§ 10–601. Municipal Center — Authorization to acquire property.
The Council of the District of Columbia is authorized and directed to acquire by purchase, condemnation, or otherwise, all of squares no. 490, 491, 533, and reservation 10, in the District of Columbia, including buildings and other structures thereon, as a site for a municipal center, and to construct thereon necessary buildings to house municipal activities; provided, that the Council is hereby authorized to close and vacate such portions of streets and alleys as lie between or within such squares, as in the judgment of said Council may be necessary, and the portions of such streets and alleys so closed and vacated shall thereupon become parts of such sites; provided further, that if this property or any part thereof shall be condemned, the Mayor of the District of Columbia shall be entitled to enter immediately into the possession of any such property for which an award shall have been made by paying the amount of such award into the Registry of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
§ 10–602. Municipal Center — Rental.
The Mayor of the District of Columbia is authorized in his discretion to rent, until their removal becomes necessary, at fair rental values, buildings acquired by the District in the municipal center, and to use such part of the rentals heretofore and hereafter collected as may be necessary for expenses of collection, repairs, and alterations to buildings by day labor or otherwise, expenses of moving and preservation and operating expenses of such buildings as may continue in private occupancy, the balance of the rentals to be covered into the Treasury to the credit of the revenues of the District of Columbia.
§ 10–603. Public buildings — Loans for construction authorized; projects enumerated.
The Mayor of the District of Columbia is hereby authorized to borrow for the District of Columbia from the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works created by the National Industrial Recovery Act (which, for the purposes of §§ 10-603 to 10-606, shall be construed to include any agency created or designated by the President for similar purposes under the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935); and said Administration is authorized to lend to said Mayor the sum of $10,750,000, or any part thereof, out of funds authorized by law for said Administration, for the acquisition, purchase, construction, establishment, and development of a tuberculosis hospital, a sewage-disposal plant, an extension of or addition to Gallinger Municipal Hospital, a jail or other enclosure for prisoners at Lorton, Virginia, and a building or buildings for the Police Court, the Municipal Court, the Recorder of Deeds, and the Juvenile Court, or any of them, said court buildings to be located on such portions or parts of Judiciary Square, or the area bounded by 4th and 5th Streets, D and G Streets, Northwest, as shall be approved by said Mayor, and the National Capital Planning Commission, or any one or more of said projects as the said Mayor may determine; and to advance to the Children’s Hospital of the District of Columbia in compensation for clinical examination of tubercular children, the sum of $100,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for alterations and enlargement of building, equipment, and accessories.
§ 10–604. Public buildings — Availability of funds for acquiring lands for public uses.
The sum authorized by § 10-603, or any part thereof, shall, when borrowed, be available to the Mayor of the District of Columbia for the acquisition by dedication, purchase, or condemnation of the fee simple title to land, or rights or easements in land, for the public uses authorized by §§ 10-603 to 10-606, and for the preparation of plans, designs, estimates, models, and contracts, for architectural, and other necessary professional services, without reference to § 5 of Title 41, United States Code [see now 41 U.S.C. § 6101], for the construction of buildings, including materials and labor, heating, lighting, elevators, plumbing, landscaping, and all other appurtenances, and the purchase and installation of machinery, apparatus, and any and all other expenditures necessary for or incident to the complete construction of the aforesaid buildings and plants. All contracts, agreements, and proceedings in court for condemnation or otherwise, pursuant to §§ 10-603 to 10-606, shall be had and made in accordance with existing provisions of law, except as otherwise herein provided.
§ 10–605. Public buildings — Reimbursement.
Seventy per centum of so much of said sum authorized by § 10-603 as may be expended as therein provided shall be reimbursed to the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works from any funds in the Treasury to the credit of the District of Columbia, as follows, to wit: Not less than $1,000,000 on the 30th day of June each year after such sum shall have been advanced to said District until the full amount expended hereunder is reimbursed, without interest for the 1st 3 years after any such advances and with interest at not exceeding 4 per centum per year thereafter on annual balances as of each June 30th; provided, that whenever the District of Columbia is under obligation by virtue of the provisions of § 4 of Public Act No. 284, 71st Congress, entitled “An Act for the acquisition, establishment, and development of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, and so forth,” approved May 29, 1930 (46 Stat. 485, ch. 354), to reimburse the United States for sums appropriated by the Congress under that Act, the total reimbursement required under both that Act and §§ 10-603 to 10-606 shall be not less nor more than $1,300,000 in any 1 fiscal year; provided, that the Mayor of the District of Columbia may, in his discretion, repay more than said amount; and provided further, that the Mayor may, in his discretion, allocate any reimbursement as between the sums due by him to the United States under the aforesaid Act and the sums due by him to the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works under §§ 10-603 to 10-606; provided, that such sums as may be necessary for the reimbursement herein required of or permitted by the District of Columbia, and for the payment of interest, shall be included in the annual estimates of the Mayor of the District of Columbia, the 1st reimbursement to be made on June 30, 1936. Until 70 per centum of so much of said sum authorized by § 10-603 as may be expended as therein provided shall be reimbursed to the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, with interest as provided in this section, $.10 of the tax levied and collected upon each $100 of the assessed valuation of all real and tangible personal property subject to taxation in the District of Columbia shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of a special account for such reimbursement to the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works and shall not be available for any other purpose. The Mayor may, in his discretion, anticipate from said special account the payments required by §§ 10-603 to 10-606; provided, that whenever the District of Columbia is under obligation by virtue of the provisions of § 4 of said Public Act No. 284, 71st Congress, reimbursement shall be not less than $300,000 in any 1 fiscal year.
