Evening star., 1936-10-05
HOUSING PROJECT
REMAINS STALLED.
Grading and IS Foundations
Only Results of 2 Years
Planning by P. w. A.
BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.

Several acres of grading and con-
crete foundations for IS small build
ings at the site Of Langston Terrace,
where work was SUSPENDED two months
ago. are all the Public Works Admin
istration has to show for two heart
breaking years of planning low-rent
housing development in the National
CAPITAL.
Only the most optimistic at P. W.
A. ventured today a prediction that
the project on Bennine road would be
finished in time to admit tenants by
January /. 1888, just IA months hence.
With no guarantee that work can
start on the superstructures before
another six weeks. the completion date
very wisely is left blank in the records
Of the housing division.
Barring labor troubles and other
possible causes of delays. the best
answer that any responsible oficial
can give the 1.500 applicants for model
homes at Langston is at least years
exercise of patience after the next con-
tract is awarded. As to that date,
ofiicials can only hazard a guess.
Meanwhile, an work on the 14-acre
site remains at q standstill. while hous-
ing oficials continue to worry over
costs. 1t has been this way since the
foundations were completed about two
months ago at a cost of $65,820. Won
deringly, residents of the neighbor-
hood gaze on the desolate scene week
after week. watching the grass and
weeds growing in profusion within the
foundations of the deserted village" "
Questions asked0at random failed to
arouse any sign Of interest.
Exposure Held Unimportant.
With part Of the Summer wasted and
Winter approaching. snow may be fly
ing before workmen again are called
out to start the erection Of the 317
living units. Since none of the build
ings at Langston is to have base
ment, P. w. A. architects say it doesn't
matter how long the foundations are
exposed to rain or snow-"the longer
the better. for hardening" said one
Crews of pick and shovel men will be
put to work clearing away the weeds
and doing whatever leveling is needed
before actual construction begins.
For some Of this delay, the Housing
Division has q commendable excuse.
Secretary 1ckes stepped in to protect
the public interests by flatly rejecting
the only two bids received for the
superstructures as excessive" He has
been compelled to do this in some
other cities where the P. w. A. is
building. Even the low bid for Lang
ston, $1,523, 900, exceeded by nearly
$3.50, 900 the remaining balance Of the
allotment.
Next followed. however. a month of
waiting while Housing oficials pom
dered the question of building by con-
tract or by forced" account. Work
being at q standstill on the site. new
bids eventually were advertised. To
give contractors ample time to
shave their estimates, the opening date
was postponed until october 20. Al
ready IA contractors are reported as
interested" condition that no doubt
will lead to sharp competitive bid
ding.
While there Is no assurance that
these new bids will be within the fig
ure that Secretary Ickes regards as
reasonable" hope runs high that
the bids this month will prove ac-
ceptable. In that event, officials say,
work may be resumed at Langston on
or before November IS. Ten days
leeway is permissible from the award
ing.
Cameras Snap Steam Shovel.
February 20 Of this year was a 'red
letter" day In the planning Of Lang
ston Terrace as q housing Develop
ment for colored families of low in
comes. It started with blast Of pub
licity and . steam shovel operating
for the benefit Of news cameramen.
Being the first physical sign Of op-
erations after nearly two years of
promises, it brought ray of hope to
countless colored families to whom
part Of "the more abundant life"
was to be given in terms Of comfort
able, sanitary dwelling at rents 50
amazingly low as TO be within the
reach of all except the poorest. Then,
after q few exhilarating months, the
specter Of the hard luck that has
dogged the trail Of the housing diyi-
sion from the beginning stepped in
to dash hopes again.
Housing oficia1 resent any state.
ment that Iangston Terrace has been
two years or more In building and
technically they are correct. They
date Its suspicious beginning back only
to August Of 1885, or II months, when
the vacant acreage on Benning road
at Twenty-first street was purchased
for $S2.950. Allowing for the claim,
the temporarily abandoned founda-
tons still remain all thers is to show
for 81 SOC, 900 Of working capital and
II months Of effort.
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