Evening star., 1947-02-22
Veteran Group Studies
Plan 10 Finish Project
Of Home Builder

n SeFeu-lldu COlluuGIee repre-
senting veterans who made down
payments on land or homes in a
project six miles south of Alexan-
dria today will study proposals to
finish the development, on which
work stopped last week.
The committee was elected by
about 40 of the veterans who at
tended meeting last night at the
Veterans Service Center, called by
Director Waldron E. Leonard.
Mr.. Leonard told the former GIs
and their wives that the principal
plan called for the Colonial Invest
ment Co., which has advanced about
100000 on the construction of 81 of
the homes, to take over and finish
the homes it was financing.
Under the plan, Mr.. Leonard said,
the developer of the project, the Bo-
Mar Corp, has agreed to turn over
the project if Colonial and the vet
Grams accept the plan. He said con-
struction on the development, known
as Zephyr Park, was begun last Sep
tember, when lots were sold and con-
tracts taken for homes.
Tentative Says Firm.
However, H. A. Badt, spokesman
for Colonial, said the plan was "ex-
tremely tentative" and that it is
now being studied by officials of the
firm. He said that even If the plan
goes through, the firm does not think
it could build the homes for the orig
inal cost of $4,000, including cost OF
the lot.
Mr.. Leonard said a complete list
of veterans who invested in the prof.
ect, and the amounts, now is being
drawn up by an auditor hired by
Nicholas E. Bombard, president OF
Bo-Mar.
Several of the veterans, however,
reported that they paid $1,50O for
the lots, with the promise that
homes would be built on them.
At this point, Morgan B. Gala
han, loan guarantee officer for the
Veterans Administration Washing
ton regional office, said no appraisal
was requested of his Office on the
project. Only request, he said, came
from lending agency for appraisal
of one house under construction.
Home Being Bought.
The home, one of four nearly
completed, is being bought by
Bland Wright of Groveton, Va, who
said he deposited $500 on the land
and home.
Representative of Bo-Mar were
not present at the meeting.
In an interview later, Mr.. Bonn
bard told a reporter of The Star
that his firm had sold lots to about
rs veterans. He said that about $40,-
900 still is owed on the land.
A World War veteran, Mr.. Bonn
bard said all but about 20 OF the
veterans to whom he sold lots also
contracted for homes. The property,
for which he said he paid more than
$4,000, contains other lots that
were not sold, the builder added.
He said about So homes were in
some stage of construction.
Mr.. Bombard, who formerly op-
Grated an automobile agency here,
added that the firm used some OF
the money paid by veterans for land
to cover primary construction costs.
He said he had about $4,000 of his
own money in the project.
Committee Meets Today.
Mr.. Bombard said he formed the
corporation and bought the land
last spring with Carl A. Marshall
an attorney, of Spring Hill, Va.
Telling about his first visit to look
at the property, the builder said he
was walking around when he
reached down and picked up four
leaf clover on the land.
wouldn't that look like good
luck to you?" he asked.
The veterans committee, headed
by Julian A. Hare, will meet this
afternoon in a closed session at the
veterans center. Other members in
clude:
George Bradbury, G. E. Sanford,
Richmond E. Ford, Navy Warrant
Officer Silas r. Alexander, Maj. FL
mer w. Edwards, and Floyd <. Hus-
ton. Denis r. Ayres, attorney for
one of the veterans, was named an
advisory member.
The veterans voted to hold anoth-
er general meeting at pm. We'd