GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE BUILDING, MODEL

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, held on January 10, 1949, the Commission inspected a large model (scale 1/16 inch to 1 foot) for the new General Accounting Office Building at Fifth and G Streets NW. It had been placed on exhibition in the gallery adjacent to the Commission's offices, and was presented on behalf of the Public Buildings Administration by Mr. C. David Persina, Chief of the Division of Design.

Mr. Persina stated that the base of the building is to be red granite and the rest of the building is to be faced with limestone. The building will be nine stories high. There is to be space for 850 cars in the basement. The St. Mary's Church property on the square remains intact. The Commission approved the model of the proposed building. The Commission suggested, however, that the proposed treatment of sculp

ture at the southeast and southwest corners of the building be omitted, thus permitting a continuous landscape treatment and simplification of the walks at those corners of the building.

NATIONAL AIR MUSEUM

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, held on May 6, 1949, Major General Ulysses S. Grant 3d, Chairman of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission, stated that Congress had passed an Act (Public Law 722, 79th Cong., approved Aug. 12, 1946), which authorized an aviation museum, and there had been a question of finding a site for it. The Federal Works Agency had made site studies; the Agency's first choice was the Arlington Farms area and the second choice was Theodore Roosevelt Island. The drawings showed a building 120 feet high, containing about 400,000 square feet, requiring 15 to 20 acres. The Na

tional Capital Park and Planning Commission asked for an expression of the views of the Fine Arts Commission about the building and site.

Chairman Clarke stated that the Arlington Farms site has been designated for inclusion in the Arlington National Cemetery, and that the Theodore Roosevelt Island site would be impossible because it is in private ownership and had been acquired for a Memorial to Theodore Roosevelt. It would also be inappropriate to place the museum near the Pentagon building.

The Commission considered the problem and decided that:

The lands lying within the approach to Arlington National Cemetery on the north, the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway and the Shirley Highway on the south and southeast, and the Arlington Ridge Road, be retained in perpetuity as an open area for the expansion of Arlington National Cemetery.

Mr. John Nolen, of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission, was present and reported that, in addition to the "brick yard site" south of the Pentagon building, the following locations have been suggested:

A site in Anacostia across from the Navy Yard; and, as an alternate, the old Bolling Field. The Bolling Field site meets two requirements: railroad facilities to bring in materials, and accessibility on the part of the public. Then there is Andrews Field, some ten miles southeast of Washington; and Suitland, about five miles from the Capitol. South of Alexandria along the Mount Vernon Highway there is another proposed location, and there is also a site between Washington and Baltimore.

The Commission of Fine Arts, in addition to disapproving the suggested locations in the Arlington Farms area and Theodore Roosevelt Island, also disapproved placing the National Air Museum along the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway. The Commission indicated that one of the other above-mentioned locations might be acceptable after further study.

TEMPORARY WAR BUILDINGS

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts held on January 6, 1950, the Commission con

sidered the following letter received by Chairman Clarke from Hon. W. E. Reynolds, Commissioner of Public Buildings, General Services Administration:

DEAR MR. CLARKE: The following outline of the current conditions governing Government office space in the Washington area is written in response to your letter of December 8, 1949.

The Government space situation in Washington is, and for some time has, been as tense as at any previous time. Public Buildings Service is more than 300,000 square feet short of working area requested by a number of governmental establishments for office space to meet authorized increases in their programs. Some of these unfilled requests antedate this fiscal year. The foregoing figure does not include the area of 123,000 square feet that will have to be found to meet the requests of the Sesquicentennial Commission to move several agencies from the buildings of the Langston Residence Halls group and from two wings of Buildings Tempo X.

My office has spared no pains to vacate permanently the temporary building on Pennsylvania Avenue between 14th and 15th Streets, referred to in your letter, as well as all other of the temporary buildings in the city. Our efforts to vacate them will continue. To date they have been unavailing only because of the insistent demands for space to house authorized activities.

We have not allowed objections from any agency to prevail when the relocation of that agency has been determined to be in the best interests of the Government, and feasible. The same statement applies to the building on Pennsylvania Avenue that you mentioned. We cannot vacate that building because no other quarters are available wherein to locate the occupants.

