Evening star., 1952-09-09
Critics Of Plan
For Southwest
Hit by No|en
Building Congress
Unit Jumps Gun. in
Report, He Says

A National Capital Planning
Commission aide today accused a
committee of Washington builders
Of jumping the gun in attacking
the commissions forthcoming
slum-clearance plan for South
west Washington.
John Nolen, jr.. the commits
sion's planning director. said the
builders have not even seen the
plan, due to be released next
week. He predicted they will be
"very much surprised when they
see what comes out"
The critical builders group is
the city planning committee Of
the Washington Building Con-
gress. A report by the group.
made public today. charged that
the new slum plan takes a "cau-
tious, even timid type of ap-
proach." The group demanded
more ambitious redevelopment.
Saw Some Drawings.
The committee. headed by A. r.
Clas, Washington architect. said
it has seen preliminary drawings
on the new plan, although 1t con-
ceded members hadn't had q
chance to study them.
Mr.. Nolen told q reporter that
Mr.. Clas and three others con-
ferred with him about three weeks
ago.,
II did give them a general out
line of some of the basic factors"
he said, adding that the group
was shown a drawing of the
first project area. But he as
serted:
"They haven't seen the plan
it wasn't ready at the time"
The group who visited him, Mr..
Nolen said, included, besides Mr..
Clas, Architects Louis Justement
and Mrs. Cloethiel Smith. Mr..
Justement and Mrs. Smith were
joint authors of the ambitious re-
development plan the planning
commission turned down four
months ago.
Bold Plan Asked.
The builders report didn't spe-
Officially indorse the Smith plan.
but it called for one which was
bold" imaginative" and would
improve realty values in the
Southwest. Similar aims were
urged by Mr.. Justement and Mrs.
Smith.
Thomas H. Lecraft, building
congress president. said the two
architects took part in the COM
mittee's deliberations. He added
the committee report reflects his
own views and he predicted the
building congress board of gov
ernors also would indorse it at
a meeting scheduled soon.
The new slum plan, being pre-
pared under Mr.. Nolen's direction,
will be presented to the planning
commission on September IS. II
approved, it will 60 to the District
Commissioners, who then will
schedule a public hearing, prob
ably next month.
In addition to attacking the
plan, the builders took a slap at
the commission for hiring outside
consultants to help devise it. It
said Washington architects should
be given preference.
Mr.. Nolen emphasized he hadn't
seen the builders report. But he
said a very substantial propor-
ton of the Justement-Smith rec
concentrations are included in the
new plan.
The Clas committee lashed out
at the new plan as one which
the committee believes will not
achieve the major accomplish
ments which redevelopment
should bring about"
Southwest redevelopment, the
report said. cannot be a face
lifting job"
"A coat of paint. new roof,
and some repairs will neither
eliminate slums nor raise property
values-even If the area is gar.
nished with a multi-million dol.
lar freeway.
Two Choices Held Open.
'Nor can the project succeed
If a few buildings are dispensed
with here and there, a couple of
streets closed and some subsidized
housing constructed for low-in-
come groups"
Declaring the choice is between
rebuilding chiefly for those now
living in the area and building
only partly for present inhabi-
tants, the committee urged the
second course. It declared this
would raise tax values, help to
stem movement Of medium and
high income families out Of Wash
ington, and set a successful pat
tern for redevelopment elsewhere.
Members of the committee, be-
sides Mr.. Clas, are Alvin l.. Au-