Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-09
BY GRACE BASSETT
star stan Writer

AAO 900AS0V AAASAA 0AA &0SAtSe
Hill during Easter recess are
those working on $50 million
worth Of major construction
now under contract.
Some 400 workers are dress
ing up the interior of the new
Senate ONCE Building. This
showplace Of job sites features
underground parking. a page
boy school, the central Capitol
Hill telephone switchboard. IL
committee rooms and 40 FIVE
room suites for Senators.
Each Senatorial occupant to
move in late this fall will have
a built-in Office safe by his
desk. Senators will share a tile
sun roof, complete with shower
rooms, on top Of their white
marble headquarters.
Outside, the racket Of ma
chinery keeps tourists from
hearing each other ask what's
behind four high, green fences
on the grounds.
Fences Shelter Crews
To fences shelter crews clear
ing ground for the Y-shaped
subway to link the Capitol with
both the new and old Senate
Once Buildings. Trolleys.
should be running by next De-
cember /.
Another board fence on the
northwest lawn encloses work
on q low-level sewer to con-
meet with the new Senate
Once Building and future
buildings. The District Of CO. |
lumbia contracted with Cap |
itol Architect George Stewart !
to do this job. also scheduled
for completion this fall.
The fourth fence across Con-
Stitution avenue at First street
NV. protects the site Of a 100
foot bell tower shaft Of marble
going up as q memorial to the
late Senator Robert A. Taft of
Ohio.
On the far southeast side Of
Capitol Hill. a gaping hole in
the ground behind both House
ONCE Buildings awaits founda-
ton piling for a third House
building. A low bid of $6.6 mil
lion is in Mr.. Stewards hands
for the foundation work. An
award is expected shortly.
Other jobs due to be finished
by the next session are a cafe
terra in the coul tyard of the
new House ONCE Building and
a 285-car garage in the court
yard Of the old House Office
Building.
Mr.. Stewart set UP a tour of
the near complete Senate
building yesterday. Explaining
on-the-spot progress were Har-
vey Middleton, project director. |
and Herbert Tompkins, his
chief administrative assistant.
Shaped Like q C
The seven-story structure is
shaped like a c, bounded by
Constitution avenue and First |
and c streets NE. Congress
estimated its cost at $24.5
million.
Prime contractor, the George |
Lyman Construction Co., will
run several millions Of dollars |
and several months past its
STA contract due to be up in
mid-May, supervisors estimate. |
But work should be finished in
August.
Delays stemmed from a cave
in shortly after sub-basement
work began in 1856. this years
severe winter, and steel and
laborers' strikes throughout the
contract. Mr.. Middleton said
change-orders set back sched-
ules some, too.
Major Changes Listed
Major changes we're:
l. A switch from a limestone
to a brick facing on the rear
east wall, 100000.
2. Redesigning Of the west
front from a fiat surface with
inlaid design to include q CEN
trail pediment with pillars. $75.-
900.
3. The sunroof, to be hidden
by the side walls on the top Of
the building.
4. other rearrangements
mainly Of custodial. servicing
and kitchen equipment and
more convenient work space for
the sergeant-of- arms.
Senator's Offices line corridors
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