SIMPLE APPROACH IN BIG AFFAIRS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000500270021-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 6, 2004
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: April 20, 1961
• Content Type: NSPR

1ASIF': (~1~T APR 2 0 1961,
STAR
PORTRAIT OF GSA`S HEAD C. f
Simple Approach in Big Affairs
Star Staff Writer
rppl7yprobably has
mJq and less to say about
Washington, D. C., than any
other member of the new Kennedy
administration.
This unobtrusive, former uni-
versity vice president and football
coach will influence traffic pat-
terns, highway construction, hous-
ing, renewal and parking in the
national capital metro?olitan area.
All this, not because $c1 com-
plicated urban problem; a his
responsibilities, but beca'they
are linked inescapably to his job.
He is the chief supply officer of
the multibillion dollar business of
the Federal Government.
pervises design and construction
of Federal buildings. He disposes
of surplus property and stockpiles
equipment that may have a public
use.
If he can raze unsightly, tempo-
rary buildings in the Fedetal City,
the community and its, 'tourists
may be even more gr ful for
green vistas than GQitrnment
workers for evacuation from
The shape of the Fetal com-
munity sets the patterri'jor growth
of the metropolis of Washington
and surrounding suburbs of Mary-
land and Virginia, in a way
unique among American cities.
GSA administrators generally
are a little dazed to learn of the
JOHN L. MOORE
A lot to do about a lot of things.
tremendous impact of their activi-
ties on the District of Columbia. He is slow to make promises he
There is a temptation to ignore, does not know he can keep, quick
or at least make very secondary, to trust judgments of specialists
the purely local problems. Mr. with experience. He is willing to
Moore is approaching this peculiar, explore new ways of working
area with more caution and less within the frame erected by law,
speed than has been characteris-but unwilliing to alter the frame
tic of most New Frontiersmen until he"has tested its efficiency.
tackling new responsibilities.
He declined to grant an Inter-
view to talk over the influence ofl
his office on the city. This was
in line with his decision to hold]
press conferences from time to!
time, but to talk to no newspaper
representatives individually.
But he answered questions in
writing. Cheerfully, he interrupted
a conference in his office to ex-
plain this seemed more efficient.
Both his answers and his meth-
ods indicated he is a man who
f
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i
on his staf
rely
hea
wiill
lyy
u
nn
vvv
He seems more a plodder than
a plunger, more an organizer than
an initiator.
"Unsightly" was Mr. Moore's
word to describe the temporary,
frame buildings lining the Mall,
adjoining ridges and Independ-
ence avenues N.W. He said the
GSA would rid Washington of
tempos, but he promised no time-
table.
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 a pledge that tempos will be de- agency to make sure disposals tural treatmentL'of new Federal
molished as soon as employes now were mans I o t v s buildings. Whichever style we se-
~
o &027OO21~ a given area a> uld be
Appnew f`t bt'E% rR te&sere+OO4PfP11Rl10fnClA
bu mgs under construction communication. appropriate, pleasing tp- a eye
"From MY observations, I would
say that GSA- even at. the Present
uuvernr9ent property," Mr. Moore
hit new CIA headquarters'- -?.~--due., said.
or edrn 1etlon next fall in 'air-
Hate the balance of tempos," he
said. "Naturally, the speed with
which we can accomplish the
demolition, before, of necessity,
they are eliminated to clear sites
for public projects, or before ad-
ditional Federal building gets
underway, will be influenced by
the size of the Federal population
we. must house in the interim and
the relocations we must accom-
?plisgh. as some of the scheduled
ihfic works projects progress."
]fir Moore already has moved
to.try to alleviate parking prob-
lems of Federal employes. He set
up a committee of representatives
Naval Weapons Plant
Cases is point in Washington
have been the Naval Weapons
Plant -due to be vacated by the
Navy in 1962 and Bolling Air Force
Base, where activities are being
shifted to Air Force Base.
Mr. Moore did not go into plans
for either of these properties.
But he did say, "I have spent,
much of my initial weeks with this
agency reviewing with representa-
tives of various communities just.
this type of situation. We. want to
know their plans and we want to
work with them."
Shortly after the written inter-
view with Mr. Moore, President
Kennedy urged that Bolling be
used for a permanent interna-
tional trade center, an idea with
strong local supj o4.
Whether Mr.Moore helps his
chief make .such decisions, the
risky administrator is. not saying.
