was some talk about a swap of properties or adding to the building, because they were so short of space there. But I knew nothing about this other building. That was the only other building that I knew about. Mr. MALETZ. What was this building? Mr. MANSURE. I think it is called the Grand Central Postal. Mr. FINE. You are referring to the Grand Central, and Mr. Maletz was referring to 346 Broadway. Mr. MANSURE. No; I said I knew nothing about that. I did know about the other one. I just wanted to correct that, because I thought there might be some confusion in your mind as to the two buildings. I did not know about the other one, though. Mr. MALETZ. Are you familiar with the form that was filed with GSA by the president of Broadway-Lafayette Corp., which owns 346 Broadway? Mr. MANSURE. No; I am not familiar with that. Mr. MALETZ. That form has already been introduced into the record, and it indicates that Mr. Blumenthal became a broker, a licensed broker, in 1954. Mr. MANSURE. I heard that for the first time this morning, just as I came in the room. You were talking about that. I did not know anything about that date until I heard it then. The CHAIRMAN. Are there further questions? Mr. FINE. None. Mr. KEATING. I wanted to ask this witness, but I do not suppose he knows about one or two of these things here-probably Mr. Strobel would know more about it—did you ever hear of the Karp Metal Products Corp. in Brooklyn? Mr. MANSURE. Other than by name, no. Mr. KEATING. Do you know Irwin S. Chanin, an architect there? Mr. MANSURE. No; I do not. Mr. KEATING. Maybe these questions would be better directed to Mr. Strobel. The CHAIRMAN. Isn't Mr. Strobel entitled to a couple of buildings? Mr. KEATING. Sure. They have four down here. What I want to know about is what kind of architect this Mr. Chanin is, or this Reisner and Urbahn. Maybe the chairman can tell me about it. Mr. FINE. No. Mr. MANSURE. They may have been some people that our regional office negotiated with, but I don't know the names at all. The CHAIRMAN. Do not take it too seriously, Mr. Mansure. He is just trying to be facetious. Mr. KEATING. No; I would like to ask Mr. Strobel a few questions about this. On that list of architects that we talked about so much that were recommended. Was there an Irwin S. Chanin on that list? Mr. STROBEL. What list are you referring to? Mr. KEATING. Well, I am referring to The CHAIRMAN. Fourteen names? Mr. KEATING. Yes; the list of 14 recommended. Mr. STROBEL. No; Mr. Chanin's name was not on that list. Mr. KEATING. And were Reisner and Urbahn on that list? Mr. KEATING. Urbahn's name? Mr. STROBEL. That is right. Mr. KEATING. Was this a different firm? Mr. STROBEL. It is the same man. The firm changed from Reisner & Urbahn to Urbahn, Brayton & Burrows. Mr. KEATING. And that latter named firm was on it? Mr. STROBEL. That is right. Mr. KEATING. Was the firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill on that list? Mr. STROBEL. It was not. Mr. KEATING. Well, now, you did a job for Skidmore, Owings & Merrill involving a recreation center in Brooklyn. Do you remember that? Mr. STROBEL. That is correct. Mr. KEATING. And you also did a job for them representing a bathhouse and cafeteria and maintenance building in Brooklyn. Now, those both sound like pretty good-sized jobs; were they not? Mr. STROBEL. No; they are not large jobs. Mr. KEATING. They are not large jobs? Mr. STROBEL. I think they ran about $1 million each in construction. Mr. KEATING. You do not call that a big job? Mr. STROBEL. It all depends. Mr. KEATING. Was this Karp Metal Products Corp. a big job? Mr. STROBEL. Yes; that was a fairly big structure. That was a manufacturing plant with offices. Mr. KEATING. And the fee that you got out of Mr. Chanin on that job was a good-sized fee? Mr. STROBEL. Well, I don't recall the actual fee. We have done so many jobs for Mr. Chanin that it was just one of them. Mr. KEATING. What I am getting at is, on this list of clients, covering a good many pages which you submitted in your brochure to Mr. Mansure when you took up the position of Commissioner of Public Buildings were there many architects listed from whom your firm derived substantial fees, who were still in business at the time when you along with others in your department made your recommendations of some 14 people, who were not among those 14? Mr. STROBEL. That is correct. Mr. KEATING. Would you have any idea how many of those there were, not only in Brooklyn but throughout the country? Mr. STROBEL. As I testified this morning, I think there were 30 architects on the list submitted August 30, 1955, that were not on that list of 14. However, they do not all occur in the brochure that was submitted to Mr. Mansure before I took office, because that lists only the major projects done by the firm of Strobel and Salzman. Mr. FINE. Will the gentleman yield for a minute? Mr. KEATING. Yes. Mr. FINE. I know a thought struck me as I was sitting there and Mr. Keating asked these questions, and I think the committee would like to know. This brochure which was submitted preliminary to Mr. Strobel's becoming the Commissioner, or consultant, or Commissioner of Public