Editing Federal Triangle (section)

===Context===
[[File:2021 Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.jpg|thumb|The [[Pennsylvania Avenue]] entrance to the [[Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center|Ronald Reagan Building]]]]
Even as parking and traffic issues continued to cause controversy at Federal Triangle in the 1960s and 1970s, efforts were under way to remove the parking lot and "finish" Federal Triangle by building a large office building on the site.  The first effort came in 1972, when the [[Richard M. Nixon|Nixon administration]] proposed building a $126 million office building on the lot in time for the national bicentennial in 1976.<ref>Eisen, Jack. "76 Finish Sought for 'Triangle'." ''Washington Post.'' January 25, 1972.</ref> But this proposal was never seriously contemplated or funded. One outcome of the Nixon proposal, however, was "the Weese Plan." The Nixon administration commissioned the architecture planning firm of Harry Weese & Associates to come up with a master plan for the continued development of Federal Triangle.<ref name="SquareDeal" /> The Master Plan (which became known as "the Weese Plan") did not only propose a massive new federal office building on the parking lots of the Triangle.  It also proposed a new series of pedestrian paths throughout the complex, titled "Federal Walk."<ref name="SquareDeal" /> Federal Walk would not only be a network of sidewalks designed to showcase the architecture of Federal Triangle; it also included destinations such as spots for tourists to wait for tours of the interiors of each building, outdoor art, places for rest and contemplation, and even cafes and restaurants.<ref name="SquareDeal" /> Federal Walk was gradually implemented in piecemeal fashion over the next 15 years, although it still remained incomplete as of 1997.<ref name="SquareDeal" /> GSA held a competition in 1982 to select a design for a 10-story office building to replace the parking lot, but planning bodies refused to approve the plan.<ref>Miller, Tim. "GSA to Begin Selection Of Triangle Designers." ''Washington Post.'' February 20, 1982; Eisen, Jack. "Office Building on Great Plaza Denied." ''Washington Post.'' April 23, 1982.</ref>

Plans for construction of an office building on the Federal Triangle parking lot site found support in 1986. The [[Federal City Council]],<ref>[http://www.federalcitycouncil.org/ Federal City Council Web site.]</ref> a private civic organization which had been promoting the construction of a $200 million international trade center in the District of Columbia, advocated construction of its proposed building at Federal Triangle.<ref>Mintz, John. "New Sites Eyed In District for Trade Center." ''Washington Post.'' May 23, 1986.</ref> [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan administration]] officials favored the plan, and in October 1986 the proposal received the backing of the General Services Administration.<ref>Havemann, Judith. "Trade Center Draws Support." ''Washington Post.'' October 30, 1986.</ref> The idea received support from [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] in Congress as well, especially from Senator [[Daniel Patrick Moynihan]], a former Kennedy administration aide who had long championed completion of the Federal Triangle.<ref>Havemann, Judith. "JFK Planted Seeds After Inaugural." ''Washington Post.'' August 8, 1987.</ref> There was some opposition to the idea from planning officials and others, who were dismayed at the loss of parking in the downtown area and who feared that the trade center's proposed 1,300 to 2,600 underground parking slots would not be built due to poor soil conditions.<ref>"It May Be Ugly, But at Least It's a Parking Lot." ''Washington Post.'' August 16, 1987.</ref> A bill was passed (almost unanimously) by Congress on August 7, 1987, to provide $362 million for the construction of an "International Cultural and Trade Center" on the parking lot at Federal Triangle.<ref name="TriangleVoted">Havemann, Judith. "Completion of Federal Triangle Voted." ''Washington Post.'' August 8, 1987.</ref> The plan was to provide office space for both the Justice and [[United States Department of State|State]] departments.<ref name="TriangleVoted" /> The legislation also provided that although the U.S. government would finance the building, a private developer would construct it.<ref name="TriangleVoted" /> The federal government would lease space from the private developer for 30 years, after which ownership of the building would revert to the government.<ref name="TriangleVoted" /><ref name="McPherson" /><ref>Crenshaw, Albert B. "Funding Plan Is Unusual For Government Building." ''Washington Post.'' January 17, 1990.</ref> The bill also required the building to be financially self-supporting within two years of its completion.<ref name="Ballooning" /> The rental prices throughout the lease's term would remain stable.<ref name="McPherson" /> It was only the fifth time the government had signed a "lease-to-own" agreement.<ref name="TriangleVoted" /> With 1.4 million square feet (130,200 square metres) of office space and 500,000 square feet (46,500 square metres) of space for trade center activities, the planned trade center would be larger than any other federally owned building except for [[The Pentagon]].<ref name="TriangleVoted" /> The bill also required that the trade center be "designed in harmony with historical and government buildings in the vicinity, ... reflect the symbolic importance and historic character of Pennsylvania Avenue and the Nation's Capital, and ... represent the dignity and stability of the Federal Government."<ref name="McPherson">McPherson, Harry. "A Winner On the Avenue." ''Washington Post.'' August 21, 1987.</ref> A nine-member panel was established to approve any plans, and included the Secretaries of State, [[United States Secretary of Agriculture|Agriculture]], and Commerce; the [[List of mayors of Washington, D.C.|Mayor of the District of Columbia]]; and five members of the public.<ref name="FiveNamed">"Five Named to Panel On Cultural Center." ''Washington Post.'' April 7, 1988.</ref> The building was expected to be completed in 1992.<ref name="TriangleVoted" /> President [[Ronald Reagan]] signed the ''Federal Triangle Development Act'' into law on August 22, 1987.<ref>"President Signs Federal Triangle Expansion Act." ''Washington Post.'' August 23, 1987.</ref>