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THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
COMMISSION ON RENOVATION OF THE EXECUTIVE MANSION
August 22, 1949
<<<uma
THE WHITE HOUSE
Dear Mr. President:
AuG 31 8 28 AM 249
At its meeting on August 2, 1949, the of the
Executive Mansion completed its consideration of the general plans by which
the Executive Mansion might be renovated and modernized as contemplated by
Public Law No. 40 - 8lst Congress and Public Law 119 - 8lst Congress.
The conclusions of the Commission are expressed in the following res-
olution which was adopted:
"RESOLVED, that this Commission approve a basic plan of
construction procedure predicated upon the retention of
the existing exterior walls of the White House, ade-
quately underpinned, and upon substantially relieving the
walls of the load of the floors and the roof which shall
be carried on an independent frame with adequate founda-
tion."
Since the Commission was first called together by the President on
June 3rd, 1949, its members have been intensively studying the various
possibilities for renovation or reconstruction of the White House, and
have endeavored to give careful consideration to all suggestions.
The major question has been the possibility, or otherwise, of retain-
ing the existing exterior walls of the building as against completely
demolishing the structure and endeavoring to reproduce the existing
exterior walls in limestone, marble or granite, including the possibility
of carefully removing the exterior stone facing and endeavoring to replace
it in exactly its former position.
The problem is complicated, and in order to assist in its solution
the Commission retained two outstanding consulting engineers, Ernest E.
Howard of Kansas City, and Emil H. Praeger of New York, and an eminent
architect, William Adams Delano of New York.
The plans upon which the Commissioner of Public Buildings and the
White House Architect have been working for more than a year have been
predicated upon retaining the existing exterior walls.
The reports of Messrs. Howard and Praeger show that it is feasible
and properly economical to retain the existing exterior walls. Mr. Delano
strongly urges that course from the architectural viewpoint.
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"ocrText": "\\\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nCOMMISSION ON RENOVATION OF THE EXECUTIVE MANSION\nAugust 22, 1949\n<<<uma\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nDear Mr. President:\nAuG 31 8 28 AM 249\nAt its meeting on August 2, 1949, the of the\nExecutive Mansion completed its consideration of the general plans by which\nthe Executive Mansion might be renovated and modernized as contemplated by\nPublic Law No. 40 - 8lst Congress and Public Law 119 - 8lst Congress.\nThe conclusions of the Commission are expressed in the following res-\nolution which was adopted:\n\"RESOLVED, that this Commission approve a basic plan of\nconstruction procedure predicated upon the retention of\nthe existing exterior walls of the White House, ade-\nquately underpinned, and upon substantially relieving the\nwalls of the load of the floors and the roof which shall\nbe carried on an independent frame with adequate founda-\ntion.\"\nSince the Commission was first called together by the President on\nJune 3rd, 1949, its members have been intensively studying the various\npossibilities for renovation or reconstruction of the White House, and\nhave endeavored to give careful consideration to all suggestions.\nThe major question has been the possibility, or otherwise, of retain-\ning the existing exterior walls of the building as against completely\ndemolishing the structure and endeavoring to reproduce the existing\nexterior walls in limestone, marble or granite, including the possibility\nof carefully removing the exterior stone facing and endeavoring to replace\nit in exactly its former position.\nThe problem is complicated, and in order to assist in its solution\nthe Commission retained two outstanding consulting engineers, Ernest E.\nHoward of Kansas City, and Emil H. Praeger of New York, and an eminent\narchitect, William Adams Delano of New York.\nThe plans upon which the Commissioner of Public Buildings and the\nWhite House Architect have been working for more than a year have been\npredicated upon retaining the existing exterior walls.\nThe reports of Messrs. Howard and Praeger show that it is feasible\nand properly economical to retain the existing exterior walls. Mr. Delano\nstrongly urges that course from the architectural viewpoint."
}