Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-11
u. 5. Acquiring
Southwest Land
For Buildings
Federal Construction
ToCost $50 Million in
RehubiIitoting Area
By FRANCIS p. DOUGLAS

Nen0DiIItotIn9 Area
BY FRANCIS p. DOUGLAS
The Government was taking
steps today to acquire large tracts
in Southwest Washington for
four new Federal Office buildings
costing about 500 million.
The action will mark initiation
of an elaborate Government
building program contributing to
the rehabilitation of Southwest
Washington. 1t will also mean
the demolition of more dilapi-
dated temporary buildings and
the provision of acceptable Office
space for additional Government
workers.
The land for these structures
is to be acquired by the Rede-
velopment Land Agency
RIA was reported to be pre-
pairing to file declarations Of
taking" in court. Under this pro-
cedure the land would be acquired
promptly. the owners being paid
from sums equal to the appraised
value of the property deposited
lin court. Should the property
owner be dissatisfied with the
amount. he could contest the
award by court action.
FOOd-Drug Building
One of the projected build
; ings is planned to house the
Food and Drugs Administration
: The cost is put at about SIG mil
lion. This. known as Federal Of
flee Building No. 8, would be on
the block bounded by Second
and Third streets and C and Z
streets. The site is just east OF
the Railroad Retirement Board
Building.
The largest project now listed
|; as Federal Office Building No
10. actually would consist of two
buildings. They would front or
independence avenue on the
three blocks between Sixth and
Ninth streets and would cost ar
estimated $409 million. They
would provide about ! million
square feet of floor area. What
agency or agencies would &C.
, cupy them have not been des-
Iignated.
One of the two buildings
would be erected on a large. al
most triangular block thanked
on either side by independence
and Maryland avenue and run.
J ming from Sixth to Seventh
street.
Just to the west would be an.
other building on the two blocks
between Seventh and Ninth
street and also flanked by In.
dependence and Maryland
!. Eighth street would be closed tt
make one large block of tht
present two. The building on thi,
site would be connected with the
lone to the east by a tunnel.
SIG Million No. 6
The third project. Fedora
Office Building No. s. calls for 8
building costing about sic mil.
lion on the tract bounded by
Maryland and C streets ano
Fourth and Sixth streets. There
is no Fifth street in this area.
Occupants of this building alsC
have not yet been designated.
The Government already own.
the independence avenue front
age and some other lots of thu
tract running from Sixth tt
Ninth street.
The Government also own'
about three small parcels in thu
block running between Fourth
and Sixth streets. Although TIT
northern frontage of this area il
on Maryland avenue, it fronts or
independence for all practica
purposes. Only small triangu'
| lar park stands between.
Erection of buildings on thesl
areas will mean the demolition
of more temporary buildings. TIL,
legislation authorizing the nev
structures calls for the demoli
ton of equivalent space in TIT
tempos.
Some on Sites
Tempos now stand on thu
blocks between Sixth and Ninth
5 streets facing independence
, They, perforce. would be the frs
torn down. One is occupied b!
a large cafeteria for Government
workers and the others by De
: Tense Department Offices.
Still another building in tn,
, Southwest area is projected. Ten
tatively it would face the pro
posed Tenth Street Mall. soutl
of Independence avenue. Plan
await further development 0
) the Southwest redevelopmen
project.
The three projects towart
which steps were being takei
! today have the approval of TIN