Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-09
Langley
Building Could
Raze Tempos
About 40 Occupied
By Agency Would
Be Vacated
By Wilton A. MiIIen

II Congress approves conStruc-
ton Of the proposed $38 million
Central Intelligence Agency
building at Langley in Fairfax
County, Va, it will have the ulti-
mate effect Of vacating about 40
buildings in Washington.
Most of the buildings CHA now
occupies in the National Capital
are temporary Federal structures,
erected during the war. Pre-
sumably many, if not most, of
these would be torn down after
CHA moves into its new home.
In addition. two more tenn
porary buildings, now occupied
by the Atomic Energy Commits
sion, probably would go. A new
Acc building is slated to be
the first of the new Federal
structures erected under the re-
Gently enacted lease-purchase
legislation.
Only final approval Of the Joint
Committee on Atomic Energy
and the Senate Public Works
Committee stands in the way of
the General Services Admins
tration suggesting a final site for
the ACC building.
May Go to Maryland.
If the CHA building goes to
Virginia. it is considered unlikely
as a matter of personal politics
that the new Acc building also
will go to that State. Mary
land is more likely to get it.
After a final site for the Acc
building is chosen, GSA will pro-
coed to retain architectural and
engineering experts to draw up
plans for its construction. GSA
as a matter of practical politics
then will call for bids from pri-
vate Arms for construction, with
the Federal Government paying
rent money over term of years.
At the end of the agreed-on pc
riod, Uncle Sam will own the
building.
In the case both of CHA and
Acc, General Services has been
conducting a survey with poten-
tial sites, church, home and
school facilities in mind in both
Maryland and Virginia. No less
than eight sites were consid-
cred by CHA officials in Virginia
alone.
The Office Of Defense Mobiliz-
alton does not desire any more
Federal buildings considered
sensitive in the national defense
effort erected in Washington.
For that reason, it is considered
advisable that both CHA and
Acc be moved out of the Ma
tional Capital, which would be
q prime target for enemy bomb
ers. ODM was consulted in the
plans for the new structures.
May Extend Parkway.
Another benefit seen arising
from the new CHA building at
Langley could we'll be the con-
struction of another link in the
George Washington Memorial
Parkway, along the Potomac
River. This now halts at Spout
Run, connecting with Lorcom
lane.
The National Park Service
says 1t has no funds to construct
the new link up to Langley so
that CHA employees might better
get to and from work in the new
building.
Congress would have to fur
nish the funds for this new high
way.
Both CHA and Acc have found
that maintaining the temporary
buildings they occupy is a
costly procedure.
About two years ago. CHA al
most had a new building. But
an appropriation for $50 million
was inadvertently cut out. when
lawmakers sought to trim the
budget. Now, CHA needs the
authority to erect it's new build
ing. the requisite money and
then it will prepare plans, with
GSA aid.
Scattered Offices.
CHA buildings are scattered
in various parts of the city. Some
are clustered in Potomac Park
and along the area of the Re-
flecting Pool of the Lincoln Me-
mortal. But Government officials
are loath to pin-point the struc-
lures, because of the highly
secret nature of the agency's
work.
There are four permanent
buildings in the vicinity of 2430
E street NV, CHA headquarters.
This gives rise to the hope
that with the new CHA and Acc
buildings occupied, the rows of
temporary buildings that have
long been considered an eyesore
on the Washington landscape
can be demolished. Tentative