Editing Watergate complex (section)

===Fifth building===

Controversy arose over the construction of the Watergate Office Building, the complex's fifth and final structure. Its original design called for a {{convert|140|ft|m|adj=on}} structure with the upper floors set back to create more space and light.<ref name="Morgan" /> But in June 1965, as excavation and clearing began for the Kennedy Center, its advocates began agitating to lower the planned height of the final Watergate building.<ref name="Morgan">{{cite news |last=Morgan |first=Dan |title=Watergate Facing New Height Fight |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=June 17, 1965}}</ref> The [[general counsel]] for the Kennedy Center told the USCFA that the Watergate Town (the development had dropped the "e") was planning a {{convert|170|ft|m|adj=on}} building that would harm the aesthetics of the Kennedy Center and intrude on its park-like surroundings.<ref name="Morgan" /> The Watergate's attorneys responded that their building would stay within the agreed-upon {{convert|140|ft|m|adj=on}} height.<ref name="Morgan" />

The disagreement continued for nearly two years,<ref>{{cite news |title=Kennedy Center Protests Apartments |newspaper=The New York Times |date=September 16, 1967}}</ref> delaying the planned fall 1967 start to construction.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Meersman |first=Roger |title=The Kennedy Center: From Dream to Reality |volume=50 |journal=Records of the Columbia Historical Society |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=Columbia Historical Society |year=1980}}</ref> Watergate apartment residents such as Senator [[Wayne Morse]] lobbied the USFCA, DCZC, and NCPC to force SGI to accede to the Kennedy Center's wishes.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sen. Morse Backs Watergate Plans |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 19, 1967}}</ref> In November 1967, the USCFA reaffirmed its approval of the Watergate project.<ref>{{cite news |title=Watergate Plans Reaffirmed |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=November 16, 1967}}</ref> When the DCZC appeared on the verge of giving its approval as well, the Kennedy Center argued that the DCZC had no jurisdiction over the controversy.<ref name="WestZoners">{{cite news |last=West |first=Hollie I. |title=Zoners Firm in Center Fight |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 19, 1967}}</ref> The DCZC disagreed, and re-asserted its jurisdiction.<ref name="WestZoners" /> The Kennedy Center then argued that the DCZC had not properly considered its objections, and should delay its approval pending further hearings.<ref name="RulingDueSoon">{{cite news |title=Watergate Ruling Due Soon |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=November 25, 1967}}</ref> The District's legal counsel disagreed, giving the DCZC the go-ahead to reaffirm (or not) its approval ruling,<ref name="RulingDueSoon" /> which the Zoning Commission did on November 30, 1967.<ref>{{cite news |title=Zoning Unit Approves 5th Building in Watergate Project |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 1, 1967}}</ref>

Although it appeared that SGI was winning the legal battle over the fifth building, D.C. city planners attempted to mediate the dispute between the Kennedy Center and the Watergate and achieve a contractual rather than legal solution. Three separate proposals were made to both sides on December 7, 1967.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hoagland |first=Jim |title=Alternatives Offered in Watergate Rift |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 8, 1967}}</ref> On April 22, 1968, SGI agreed to turn its fifth building slightly to the southwest in order to open up the Watergate complex a little more and give the Kennedy Center a bit of open space.<ref>{{cite news |title=Watergate Defers To Kennedy Center |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 23, 1968}}</ref> Although the Kennedy Center accepted the proposal, it demanded that the fifth building include apartment units, rather than be completely devoted to office space, to maintain the area's residential nature.<ref name="Compromise">{{cite news |title=Compromise Plan Ends Watergate Controversy |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=August 9, 1968}}</ref> The fight now moved to the NCPC. In June 1968, the NCPC held a hearing at which more than 150 Watergate apartment residents clashed with SGI officials over the nature of the final building.<ref>{{cite news |last=West |first=Hollie I. |title=Board Hears Watergate Zoning Row |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=June 27, 1968}}</ref> On August 8, 1968, SGI and the Kennedy Center reached a resolution, agreeing that only 25 percent of the fifth building's {{convert|1.7|e6sqft|m2}} would be used as office space and that the remaining space would become apartment units.<ref name="Compromise"/> The NCPC approved the revised plan in November 1968, and the DCZC did so five weeks later, specifically zoning the building for nonprofit and professional use only.<ref>{{cite news |last=Clopton |first=Willard 
|title=New Design Approved For Watergate Project |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=November 8, 1968}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Commercial Zoning Denied Watergate |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 17, 1968}}</ref>

The fifth building was completed in January 1971.<ref name="Wheeler" /> Its first tenant was the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which secured occupancy in February 1971, and its first major tenant was the Manpower Evaluation and Development Institute, which leased the entire eighth floor.<ref name="Livingston" /> In October 1972, several high-end fashion boutiques, jewelers, and a restaurant opened in a retail space named "Les Champs".<ref name="Livingston" />

The total cost of the project was $78 million.<ref name="Sanchez" />