Evening star., 1960-04-29
Senate Unit
Approves ;
US. Buildings
$l03.5 Million
For Projects Here
Is Reinstuted
BY GRACE BASSETT
Star Staff Writer

The Senate Public Works
Committee today approved an
authorization of $103.5 million
of Federal building projects in
the District which had been
eliminated due to a House mix
up barring any Federal con-
Struction here during the next
fiscal year.
Committee approval of three
buildings cleared the way for
possible congressional action
this session. The buildings
are:
A $25.6 million, six-story
structure for the Food and
Drug Administration at Sec
ond, Third and D streets S.W.
near the Health, Education and
Welfare Department.
A $27.2 million Civil Service
Commission building at Nine
teenth, Twentieth and e.
streets and Virginia avenue
NV.
A $50 million building to
house the Federal Aviation
Agency and the National Aero
nautics and Space Administra-
ton, off independence avenue
between Sixth and Ninth
streets S.W.
Hearing on Another Due
Committee Chairman Chavez.
Democrat of New Mexico, said
q hearing would be scheduled
promptly before one of his
subcommittees on still another
Washington building - $6.6
million quarters for the Court
of Claims and Court of Gus
toms and Patent Appeals.
Engineer Commissioner A. c.
yelling lauded committee ac-
ton as a step toward improve
ment of the city's appearance.
The sooner the proposed Office
buildings are up. he said. the
sooner delapidated tempos can
be raZed.
This court building proposed
for a site across Pennsylvania
avenue from the White House
has become embroiled in a dis
pute over preservation Of his
toric buildings now occupying
the site. A band of Democratic
Senators seeking to save the
Dolly Madison and Benjamin
Tayloe houses and the old
Belasco Theater there. q
A law passed last year by
Congress requires Public
Works Committees on both
sides of Congress to approve
Federal buildings before any
funds may be freed by Con-
gress.
Gross Won Point Of Order
The House last week cut
from a Federal budget some SOS
million recommended by its
Appropriations Committee for
the Civil Service. Space Ad-
ministration, Federal Aviation
and Claims and Customs Court
buildings. Money was deleted
on a point of order raised by
Representative Gross, Republi-
can of Iowa, on grounds that
none of the structures had
cleared the House Public Works
Committee.
Postponement would cnst
millions of dollars in constantly
increasing construction costs,
1t would also set back Govern
ment plans to shift employees
out of unsightly temporary
buildings throughout the Fed
eral city into new headquarters
But the delay of the court
building plans pleased sponsors
of the drive to preserve the his
toric buildings off Lafayette
square.
Senator Cooper, Republican
of Kentucky, today asked that
the Senate Public Works Com
mittee pass over the courts
building. He said Senator
Morse, Democrat of Oregon
wanted a chance to testify or
behalf of Lafayette square pres
ervation interests.
Also seeking an opportunity
to testify are Senators Hum
phrey of Minnesota, Douglas Of
Illinois. Hennings of Missouri
Gruening of Alaska. Kennedy
of Massachusetts,, and Murra!
and Mansfield of Montana, al
Democrats. Democratic Repre-
sentatives Thompson of New
Jersey and Mcdowell of Della.
ware, have been prime movers
of the Save Lafayette Square
drive in the House.