Evening star., 1952-11-14
Builders 10 Get
bidtoInvestin
Redeve|opnlent
Will Be Invited
To Offer Proposals
On Southwest Project

" SSss" SS& sStSSN
The District Redevelopment
Land Agency is ready to make its
initial overture to private builders
who want to invest in the first
project of redeveloping Southwest
Washington.
The RIA, in newspaper adver-
tisements next Monday, will put
builders on notice that they soon
may submit proposals-and bids
to buy or lease land in the first
76-acre redevelopment area. This
area. known as Project B. is To-
Gated near Randall Junior High
School.
Specific residential, commercial
and other uses to which the rs
acres must be put were outlined in
a plan submitted to the District
Commissioners last Wednesday by
the National Capital Planning
Commission. The NCPC also sent
along. as a general guide, tenta-
tive proposals for rebuilding an
entire area of 427 acres. The city
heads will hold a public hearing
on December II on the Project B
plan, then approve or disapprove
it.
Thirty Days for Proposals.
Private investors, under the
newly announced land agency
rules, must submit their proposals
within 80 days of the date the
Commissioners approve the Prof.
|ect B blueprint.
Meanwhile, in other develop
|ments:
/. Spokesman for three South
west citizens groups said they
hope, within a few days, to agree
on a date for a joint meeting,
at which planners will explain
the NCPC proposals. The Com
|missioners agreed yesterday to
help set up such a meeting if it
lis requested.
2. Brig. Gen. Bernard L. Rob-
inson. Engineer Commissioner,
said he hopes plans can be worked
out to provide "a suitable grand
entrance" to the Southwest area
from the center of the city. pos
sibly by using Ninth street.
Gen. Robinson yesterday criti-
cized a NCPC artists drawing
and display map which showed
Tenth street, overpaSsing the pro-
posed F street Southwest express
way, as a main entrance to the
waterfront area.
May Prove Headache.
The NCPC has stressed many
times that it has made firm pro-
posals. however. only in regard
to the small Project B area, bor-
|dered by the railroad tracks,
Fourth, South Capitol and I
streets. And. in one of its maps,
the planning commission left a
blank space in the Tenth street.
Iexpressway vicinity.
Nevertheless, the question of a
suitable entrance street is shap-
ing UP as a major headache for
the redevelopment planners.
John r. Searles. jr.. director
of the Redevelopment Land
Agency. said Tenth street would
provide the type of attractive en-
trance demanded by builders who
would put up high-income apart
ments overlooking the water front.
District officials, however, con-
tend that Tenth street already is
earmarked as a main artery for
Virginia bound vehicles. They
said it could not stand the traffic
load for both this purpose and as
a local entrance to the South
west. Further, they said. a plan
that uses Ninth street as a main
entrance to the Southwest already
has been approved by the NCPCs
co-ordinating committee.
5oV 20 SVV DWelkl0gSs
Meanwhile, Malcolm Burrows,
deputy director of the Redevelop-
ment Land Agency, speculated
that between 10 and Is builders
or combines may submit proposals
to rebuild the Project B area.
The area, now containing some
Of the Southwest's worst slums. is
earmarked for between 750 and
900 new dwelling units, one-third
of them for low-rent uses. OF its
76.6 acres, 24.2 will be residential,
3.9 commercial, 81 industrial, and
Ill for public and semipublic
uses. Another IT'S acres will be for
streets and 14.2 acres for part Of
the F street expreSSway.
After RIA receives specific pro-
lposals from builders. its board Of
directors will select either one bid
for the entire area, or any number
| of bids for parts of it. The board
then will hold a public hearing on
Its selection, before final contracts
are signed.
The land is expected to be made
available to the private interests
lin small parts. Before this is done,
the land will have to be acquired
from it's present owners, and other
homes must be found for present
residents.
Deciding Factors.
Mr.. Searles said these factors
will be considered by directors OF
1.-The land agency in making their
decisions:
l. Purchase price or rent offered
for the land.
2. The degree in which the pro-
lposal meets broad objectives OF
lredevelopment for a well-planned
|neighborhood as well as specific
Requirements of the project plan
8. If the proposal Is for por-
|tion, rather than all, Of the area
whether it fits other proposals.
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