Evening star., 1950-05-25
Marshall Heights
Rehabilitation
Survey Ordered
Priority List for
Improvements Sought
As Freeze Is Lifted

An immediate survey to de-
termine what improvements the
District should undertake first in
Marshall Heights has been ordered
by Engineer Commissioner Cor
don r. Young, it was learned to-
day.
The order followed quickly the
Commissioners decision to end
the long freeze" on physi-
cal improvements in the area, ef-
fective today. Both the freeze and
plans to make Marshall Heights
the city's first big slum- clearance
project were abandoned after a
public hearing yesterday.
Brig. Gen. Young called for a
priority list, within a week, on
needed street, water main and
sewer construction to be consid-
cred for the new fiscal year start
ing in July.
Some Work Likely Soon.
He said some work in the 18o-
acre East Washington area prob
ably will be started soon. He made
no estimate, however, of how much
the city can afford to spend.
pointing out that every need will
have to be balanced against those
OF many other sections.
The District will have only about
$1.6 million for street paving
water and sewer installations for
the entire city during fiscal 1851
and only a fraction" of this is
likely to be available for Marshall
Heights, Gen. Young said.
1t would take more than $2.5
million of city funds to bring the
three facilities up to minimum
standards, he estimated.
City construction is only one
part Of the action that will result
from lifting of the freeze order.
District building, health and
sanitary inspectors have the task
OF making a complete survey of
Marshall Heights some SOC
homes, officials disclosed.
Called "Blighted Area"
! Marshall Heights was chosen
for redevelopment by the District
and the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission because
official surveys showed SO per
cent of its houses failed to meet
minimum standards. Eighty-siS
per cent were found to need total
rehabilitation or were considered
not even worth preserving. The
planning commission called it 8
"blighted area"
Gen. Young told congressional
leaders last December the cit,
could have no choice" but tt
enforce its building requirements
If redevelopment plans were
abandoned, One of his aides sale
yesterday this policy still holds
Everett L. Edmond. president
OF the Marshall Heights Civic AS
sociation, urged the Commission
ers yesterday, however, to avoid
lnf1icting hardship on residents
by immediate strict enforcement
OF the regulations.
He said residents plan to begin
extensive rebuilding now that the
freeze is ended.
Gradual Enforcement.
Assistant Engineer Commission
er Thomas j. Hayes said the city
has no intention of "slapping q
blanket order" on the community.
Enforcement. he emphasized, will
be gradual.
But total enforcement holds q
serious financial problem for the
Marshall Heights property own
ers. The District estimates it will
cost them more than 81 million.
These costs will include pro-
vision OF water and sewer con-
Fnections, minimum interior
plumbing retaining walls along
street cuts (about 30 per cent of
the entire street frontage). and
reconstruction and repair of un-
safe and insanitary buildings
They also will include a share in
the cost of water and sewer mains
sidewalks, curbs and street gut
tiers.
This is serious because, for ex-
ample, 393 houses are not now
connected to water mains or sew
ers and have no interior plumb
ing, 290 are insanitary, and 15C
are unsafe, according to the Dis
trict's figures.
$4,000 for Walls.
! Because the areas streets were
laid out without regard for the
rough landscape, proper grading
would cost the residents more
than $4,000 for retaining walls
alone, it is estimated.
| Residents have stated they are
not alarmed over the cost ques-
ton. but cost is the big reason
District officials expect slow prog
ress in rehabilitating the area
The grand total, to both resi-
dents and the city. adds up tc
more than $4,250,000.
Permanent paving of the area S
streets will cost the city an es-
timated 81 million.
IComo-nndGo+