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Abstract

A concept of presidential administrative power is manifested by the siting of the first permanent office buildings of the federal government in Washington. George Washington was instrumental in laying down this concept, insisting that the first two executive buildings be placed on either side of the White House. Opposing political and economic forces twice sought to countermand efforts to centralize administration around the presidency by placing the executive buildings on Capitol Hill. If that had occurred, American governance might be quite different today. The contemporary grouping of executive office buildings stands as a legacy of these early architectural precedents.

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Cornerstones of Presidential Power

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