Evening star., 1952-10-15
Architects Back
High-|ncome
Housing Plan
Justement-Smith
Anti-SIum Program
Is Favored by Ala

- ~N~'S0 ~ VtN
The Washington chapter of the
American Institute of Architects
today threw its support to the am
bilious Justement Smith plan
for Southwest slum clearance, in
stead of a plan sponsored by the
National Capital Planning Com
mission
The chapter also urged creation
OF new Citizens Committee on
Redevelopment to improve rela-
tions among planning agencies.
It said there hasn't been effec-
tive cooperation among some of
the agencies.
The architect group is the sec
ond professional organization to
take issue with current Southwest
pls nning. The Washington Build
ing Congress also criticized the
planning commission recently and
urged a more ambitious approach.
Stand Called Premature.
Blair Lee III, executive assistant
to the planning commission, de-
Scribed the architects stand as
premature. He said they, like the
building congress, haven't seen the
new plans yet.
The new plans now are before
commission members and they
may be made public by next week.
Mr.. Lee said. The commission
meets then.
A 17-man committee, headed by
Jesse WeinStein, prepared criti-
Cal report giving the architects
views. 1t was approved by the
chapter at a meeting October /,
but not made public until today.
The report criticizes the plan
ming commission for what it calls
failure to make a basic policy
decision on Southwest redevelop-
ment.
The alternatives, the report
says, are face-lifting or a re
birth of an important area with
unique potentialitieS."
Instead of choosing, it states,
the commission adopted the
Bartholomew report which, the
report says, attempts to effect a
compromise between irreconcilable
viewpoints.
nsEornrk tn
The Bartholomew report pre-
pared by Planning Commission
Consultant Harland Bartholomew,
who also authored the compre-
hensive plan, advocated redevelop-
ment primarily for middle and
low Income families.
The Justement-Smith plan, pre-
pared by Architects Louis Juste-
ment and Mrs. Cloethiel Smith,
proposes instead a major emphasis
on higher-income housing.
The architects said they prefer
the Justement-Smith approach on
the ground it would develop the
inherent values of the Southwest
and help reverse the flow of
higher income families from the
city. This was main Justement-
Smith argument.
OF inter-agency disagreements
the architects were not specific.
But they warned that successful
redevelopment will be impossible
until these agencies work in
concert"
Agencies involved, besides the
planning commission, are the Re-
development Land Agency, Ma
tional Capital Housing Authority,
Housing Home Finance Agency
and District Government. Most
funds must come from the Federal
HHFA.
Ihlder Critical.
HHFA is knwn to favor an am
bilious program. John Ihlder, re-
firing head of the housing
authority, by contrast has criti-
cized such planning on the ground
1t hasn't provided adequately for
re-housing displaced poor.
The architects said the proposed
citizens committee, besides help
ing to smooth out these differ
ences, could help overcome what
they called "the unfavorable pub
lie relations which have plagued
the present proposals"
The architects said the rede-
velopment plan should include
provision for re-housing. They also
made these other points:
A ring of commercial develop
ment around Southwest residences
should be dropped from the plan.
A better highway entrance
should be provided from the south.
No specific suggestion was made.
Failure of the land agency to
announce a definite land-pricing
procedure and a clear-cut basis for
judging proposals has discouraged
participation by prospective de-
velopers.
Leasing redevelopment land in
stead of selling it should be con-
sidered.
Thirty days notice should be
given for public study before a
public hearing, instead of the 10
automatically provided. Such a
hearing must be called by the
Commissioners on whatever plan
eventually is worked out.