Evening star., 1940-06-16
Nine Projects
Now Being
Developed
Designed to Make
Central Area Fit
Into Finer City
BY John Ihlder,
Executive Oficer, the Alley Dwelling
Authority for the District
of Columbia


of Columbia
Washington in 1880, 60 years ago,
was different from the Washington
today. Washington in the year 1000,
so years in the future, will be differ
ent from the Washington of today.
In 1880 the buildings that the Alley
Dwelling Authority now is demolish-
ing we're only or 10 or IS years old.
The streets that surrounded inhabi-
ted alley squares were lined with
good dwellings not yet touched by
the blight that since then has spread
from the alleys and converted many
street dwellings into slums.
To Save the Old.
From today's point of view, Wash
ington in 1880 was village, but its
people considered it a city They
thought it's pattern was fixed by the
L'Enfant plan, and their idea of
long distance was based upon the
radiating avenues. Distance then
.meant time and effort, for it was
covered by horse and buggy travel.
Washington in the year 1000, the
real Washington, will spread far into
Maryland and Virginia, but distances
will seem short because of new
means of transit. Those new means
Of transit, however, carry threat
to the older, inlying areas If only
because of volume of traffic through
residence streets.
The problem is how to save the
old while building the new; how to
prevent continued decadence in the
urban center upon which the con-
tinued existence of its suburbs de-
pends.
Reclaim Slums.
The job given to the Alley Dwell
Ing Authority is to help make the
central area of this spreading urban
community fit properly into the pic
ture of the finer city we are build
ing. This job is to reclaim slums,
. redevelop them for the uses to
which their sites are best fitted, and
TO assure an adequate supply of
good, low-rental dwellings, supple
menting what private enterprise
does.
The immediate program of the
Authority includes nine projects in
different parts of the city. Some
former slums have been converted
to uses other than residential, be-
cause the character of their neigh
borhoods has changed during the
past two generations. Such changes
probably were more rapid in the
past than they will be in the fu-
ture, because, among other reasons,
city development is now guided by
careful and continuous city plan
ming supplemented by zoning regu-
lation. Our past extravagant waste
In the form of discarded neighbor-
hoods cannot be afforded in the
future.
Future Trends.
The Authority in selecting sites
for its projects takes account not
only of present conditions, but of
evident trends. 1t seeks advice from
those who are considering the fu-
ture. For example, 1t tentatively
selected a slum area which seemed
ripe for reclamation. But on con-
ferring with the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission, the
Authority wax convinced thai this
area Is not adapted to tutane low
pent housing because the adjacent
street system indicates commercial
or industrial future. The present
need Is for dwelling. So it put this
area on the waiting list and selected
another where low-rent dwellings
.. should replace a present slum.
Assets.
In planning its projects and de-
signing its dwellings, the Authority
has in mind that they shall be as
sets during the 60 years for which
they are financed. Looking ahead
this far seems long time. Looking
back 1t does not seem long for many
Of the buildings the Authority is now
demolishing are more than so years
old. Even so they would not yet
have outlived their usefulness, ex-
eept for three reasons: They are