Los Alamos - Design & Construction

Land Acquisition:

In November of 1942, the Undersecretary of War directed that the land recommended by the Chief of Engineers to the Commanding General be acquired. The necessary procedures were then instituted for acquiring this land for immediate use, the method to be determined by ownership.

In March of 1943, the Secretary of War requested that the Secretary of Agriculture grant authority for the War Department to occupy and use, for as long as the military necessity existed, 45,100 acres of federally owned lands under the jurisdiction of the Forest Service. This authority was granted in April 1943. Arrangements were to be made between the Commanding Officer of Project Y and the Regional Forester as Albuquerque, NM for the prevention and suppression of fires and the marking of areas within which outsiders might be permitted. It was also necessary to withdraw grazing permits in the area.

The process prescribed for acquiring privately owned land for Project Y was by condemnation or purchase. Authority for condemnation of private land was contained in the 2nd War Powers Act. Under this Act, the government filed a Petition in Condemnation which resulted in an Order of Possession served by the court on the land owner, who then had to vacate immediately. To acquire the land permanently, a Declaration of Taking was filed by the government and appraisals were made by an appointed commission. If the appraisal was not approved by both the land owner and the government, the case was settled in U.S. District Court.

Design & Engineering:

Design and engineering, through March 1944, were supervised by the Albuquerque Engineer District of the Southwestern Engineer Division. Then the Manhattan Engineer District (Manhattan Island, New York City) assumed supervision. Because technical design depended largely upon the development of research and experimental processes, actual needs and requirements continually demanded major or minor alterations. The firm of W. C. Kruger was selected as architect-engineer for initial design and engineering and continued its work under Manhattan District supervision.

The Albuquerque District negotiated a contract for design of the originally authorized buildings and utilities with the Kruger Company because they maintained a competent architectural and engineering staff. Further, their office was in Santa Fe, in a good position to collaborate with the Operating Contractor (University of California) about special technical issues not ordinarily covered in standard Army construction.

Manhattan Project Heritage Preservation Association

Manhattan Engineering District

Project Y