avenue NV.
which is in front of the Dis
trict Building. Criticism has
been leveled at this structure
and moves made to tear it down
as an eyesore. because it is on
the doorstep of the home of the
city government.
A number of times this sum-
mer, employees Of Tempo v have
been released early, due to the
extreme heat in the building.
Roosevelt Picked Site
Lowell Mellett. Washington
newspaper man who was director
of the Once Of Government Re-
ports when it occupied the build
ing. from 1910 to 1914, said that
President Franklin D. Roose-
welt personally selected the site
for Temporary Building v.
Mr.. Mellett. who was an ad-
ministrative assistant to the
President, said President Roose.
welt desired a central location
most convenient to the public
to keep 1t advised on the wal
effort. The building was opened
in 1910 and the Office of Gov
lernment Reports moved there.
Because previously the organ
lization was occupying parts oil
three rented buildings, it saved
enough in rent, through moving
into Temporary Building v, to
pay for its construction, Mr.
Mellett said.
Manufacturers, businessmen
generally who wanted to get con-
tracts. and others thronged into
Temporary Building v.
MeIlett Disputed Label
Some parts Of the press labeled
the building "Mellett's Mad
house" but Mr.. Mellett vigorous
lily disputed this designation.
Later. the Office of War In
formation absorbed the Office
lof Government Reports and as
that branch Of owl. the Office
remained in that building, Mr..
Mellett said.
GSA previously announced
that 1t plans at an early date to
tear down Temporary Building
No. 2 at Nineteenth and D
streets NV. This Is one of four
remaining temporary buildings
erected during World War 1,
l1917-18. The $50 State Depart
|ment employees occupying it are
slated to be moved to Temporary
Building No. 3, near Seventeenth
street and Constitution avenue
INV.
Acc Is Moving
They will occupy space to be
vacated by the Atomic Energy
Commission, part of which is
moving to the new eight-story
office building, lit H street
INV.
GSA wants, when feasible, to
tear down the temporary build
ings near the Washington Mon
ument. of which Tempo 3 is one.
When they are gone it will open
up the full vista of the Mall.
GSA also has Endorsed legisla-
ton TO raze tempos and author
ize new Federal Office buildings
in the Southwest Washington
redevelopment area.
Fine Arts Commission Chair
man David E. Finley advised
Administrator Edmund F. Man.
sure of GSA of a priority pro.
gram for tearing down some OF
the temporary buildings here
The commission would prefer tc
see demolished first Temporary
Building v, at 1400 Pennsylvania
avenue NV. The second prefer
ence is to demolish the group Of
ltempos near Seventeenth street