He. can, however, considerably fa-
cilitate or Impede sensible 'com-
munity uses of surplus Govern-
ment property by his policy in this
area;
Note on Architecture
Architecture of Federal. build-
ings, and consequently the mood
of the central city, also can be
fixed in large measurQ by Mr.
Moore, He believes In variety of
design, gauged to function,com-
munity atmosphere and beauty.
"Are You satisfied generally with
the architecture of Federal build-
agencies. The newest idea this
group will study is creation of a
revolving fund fed by fees charged
for parking on some 11,400 Gov-
ernment=controlled spaces down-
town. Added parking facilities
would be built with the fund.
This idea will be implemented
only if four other more conven-
tional schemes fall to meet park-
ing.,space needs, according to Mr.
Moore. These four are expanded
use of mass transit, increased car
pooling, more fringe parking and
rate adjustments from private lot
owners for space needed by Fed-
eral employes.
"We are proceeding to investi-
gate. and, to the extent possible,
implement these recommendations
first," Mr. Moore disclosed. "After
we have gone as far as we can in ings in Washington?",..hq was
this direction-and'.. if a Federal asked. "Should we economize
space need still exists-we will re- more? Should we build grander
consider other recommendations buildings? Should. GSA integrate
. . . including that of financing Federal buildings more with local
new lots through a revolving redevelopment and renewal pro-
fund." grams?"
Surplus Prderty, Disposal "I am no architect, as you may
na know; so in answer to the first
Mr. Moore-vas less precise about part. of your questioU,.I speak orily
how the Government gears dis- as a citizen," Mr. Moore replied.
posai of surplus property tq cotir- "In architecture_"t am not an
munity needs. Disposals. pose a advocate of the efessic, the tradi-
growing problem because the Fed- tional or the modetf-I recognize
eral GoVeaihhient is pulling out of the merits of all of them. I like
more and'raore defense Installa- the grandeur and solidity of the
tions rendered obsolete by tech- more massive buildings on the
nological advances. Federal Triangle and believe'that
Former GSA Administrator any future construction In that
area should complement that
which already is there-as the new
Museum of'-.$4story and Tech-
APR 201961
city, as thordering on or similar to his experience at the
within are69"MTbdevelopment, I University of Pennsylvania, where
nu c ,ay ai ticieJicy UL
Government opelttions, a func-
tional style of arhitectur'e is ap-
propriate since the area will de-
velop along contemporary lines.
ing will perform,- and. a credit to
the community," he a ded.
"As for a tie-in WiJocal re-
right now."
Some New Buildings .
Three new buildings-at Fourth,
Sixth, C streets and Maryland
avenue S.W.; at - Second, Third
and D streets S.W., southwest a
the -Health Education and Welr
fare Department, and along Inde-
=pendence avenue beween Sixth
and Ninth streets. SW.-all were
located to encourage building and,
set the tone of the southwest
urban renewal area.
"In selecting future sites, we
will certainly keep renewal plans
in mind," Mr. Moore Promised.
He promised, too, to watch Fed-
eral construction on the east side
of Lafayette Square. Attempts
still under way locally and in Can.
gress to' save the Dolly Madison
and Benjamin Tayloe houses and
the old Belasco Theater there
have not impressed Mr. Moore.
They hardly could be expected
to, since Pxesidetit Kennedy .and
Congress favor building new ex-
ecutive offices there. Mr. Moore
seems determined, however, to
carry out his responsibilities under .
the law to plan Ubuulding with
garden areas, setbacks and ma-
terials designed to retain the at-
mosphere of.. the historic square
across Pennsylvania avenue from
the White House.
"I believe that Lafayette. Square
can be vastly improved by flank-
ing it with new buildings carefully
designed and executed to preserve
its character," he said. Mr. Moore,
shortly after assuming , office,
hiked around the square wit!{Ian
artist friend of the President'k to
assess the area and designs for. a
new building there.
Few Outside Interests
Mr. Moore. says his work leaves
little time for other interests, al-
though he and his wife are ardent
football fans. He played himself,
end and guard, for Villanova,
where he Was 'graduated in 1926.
He is now b'U. He also attended
Pennsylvania State, University of
Maryland and Westchester (Fa,)
State Teachers' College, stufying
public administration and sauca-
tion. He coached football at
Drexel Institute" of Technology.
In 1950, he joined the 'Univer-
sity of Pennsylvania administra-
tion as controller; became acting
business manager in 1954- and,
0 charge of purchases,
~1 and cnnatrurtinn