§ 10–606. Public buildings — Annual report submitted to Congress.
The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall submit with his annual estimates to the Senate and the House of Representatives a report of his activities and expenditures under § 10-603.
§ 10–607. Authorization to borrow money from the United States for public works.
The Mayor of the District of Columbia is hereby authorized to accept advancements for the District of Columbia from the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, created by the National Industrial Recovery Act, and said Administration with the approval of the President is authorized to advance to said Mayor the sum of $18,150,000, or any part thereof, in addition to any sums heretofore advanced to the District of Columbia by said Administration, out of funds authorized by law for said Administration, for the acquisition, purchase, construction, establishment, and development of public works, including among others a building or buildings for the Municipal Court, the Recorder of Deeds, and the Juvenile Court, or any of them, said buildings to be located on such portions or parts of Judiciary Square, or the area bounded by 4th and 5th Streets, D and G Streets, Northwest, or upon such other area or areas as shall be approved by said Mayor and the National Capital Planning Commission and the making of such advances is hereby included among the purposes for which funds heretofore appropriated or authorized for said Administration, including funds appropriated by the Public Works Administration Appropriation Act of 1938, may be used, in addition to the other purposes specified in the respective acts appropriating or authorizing said funds.
§ 10–608. Purposes for which borrowed moneys may be used.
The sum authorized by § 10-607, or any part thereof shall, when advanced, be available to the Mayor of the District of Columbia for the acquisition by dedication, purchase, or condemnation of the fee simple title to land, or rights or easements in land, for the public uses authorized by §§ 10-607 to 10-611, and for the preparation of plans, designs, estimates, models, and specifications, and for architectural and other necessary professional services without reference to § 2-225.05 [repealed], for the construction of buildings, including materials and labor, heating, lighting, elevators, plumbing, landscaping, and all other appurtenances, and the purchase and installation of machinery, furniture, equipment, apparatus, and any and all other expenditures necessary for or incident to the complete construction and equipment for use of the aforesaid buildings and plants. All contracts, agreements, and proceedings in court for condemnation or otherwise, pursuant to §§ 10-607 to 10-611 shall be had and made in accordance with existing provisions of law except as otherwise herein provided.
§ 10–609. Repayment of borrowed moneys.
The Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works shall be repaid 55 per centum of any moneys advanced under § 10-607 in annual instalments over a period of not to exceed 25 years with interest thereon for the period of amortization; provided, that such sums as may be necessary for the reimbursement herein required of the District of Columbia, and for the payment of interest, shall be included in the annual estimates of the Mayor of the District of Columbia, the 1st reimbursement to be made on June 30, 1941; provided further, that whenever the District of Columbia is under obligation by virtue of the provisions of § 4 of Public Act No. 284, 71st Congress, reimbursement under that Act shall be not less than $300,000 in any 1 fiscal year.
§ 10–610. Annual report concerning borrowed moneys submitted to Congress.
The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall submit with his annual estimates to the Congress a report of his activities and expenditures under § 10-607.
§ 10–611. Limitations on borrowing.
The Mayor of the District of Columbia is not authorized to borrow any further sum or sums under the provisions of §§ 10-603 to 10-606.
§ 10–612. Interest on funds borrowed from Administrator of General Services.
The Administrator of General Services and the Mayor of the District of Columbia are authorized to amend existing contracts and agreements by which funds have been loaned or advanced or are obligated to be loaned or advanced to said Mayor, for the acquisition, purchase, construction, establishment, and development of public works, pursuant to the authority of §§ 10-603 to 10-606, or §§ 10-607 to 10-611, so as to provide for the payment of interest on the amounts of such loans and advances to be repaid to the Administrator of General Services at such rate as would, in the opinion of the Secretary of the Treasury, be the lowest interest rate available to the District of Columbia were said District authorized by law to issue and sell obligations to the public at the par value thereof, in a sum equal to the repayable amounts of such loans and advances, maturing serially over a period of 15 years in approximately equal annual installments, including both principal and interest, and secured by a 1st pledge of and lien upon all the general-fund revenues of said District.
