THE

PRESIDENT'S

 MESSAGE


HILLIARD T. SMITH, JR., AIA


 THE

OCTAGON

 HOUSE


 Built in 1800, our Octagon
House has had a long and dis-
tinguished record of service.
Starting with the residency of
President James Madison while
the White House was being re-
constructed after fire damage in
1814 and continuing through its
constant use today as a backdrop
for influential entertainment
functions of the Institute, it has
become a living symbol of our
profession, one of which we can
be justifiably proud.
 As further service to the pro-
fession, the Octagon House now
has the opportunity to be the
medium to provide equity to the
Institute for site expansion and
construction of long needed and
absolutely necessary space to
house the national headquarters
operation. By your tax deductible
contribution to the A.I.A. Foun-
dation, Inc., the Octagon House
can be purchased from the Insti-
tute. This will provide "front
money" for construction of the
new building. About $350,000 of
the $990,000 goal will be used to
restore the Octagon House so
that it can continue its service as
a site for social functions of the
Institute. Anyone attending a
gathering in this National His-
torical Monument cannot help
but feel its history and hear the
countless footsteps which have
passed over its worn floors dur-
ing a 166 year past.


 The proposed new building
will contain 130,000 square feet
of space. Sixty per cent of this
will be for A.I.A use. The forty
per cent balance will be leased to
selected tenants. Income from
the rented space will amortize
the mortgage. As A.I.A. services
and functions are expanded in
the future, the rental space will
provide room for this growth.
Present projections indicate the
building will be adequate for at
least 25 years.

 To raise the necessary fpnds,
each of the eighteen regions of
the Institute have been assigned
a quota based upon membership.
Florida's quota is $33,000. Cer-
tainly this paltry amount should
not be a burden to our member-
ship and is little enough to pay
for the benefits derived. Your
contribution is not only tax de-
ductible, but also may be spread
over three payments.

 Florida has been recognized as
one of the outstanding regions
of the Institute. Several of our
regional directors have been hon-
ored for great contribution to
our professional society. Failure
of the Florida region to support
this worthwhile campaign would
be a renunciation of the past and
demonstrate a lack of faith in
the future. We must not fail our
past or our future.