Sincerely yours,

W. E. REYNOLDS.

The Commission agreed that, as the temporary buildings were built "only for the duration of the war", the continued occupation of park land is to be deplored. Regarding the building at the head of Pennsylvania Avenue at 14th Street, the Commission believed there is no justification for the retention of this building, which mars the appearance of the most important avenue in the city, and encroaches on the plan of Washington. They further believed that the agencies in this building should be located elsewhere.

SESQUICENTENNIAL

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts held on January 6, 1950, Harry T. Thompson, Assistant Superintendent, in company with Merel S. Sager, Chief of the Planning Division, and William M. Haussmann, Architect, of the Office of National Capital Parks, National Park Service, submitted complete drawings of a proposed out-of-door amphitheater to be built in Rock Creek Park at Colorado Avenue and 16th Street NW., for use during the Sesquicentennial Celebration.

The following facts were presented about the plan for the structure: It is to be ready by July 1950. It is to be used to present a "Symposium on George Washington," which is being written by the dramatist, Paul Green. The amphitheater is to hold 4,000 people. Very few trees will be cut down to build it; it is to be of permanent construction; and a local stone is to be used. Expert advice is being secured in the matter of technical installations, such as lighting, acoustics, etc., and provision is made for shelters. There will be one entrance and three main exits, with three subsidiary ones. The

floor will be of reinforced concrete, to which seats will be attached, of a type which will withstand the elements. The dressing rooms are at the lower level under the stage, which is to have a width of 78 feet. The proscenium is to be of local stone and limestone. The subsidiary buildings are planned to be of cinder block and are to be planted out completely.

Upon the recommendation of the architect members of the Commission, the Commission approved the drawings for the amphitheater.

The Commission believed that the automobile parking space was not adequately designed, as shown on a plot plan, and suggested that detailed plans be submitted for their consideration.

At a meeting of Commission of Fine Arts, held on July 20, 1950, the Secretary reported that representatives of the firm of Holabird, Root, and Burgee, 180 Wabash Avenue, Chicago, Messrs. A. J. Long, C. J. Pacer, and Thomas Lalish, had called and presented a design for a Headquarters Building of the International Teamsters Union, facing Union Station Plaza, and fronting also on Louisiana avenue, adjacent to the Continental Hotel. The building will not exceed 80 feet in height in accordance with the Heights of Buildings Law of 1910. It is to be faced with marble.

The main entrance is to be on Louisiana Avenue, where there will be a lobby, leading to an auditorium, with offices overhead. The Secretary stated further that he had arranged to have the design brought to the attention of Commissioner Murphy, prior to this meeting of the Commission.

Mr. Murphy reported to the Secretary that the gentlemen had called at his office; that they

seemed to think that the design suited the elements of the plan and the inclinations of their clients. Mr. Murphy thought a projecting glass window on the Louisiana Avenue front was out of scale with the rest of the building.

Mr. Hudnut criticized the design, as did Mr. Belluschi, both of whom objected to the socalled "projection." The Commission expressed its preference for the plain design of the D Street facade. The Commission informed the architects of these criticisms and strongly recommended restudy of the facade facing. Louisiana Avenue.

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, held on October 6, 1950, Mr. John W. Root, accompanied by his assistant Mr. D. W. Carlson, of the firm of Holabird and Root, of Chicago, presented to the Commission their design for this Headquarters Building for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. It was noted that the firm had made no changes in the design of the facade fronting on Union Station Plaza and the Capitol grounds, adjacent to Louisiana Avenue, as requested by the Commission at the meeting held on July 20, 1950.

After some discussion, Chairman Finley suggested that Mr. Root and Mr. Carlson give further study to the problem and meet with the Commission at 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

At that time Mr. Root and Mr. Carlson returned with a sketch which they had made during the afternoon, showing the "projection" in better relation to the building. The Commission was satisfied with the treatment proposed and the architects agreed to embody it in the final drawing.

INTERNATIONAL TEAMSTERS UNION BUILDING

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, held on November 21, 1950, the Commission considered a revised design submitted by Holabird, Root and Burgee, architects, of Chicago, for the treatment of the proposed headquarters building of the International Teamsters Union, facing Union Station Plaza at Louisiana Avenue and C Street NW.

