Evening star., 1936-02-28
LANCSTON COURTS
WORK COMMENCED
First Low.Cost Housing
Project Here Is Begun
by Government.
BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.

BY NELSON NJ. SHEPARD.
A steam shovel bit q big chunk out
of the ground this morning on a
bleak 14-acre tract at Benning road
and Twenty-second street northeast.
The incident attracted scarcely any
attention in the neighborhood, but tu-
ture developments may chalk 1t up as
an historic anniversary in the annals
Of local building operations.
It marked the breaking of ground
for the first low-cost housing project
undertaken in Washington by the Fed
eral Government-the elimination OF
three long years Of feverish planning.
Financed from a $1,600.000 P. w. A.
allotment, the project Is INTENDED TO
provide the equivalent to $4,000 or
$500 homes for 800 colored families
at rentals within the reach OF low
incomes.
Rents Question for Future.
The site of Langston Courts, as this
DEVELOPMENT is destined to be record
ed in the books of Secretary 1ckes'
Housing Division, borders on one OF
the less prosperous colored neighoor-
hoods in the northeast section. 1t Is
doubtful, officials admit, If many OF
these families could afford to rent
houses in Langston Courts even at the
moderate rates the Government ex-
poets to charge.
Housing officials will Jump that
hurdle when they come to it. The
question of rents and the families to
occupy the new Federal subdivision
are matters for future planning. There
is one thing. however, that will help
to keep the rental charge somewhat
below the amounts fixed in other cities
where P. w. A. Is planning similar
ventures. The Federal Government
nays no taxes in the District OF Co
iunabia on either its land or its build
invs. For that reason there Is no
question of computing the real estate
tax in rent fixing.
The contract for digging the foun-
dations for the group OF % buildings
was awarded as far back as December
IL to the Charles H. Tompkins co. OF
this city. Late yesterday equipment
had been hauled to the site on Ben
ming road in anticipation Of an early
start on operations today. Only
few workmen are engaged at present,
but during its various stages the de-
velopment of Langston Courts Will
provide employment for several hun
dred men at prevailing wages.
officials to Visit Site.
The colored residents Of the district
bald little heed to what was going on
in the vicinity today. But next week
1t will be different Sleek limousines
bearing prominent Federal officials
and Washingtonians interested in the
housing experimentation will visit the
site.
The visit will be in the nature OF
an official inspection. Secretary
Ickes and officials of the Housing d.
vision will be on hand. Members OF
the Washington Committee on Hous-
ing. of which Mrs Franklin D. Roose-
welt is honorary chairman and Clar-
ence Phelps Dodge is active chairman,
also will attend.
While few of the colored families
In the immediate neighborhood may
benefit directly as result Of the COM
pletion Of Langston Courts, the hous.
ing development-from the architects
plans-undoubtedly will be one Of the
attractive subdivisions of the city. The
buildings will occupy only 81 per cent
of the 14-acre tract. The remaining
area will be devoted to recreation ia
cilities and landscaping.
1891 Rooms in 320 Units.
The 800 living units will provide
1891 rooms and the estimated cost
of the project is s1,150 per room,
which includes the cost of the land.
The building costs are comparable to
the lowest estimated costs for similar
projects in the South. In New York,
Chicago and the West the cost per
room ranges considerably higher.
The % groups of buildings will pro-
vide 10 two-room units, 161 three
room units. 120 four room units and
20 fve-room units. For every square
foot of floor space there will be an
equal amount of window space. In
the way of modern conveniences, Off
cials say, they will equal, If not exceed,
those now provided in new homes
now being built in Washington.