The Sidney R. Yates Federal BuildingThis lovely brick building at 1400 Independence Avenue SW is the Sidney R. Yates Federal Building and is part of the larger U.S. Department of Agriculture complex on the other side of 14th Street. It houses offices of the U.S. Forest Service, which is charged with the care and maintenance of America's forestlands.
Line of sight photo of the southeast corner of the Yates Federal BuildingThe Yates Building was originally called the Auditors Main Building. As the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum expanded in the mid-1980s, buildings were demolished to make room for office space. The Yates Building is named for the late U.S. representative from Illinois, Sidney R. Yates. Yates was a proponent of the arts and was instrumental in financing the embattled National Endowment for the Arts. He also was chairman of the Appropriations Interior Subcommittee in the U.S. House, which had budgetary oversight for national forests.
Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 3/08
10 comments:
That is a beautiful building. I'll bet it was hard laying all those bricks in a circular pattern!
This building is beautiful. It reminds me of Boston architecture.
I love the angles you chose, your a true professional DC!
Maya: I wondered that, too! All I can figure is the bricks were cast with a curve and the ends are angled....
Andrea: I hadn't thought of it as being like Boston architecture, but now you mention it, I see the similarity in some of the buildings Fenix has shot. Very interesting and good eye!
Lisa: Thank you! I'm try to change up the angles at which I shoot things so they'll be visually interesting. Looks like this one worked out!
What is all the construction surrounding the exterior of the building? Just noticed it on the CNN video reporting news about the guard shooting at the Museum next door.
Gary: Good question, but I don't know. I've actually moved away from Washington, D.C., and haven't seen the Yates Federal Building in over two months. Perhaps they're repointing the brick?
IT's a GSA contract for rehab of the building. It's been there so long because there is dispute between the contractor and the Government and the contractor has not returned to the site to complete the work in several months.
The contractor was DesBuild. They have defaulted, and the contract will be rebid by GSA.
Building was used by the Bureau of Printing and Engaving, before the GAO (auditors) moved in. One of the oldest buildings along the mall.
I am a current Forest Service employee...the building sustained some damage in yesterday's 5.8 magnitude earthquake. Is undergoing an inspection today. It is quite an interesting building on the inside as well. Very thick masonry walls and arches. Let's hope the damage is not too severe and the contract to "repoint" the bricks and mortar on the exterior is finally accomplished some day soon!
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