The Park Governments of Chicago 155 



HOW $145,000 MIGHT HAVE BEEN SAVED 



The Bureau made a careful examination of the old building 

 while it was yet in use. For purposes of enlargement it was sus- 

 ceptible of an artistic architectural treatment. A study thereof 

 by the park officials might have revealed the possibilities of dupli- 

 cating the plan of the building on the north of the old, but en 

 reverse, with the consequent doubling of floor space at a mod- 

 erate cost. The floor area of the old building was 3,074 square 

 feet, and the remodeled building proposed would have had a 

 floor area of 6,481 square feet. 



The new building, as constructed, has a floor area of 10,134 

 square feet, but an analysis of the uses to which all this space is 

 put under normal working conditions indicates an excessive 

 amount of space used for architectural treatment only, such as 

 hallways, etc., and for unnecessary rooms. A tabular statement 

 of the floor area of the various rooms of the old and new build- 

 ings, and also of the remodeled plan of the old building as de- 

 signed by the Bureau, are shown on page 157. 



Although the Board consists of only five members, the 

 new building includes a board room containing 1,104 square feet. 

 It is equipped with opera chairs, and originally had a rostrum, on 

 which was a long semi-circular desk similar to those of the 

 higher courts. Soon after the building was completed the Board 

 had the rostrum and desk ripped out. As a regular meeting of 

 the Board only occurs once a month, it would seem that this room 

 might have been used also as an office for the head of a depart- 

 ment, as in the old building. That the room provided for use of 

 the president was unnecessary is evidenced by the fact that it has 

 been turned over to the general superintendent by the present 

 president to be used for other purposes. The drafting room in 

 the new building is also unnecessarily large. The combination 

 of the library, stationery and file room, as in the Bureau's plan, 

 would have required the services of but one attendant, whereas 

 two are now employed. 



If the old building had been enlarged as proposed, it would 

 have demanded only a simple landscape treatment. There would 

 have been no need for changing the location of the propagating 



