Evening star., 1952-09-19
Reconsideration
OF Southwest
Ians Hinfed.
Commission Meets
With Open Minds
On Scope of Project
By Nelson M. Sheoord

Members of the National Capital
Planning Commission today ap-
preached with "open minds" a
final study of controversial plan
ming issues involved in the overall
survey for rehabilitating the en-
tire Southwest area.
This attitude, explained before
the monthly session opened, indi-
Gated the commission now is pre-
pared to make certain concessions
to Washington builders and other
critics. These have charged that
the so-called Bartholomew plan
takes "a cautious, even timid, type
of approach"
Staff officers assumed wait
and-see attitude, cautioning g
against possible overemphasis on
claims of partial victory for the
Washington Builders Congress.
They emphasized significantly,
however. that there was a strong
current OF opinion in the commits
sion to keep minds open on the
survey area" What may come out
Of the plan upon its final approval
Is uncertain at this time.
Proponents Views Heard.
Equally significant is the fact
that the commission yesterday
heard the views of the two pro-
ponents of a more grandiose scale
Of rehabilitation. They invited
Louis Justement and Mrs. Clothier
authors of that plan, to
give their views at a preliminary
session yesterday afternoon.
The commission is expected to
release the overall survey in the
next few weeks-a general guild
ance for the redevelopment of the
remaining four projects under
consideration. The survey en-
bodies the general features of the
recommendations of Harland Bar
bholomew. its planning adviser,
but it includes some of the more
costly proposals in the Justement-
Smith plan. That action was
taken last May.
Since then. there have been
changes in the membership of the
planning commission. There have
been public discussions of the plan
with considerable criticism aimed
at it. Hence, the degree of "open-
minde dednesS" on the part of. the
commission itself may have an
bearing on future ac-
ton.
Meanwhile. earlier today, the
commission was trying to reach
of Project Area B, the
first for redevelopment, leaving
the other four for later determi-
nation.
For Low Incomes.
This area will be predominantly
for moderate and low income fam
lilies, generally following the den
sity pattern of the Bartholomew
plan. The door is left open for
higher-priced homes and elevator
apartments in small numbers, if
wanted.
Yesterday the initial project
was subjected to the scrutiny OF
the Housing and Home Finance
Agency, which holds the money
bag. Also inquiring about
changes were officials of the Dis
trict Redevelopment Land Agency
which is to carry out the project
Whether the issues up for re-
view-larsely technical-will meet
approval today-is a toss-up. II
it requires several more days to
iron them out the final draft will
be forwarded to members OF
NCPC for a vote by mail. That
would save holding it up another
month or longer. The project
area has been shuttled back and
forth until now, and hope has
been abandoned for any October
public hearing before the District
C Commissioners.
The issues involving the area do
not cencern theories of the JuSta-
ment-Smith plan. Area B, some
times called the Randall area. is
in the northeast corner Of the
redevelopment section. It is pro-
posed to erect there about 800
units of low-rental row houses, as
well as two-story flats and three
story walk-up apartments. There
may be provisions later for some
elevator apartments.
Commercial Use Weighed.
The question of commercial use