Evening star., 1952-05-30
Features in Two
Rival Southwest
Plans Combined
Costly Development
Proposal Fails to
Win Commission
By Nelson M. Shepard

bWO IlVdl p1d11S 1OI Cllc III SC OOut1l-
west redevelopment project are
being wrapped in a single package
for delivery to the District Com
missionerS next month.
Most of the glittering tinsel OF
the more costly Justement and
Smith. plan-especially along the
waterfront-waS discarded by the
Federal planning agency. Ordered
retained are the fish and produce
markets and the general business
character of Maine avenue as pro-
posed by Elbert Poets. Low-in-
come families and medium income
groups will be considered in work.
ing out housing details.
The District Redevelopment
Land Agency also agreed to these
and other basic principles. Chair
man Mark LanSburgh told the
Federal agency the agreement
would permit Director John r.
Searles. jr.. to start negotiations
with real estate developers imme-
diately.
Planning officials were adamant
against some suggestions that they
literally had thrown out the Juste-
ment and Smith plan.,
cit has merely been trimmed
back" said Director John Nolen,
jr., Of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission. He
said the agreement on basic prin-
ciples leaves the door open for
more expensive apartments and
business establishments, if still
desired.
Estimate Subsidy Need.
NCPPC was confronted with the
practical necessity of holding the
final plans within the limits of
available subsidies. To relocate
commercial concerns now on
Fourth and Seventh streets and
Maine avenue would require sub
sidy of SO million under the Juste-
ment-Smith plan. Private enter
prise would have to put several
times that sum, Mr.. Nolen ex-
planned.
With the door still open, it was
said, NCPPC announced that, If
private builders were interested in
re-eStablishing the whole market
area, the planning commission
would agree to work along with
them.
Yesterdays conclusions were
concerned with driving forward to
head up these. basic elements Of
two plans of opposite extremes.
The agreement reaffirms earlier
action on the Southwest freeway.
It will be on the north side Of F
street and parallel to that street,
the E street route having been
thrown out. The way was left
open for future determination with
respect to the Tenth street park
way. BY passing it over the free
way and railroad tracks, it may
still be possible to provide for this
major entrance to Maine avenue,
as the Justement-Smith plan pro-
poses.
Details of the plans going into
the single pa tkage will be released
with plan sketches as they are
better developed. They are taken
from the overall recommendations
in the report of Harland Barthol-
omew and Associates, st. Louis
planning consultants engaged for
the purpose by NCPPC.
Principal Features.
The salient overall features are
as follows:
/. That the plans include re-
tention Of the existing wholesale
produce markets in the area west
of Tenth street. 1t was said there
is sufficient space for replacement
facilities along the freeWay.
Q. Retention of com mercial
areas as roughly bounded now in
specified areas on Fourth street
south to L streets. at scattered
locations along Seventh street and
on Maine avenue. at least south
to M street.
8. In connection with the
chosen F street location Of the
freeway, NCPPC asked for a re-
study jointly with the Highway
Department to eliminate compli-
Gated interchanges at Eleventh
and Twelfth streets. These would
be substituted by an interchange
at Ninth street for northbound
traffic and Seventh street for
southbound.
On the vital question of housing
both for families in the area and
to lure others back I'd Ut, the COM
mission directed that the plan in
clude housing for all income
groups. That is for those in the
low-medium and high brackets.
Locations Unsettled.
The exact proportion of housing
for each group was left for future
determination. These proportions
will depend on more specific and
individual details for the entire
area as worked out finally.
Director Nolen and Associate
Director Blair Lee III. both insist.
ed the package plan is not {
hybrid plan. Instead, it is said Il
contain compatible features o.
each of the two extremely oppo'
site plans.
The Maine avenue Waterfront
all along its route will be rezonet
to first commercial. That wouls
permit retail stores in apartment
if desired. The waterfront Is nov
partially second commercial, a
well as first commercial. Th'
popular seafood restaurants ar
in first commercial now.
These commercial plans on tn
waterfront definitely leave out tn
grandiose mall development a
proposed. It is unlikely that an
expensive or fashionable apart
ments will be located there in tn
.