§ 10–613. Advice of Secretary of Treasury regarding interest rate.
The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to advise the Administrator of General Services and the Mayor of the District of Columbia of such interest rate which, in his opinion and in the aforesaid circumstances, would be available to the District of Columbia on July 1, 1940.
§ 10–614. Authorization for advancements for Office of Recorder of Deeds.
The Mayor of the District of Columbia is hereby authorized to accept advancements for the District of Columbia from the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, or its successor, and said Administration, or its successor, with the approval of the President, is authorized to advance to said Mayor the sum of $450,000, or any part thereof, in addition to any sums heretofore advanced to the District of Columbia by said Administration, or its successor, out of funds authorized by law for said Administration, or its successor, for a building for the Office of the Recorder of Deeds to be located on premises now known as 515 D Street Northwest, formerly used as the Police Court, as recommended by a committee appointed by the Mayor under order of January 12, 1940, and the making of such advances is hereby included among the purposes for which funds heretofore appropriated or authorized for said Administration or its successor, including funds appropriated by the Public Works Administration Appropriation Act of 1938, may be used, in addition to the other purposes specified in the respective acts appropriating or authorizing said funds.
§ 10–615. Purposes for which advancements may be used.
The sum authorized by § 10-614, or any part thereof shall, when advanced, be available to the Mayor of the District of Columbia for the preparation of plans, designs, estimates, models, and specifications; and for architectural and other necessary professional services required for carrying out the provisions of §§ 10-614 to 10-618; and for the construction of a Recorder of Deeds building, including materials and labor, heating, lighting, elevators, plumbing, landscaping, transportation or rental thereof, and all other appurtenances, and the purchase and installation of machinery, furniture, equipment, apparatus, and any and all other expenditures necessary for or incident to the complete construction and equipment for use of the aforesaid building and plant.
§ 10–616. Repayment of advancements; interest.
The Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, or its successor, shall be repaid 55 per centum of any moneys advanced under § 10-614 in annual instalments over a period of not to exceed 25 years with interest thereon at such rate as is agreed upon by the Mayor of the District and the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, or its successor, for the period of amortization; provided, that such sums as may be necessary for the reimbursement herein required of the District of Columbia, and for the payment of interest, shall be included in the annual estimates of the Mayor of the District of Columbia, the 1st reimbursement with interest to be made not later than June 30, 1944; provided further, that whenever the District of Columbia is under obligation by virtue of the provisions of § 4 of Public Act No. 284, 71st Congress, 46 Stat. 482, ch. 354, reimbursement under that Act shall not be less than $300,000 in any 1 fiscal year.
§ 10–617. Annual report submitted to Congress.
The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall submit with his annual estimates to the Congress a report of his activities and expenditures under § 10-614.
§ 10–618. Preparation of plans and specifications.
The plans and specifications for all building construction administered by the Mayor of the District of Columbia shall be prepared under the supervision of the Municipal Architect, and shall be approved by the Mayor and all such construction shall be in conformity to such plans and specifications.
§ 10–619. Program of construction to meet capital needs authorized; contents.
A program of construction to meet capital needs of the government of the District of Columbia is hereby authorized. Such program shall include, without limitation, projects relating to activities to meet the needs of the public in the fields of education, health, welfare, public safety, recreation, and other general government activities.
§ 10–620. Construction Services Fund.
(a) There is established in the Treasury of the United States a permanent working fund, without fiscal year limitation, to be known as the Construction Services Fund, Department of General Services, District of Columbia. The Mayor is authorized to transfer to such Fund from capital outlay appropriations for public building construction such amounts as he may deem necessary to carry out the purposes of this section, and, subject to subsequent adjustment, advances and reimbursements may be made to such Fund from appropriations for services to other departments and agencies of the District government, without reference to fiscal year limitations on such appropriations. The Fund shall be available for expenses incurred in the initial planning for construction projects, for work performed under contract or otherwise, including, but not limited to, preliminary planning and related expenses, surveys, preparation of plans and specifications, soil investigation, administration, overhead, planning design, engineering, inspection, and contract management.
(b) The Council of the District of Columbia shall annually review the budget of the Construction Services Fund within 90 days after the annual District of Columbia Appropriations Act is enacted into law.
(c) The Council of the District of Columbia, the Board of Higher Education, the Board of Vocational Education, the Board of Education, the Public Library Board, and the Executive Director of the District of Columbia Court System shall be kept fully advised, at least semiannually, of the status of projects and activities within their respective areas of concern which are financed from the Construction Services Fund.