Buildings, contains a list of many clients of his, and I notice that among these is the name of Serge Petroff. Mr. STROBEL. That is correct. Mr. FINE. So actually on July 1, or prior thereto, your department was familiar with the fact that Petroff was a client of the Strobel & Salzman firm. And I am wondering whether or not the entire list of his clients, the list that he prepared and is contained in this brochure and the list that he finally submitted in August of 1955 were not in fact similar. Mr. STROBEL. I could answer this by saying that any names that appear to be a client in the brochure will also appear on the list that was made up. Mr. FINE. So certainly prior to July 1, 1954, you did advise the Department as to the clients you had? Mr. STROBEL. Right; in some respects, yes, sir. Mr. FINE. So that all this haggling we have had for a couple of days about the list Mr. STROBEL. All the important jobs. The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman does not mean to imply that the submission of a brochure is the same as the submission officially to the General Services Administration of a list of clients? Mr. FINE. I did not suggest that. I merely suggested that the names were identical, and they are in the files. Mr. STROBEL. I will say that the brochure was submitted for the purpose of indicating the type of business we were doing and with whom we were doing it. Mr. MALETZ. Mr. Strobel, did you inform the GSA that subsequent to August 26, 1954, Strobel & Salzman obtained several jobs from Serge Petroff? Mr. STROBEL. I have testified to that; yes, sir. Mr. MALETZ. Have you advised the GSA? Mr. STROBEL. I think I testified that I did not believe that I had. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Mr. Strobel. Thank you, Mr. Mansure. Mr. FINE. Will that be received in evidence, Mr. Chairman? The CHAIRMAN. Yes. That has been received. (The brochure referred to is as follows:) PROFESSIONAL RECORD OF STROBEL & SALZMAN, CONSULTING ENGINEERS, 70 WEST 40TH STREET, NEW YORK 18, N. Y. SCOPE OF SERVICES Strobel & Salzman, consulting engineers, are engaged in the fields of civil and structural engineering. We furnish engineering services for- All types of buildings and structures, including commercial, institutional, monumental, housing, heavy and light industrial, and manufacturing plants. Structures of a special nature, such as stadiums, radio and television towers, bridges, storage and material handling facilities, cranes, bulkheads, quay walls, retaining walls, and gage metal structures. Airports and airport facilities, commercial and military hangars, administration buildings, terminals, operational and maintenance hangars, and structures of special types. We furnish complete or partial engineering services as required— Engineering and economic studies, investigations, surveys, preliminary plans, estimates, and reports for budget purposes. Working drawings, specifications, and estimates for construction. The firm is prepared, as it has been in the past, to develop new ideas, whether they apply to designing special purpose structures, application and uses of new materials, or determining more economical uses and methods for standard materials. ORGANIZATION The business was started under the individual name of Peter A. Strobel, consulting engineer, in 1943 and continued until the end of 1944, when it was reorganized, and has since operated as a partnership under the name of Strobel & Salzman, consulting engineers. We pride ourselves in having a flexible and versatile staff of civil engineers and engineering technicians, enabling us to function to the best and most economical advantage and interest of our clients on diversified types of projects. ENGINEERING REGISTRATIONS National Bureau of Engineering registration: The following pages summarize the experience of the principals and associates of the firm. PETER A. STROBEL Royal Technical University, Copenhagen, Denmark, master of science in civil engineering, 1925 Member: American Society of Civil Engineers, New York State Society of Professional Engineers, New York Building Congress, Architectural League of New York, Engineers Club of New York, New York Association of Consulting Engineers. 1945-date: Partner, Strobel & Salzman, consulting engineers. 1943-44: Consulting engineer. 1942-43: Chief engineer-James Stewart & Co., Inc., engineers and contractors, New York, N. Y. Responsible for all civil and structural engineering design for many large mills and plants including steel tube mill, airplane turret plant, 2 airplane assembly plants (1 with complete airfield, hangars, administration building and shops), aluminum extrusion plant, aluminum tube mill, steel mill (blast furnace, electrical furnaces, rolling mills, ore dock, high lines, etc.). 1941: Chief structural engineer, Holabird & Root-Moran, Proctor, Freeman & Meuser, architect-engineers, for Army airbase, Jamaica, B. W. I. 1937-40: Chief structural engineer, New York Worlds Fair, 1939, Inc., Flushing, N. Y. Responsible for production of all engineering construction drawings (120 engineers and draftsmen). In charge of the structural design for all buildings and structures planned and built by the fair corporation. As chief structural engineer, responsible to the administrative board of the Worlds Fair Building Code Authority for conformity to the code of all buildings and structures built by foreign and domestic participants and concessionaires. Specified and conducted all tests of amusement devices for structural and public safety. 