Evening star., 1952-12-30
ID. Heads Vote
For Southwest
SIum Clearance
Commissioners Give
Formal Support to
RedeveIopment Work
By John W. Stepp

The District Commissioners to-
day unanimously approved the
Project B" area of the South
west redevelopment program in a
formal resolution required before
actual reconstruction may begin.
The action was taken at a
meeting of the city heads, who
had given informal approval to
Budget Request for ChiIdren's Center ct
lourel Is Restored. Poee B-l
New Regulations for Tenement Houses
Approved by Commissioners. Poee B-l
City Heads End Efforts to Get Low to
Revoke Police Pensions. Pose 81
Commissioners Refuse Use OF King Sized
Buses on Georgetown Routes. Poee 81
the project during their weekly
Itelevision broadcast last night. A
few hours before that the Citizens
Advisory Coupcil had approved
Ithe redevelopment plan.
Officials of the District Rede-
lvelopment Land Agency and the
National Capital Planning Com
mission. who were on hand for the
.formalities today. hailed the Com
missioners' resolution.
Gratitude Expressed.
Mark Lansburgh, RIA chair
man, expressed gratitude for the
Commissioners thoughtful and
prompt consideration" of the
project.
Both the directors board and
the staff of the RIA are conscious
of the great responsibility you now
place on us to see that the plan
is carried out in the best interests
of the people of Washington, as
we'll as those who live in the prof.
ect area" Mr.. Lansburgh told the
city heads.
Mr.. Lansburgh told the Com
miSSiOnerS that the agency ex-
poets to work out details of the
financing and land acquisition for
Project B with the Housing and
Home Finance Administration in
the next six weeks. Property ac-
QUESTION may begin soon. after
ward, he added.
Cooperation Urged.
John A. Remon, as acting chair
man of NCPC. voiced his appreci-
alton for the Commissioners work
on very complicated program. "
! He declared: There have been
so many differences of opinion on
so many minor points that it is a
red-letter day we've got this far"
MI. Remon warned that unless
every one co-operates in the re-
development plan, I'VE may as
we'll call it day"
Project B calls for removal Of
slums and redevelopment of prop
erty in the area bounded, with
relatively minor variations. by E
street and the railroad tracks on
the north, I street on the south.
South Capitol and Fourth streets
on the east and west. respectively.
The section includes a sizable
strip of commercial enterprises on
both sides of Fourth street.
The project area as a whole,
and particularly the residential
properties, is regarded as one of
the worst blighted areas in the
city.
In approving the 16-block slum-
clearance project. the first to reach
this advanced planning stage since
passage of the District Redevelop-
Iment Act of 1945. two of the Com
missioners emphasized special
points.
Consideration Advocated.
Commissioner F. Joseph Dono-
hue urged RIA officials to give
every consideration to present
business and residential property
owners due to be displaced as the
Iredevelopment program reaches
the property purchasing. demoli-
ition and resale stage.
Il hope" Mr.. Donohue said.
that you can treat these people
with as much generosity as the
law allows in compensating them
for their property"
One business property owner al
ready has sought court action to
try to halt the Area B program
on constitutional grounds. Attor-
ney Joseph H. Schneider, acting
(See SOUTHWEST, Page A-6)