The revised design had been received early in November, and prints thereof were sent by the Secretary to the architect members of the Commission. Mr. Belluschi reported under date of November 7, 1950, as follows:

DEAR MR. CAEMMERER: I received the revised design for the National Headquarters Building of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters as prepared by Holabird, Root and Burgee. I realize that the suggestions made by Professor Hudnut have been followed, and I also have a recollection that the Commission stated that with such revisions they would approve the design. However, I would like to be on record as disapproving the conception as presented. I have the greatest respect for this Chicago firm of architects and I am sure that they are able, if they wish, to give a more sincere and lasting contribution to Washington architecture. I believe that my main objection is the inconsistency of the main facade with the rest of the elevations; also, the idea of introducing a window of monumental size where only small offices lie behind cannot be sustained on any grounds of good design.

I make these criticisms with the greatest reluctance, since I have a great personal affection and respect for Mr. Root, whom I have known for many years, but the issue to my mind is so important that I cannot take any other stand than to be on record in accordance with my convictions.

Sincerely yours,

PIETRO BELLUSCHI,

Member, the Commission of Fine Arts,

2040 S.W. Jefferson, Portland 1, Oregon.

Mr. Belluschi said at the meeting that he was still opposed to the proposed treatment of the facade facing Union Station Plaza, but would not further interpose objection to final approval of the design. The design was thereupon finally approved, and the architects were informed accordingly.

REPAVING THE ARLINGTON MEMORIAL BRIDGE

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, held on October 6, 1950, Mr. Hillary A. Tolson, Acting Director of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, presented the subject of repaving the Arlington Memorial Bridge; several months earlier the Commission had decided that the existing Durex granite blocks should be retained and treated in such manner that they would cease to become slippery when wet. The Public Roads Administration, which is in charge of highway construction for the Federal Government, however, had recommended the use of asphalt pavement. Mr. H. J. Selman of the Public Roads Administration presented the arguments for the use of asphalt, which, he said, was now of a higher type than it was 20 years ago when the Arlington Memorial Bridge was dedicated in 1932.

Major General Ulysses S. Grant 3d (retired), who was the executive officer of the Arlington

Memorial Bridge Commission when the bridge was constructed, was also present and urged retention of the Durex granite blocks. Mr. Harry T. Thompson, Assistant Superintendent of the Office of National Capital Parks, National Park Service also spoke in favor of retaining the blocks since it would be far less costly to do so than to use an asphalt pavement.

The Commission decided to defer this matter for further study until the next meeting of the Commission on November 21st.

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, held on November 21, 1950, the Commission considered a preliminary report by Mr. Peets on the subject of resurfacing the Arlington Memorial Bridge, as follows:

At the meeting on October 6th, the Commission was impressed by the sincerity and the strong convictions of the National Capital Parks' representatives and their witnesses. The members concurred, in a general sense, with the principles cited as bearing on the design of monumental bridges. They felt, however, that the speakers in discussing the aesthetic value of the granite pavement, too often referred to the Bridge as if it were a self-contained and separately observed work of art. The Commissioners felt that the monumental quality of the composition running from the Lincoln Memorial to the Lee Mansion was more seriously threatened by failure of continuity and connection between its parts than by any deficiency of detail in the constituent elements of the design. In any case, there is a presumption in favor of uniformity in the pavement, since it is the element which connects all the others.

They also felt that the human factor should be considered more closely. Civic art is civic drama; the final purpose of the design is the emotional elevation of those who take part in the drama. To secure this participation, the stage should be designed for the comfort of the actors. In any broad sense, we must admit that this was not done in the monumental group we are considering. The architects and traffic planners have arranged things so that most Americans see the grandiose approach to Arlington National Cemetery from a moving automobile; we sense the pathos of Lincoln and Lee and we do reverence to the heroes who lie in Arlington-while we jockey for the right lane at a traffic circle.

In this total situation no radical correction can be made; the best we can do is to manipulate details so that the cars may flow through the monumental area as smoothly and safely, and with as little irritation to their occupants, as is possible.

The present pavement of the Arlington Memorial Bridge does not meet this specification. When a car comes to the Bridge and enters the granite block zone there is a sudden change in the vibration of the car and the sound of the tires. These conditions change for a moment as the lift-span is crossed, then resume.