1933-36: Field inspector and later chief engineer, Reliance Advertising Co., New York, N. Y. Responsible for designs, specifications, and installation of outdoor advertising displays. 1926-33: Structural designing engineer with consulting engineers and engineering firms. 1925: Structural steel draftsman, American Bridge Co., Pencoyd, Pa. JOSEPH SALZMAN Technical University, Budapest, Hungary Civil Engineer, 1920 Member: New York State Society of Professional Engineers, New York Association of Consulting Engineers. 1945 to date: Partner, Strobel & Salzman, consulting engineers. 1942-45: chief structural engineer, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, architects New York, N. Y. and Chicago, Ill. The most important structures were those of the Manhattan project, Oak Ridge, Tenn. 1938-42: Structural engineer for various architectural, engineering, and contracting firms. The more important structures were: For Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, architects-exhibition buildings for the New York World's Fair. For Lockwood Greene Engineers, Inc.-Turret shop, docks and slips, Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N. Y. Chief structural engineer. for Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, architects-Army Air Base, Newfoundland. Chief structural engineer for James Stewart & Co., Inc.-fully integrated steel mill for the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Chicago, Ill. 1936-37: Structural engineer, office of Chester Lindsay Churchill, architect, Boston, Mass. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company Building, Boston Mass. 1924-36: Designing engineer, Lockwood Greene Engineers, Inc., New York, N. Y. In charge of structural design of commercial and monumental structures and large integrated industrial plants, etc. The more important structures were: The Daily News Building (plant portion), 222 East 42d Street, New York, N. Y.; Christian Science Church, Boston, Mass.-printing plant and exhibition building, Cite Universitaire, Paris, France.-Student center donated by Mr. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. to the city of Paris. AAGE G. BRUUN Royal Technical University, Copenhagen, Denmark, Master of Science in Civil Engineering, 1925 1944 to date: Associate, Stroble & Salzman, consulting engineers. 1942-44: Designing engineer and squad leader, James Stewart & Co., Inc., contractors, Chicago, Ill., and New York, N. Y. Blast furnace and high lines for Reconstruction Finance Corporation steel mill, Chicago, Ill. Manufacturing plant, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corp., Farmingdale, N. Y., and aluminum extrusion plant for Reconstruction Finance Corporation in Maryland. 1941-42: Designing engineer, Frederic R. Harris, Inc., consulting engineers, New York, N. Y. Bayonne drydock, Bayonne, N. J. 1940-41: Designing engineer, Edwards & Hjorth, consulting engineers, New York, N. Y. 1939: Field supervisor, Vermilya-Brown Co., Inc., contractors, New York, N. Y. Mellon Art Gallery, Washington, D. C. 1938-39: Designing engineer, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, New York, N. Y. New York World's Fair structures. 1930-37: Consulting engineer, Copenhagen, Denmark. Store buildings, schools, and apartments in reinforced concrete, and civil, structural, and mechanical engineering for several housing projects. 1926-30: Designing engineer, office of H. G. Balcom, consulting engineer, New York, N. Y. WILLIAM R. GOERKE School of Egineering, Nienberg, Germany, Civil Engineer, 1923 Member, Society of American Military Engineers. 1949 to date: Associate, Strobel & Salzman, consulting engineers. 1936-48: Chief engineer, Alexander D. Crosett, consulting engineer, New York, N. Y. Listed below are some of the more important projects: Department of the Navy: Navy yard, Brooklyn, N. Y., saw mill and boat shop. Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, N. Y., runways, airfield drainage, and all buildings required for a complete naval air-base installation. Monrovia, Liberia, ocean pier, breakwater, powerhouses, warehouses, and bridges. Puerto LaGuaira, Venezuela, ocean pier and large warehouses. Department of the Army: Stewart Field, West Point, N. Y., a complete Army airport installation, including runways, hangars, administration building and utility buildings. Defense Plants Corporation: For Aluminum Company of America, at Maspeth, N. Y., aluminum processing plant. For Birdsboro Foundry & Machine Co., at Birdsboro, Pa., annealing, casting and forging building, office building and pattern building. For the Bullard Co. at Bridgeport, Conn., storage, assembly and foundry buildings, powerhouses, gunshop and crane runways. National Lead Co., Tahawus, N. Y., rock crushing and handling plant, titanium processing plant and conveyor system. |