Evening star., 1953-03-26
Agency Plans Par|eys
Next Week With 5
Project B Bidders
By George Beveridqe

Dy SeOI9S DeVeTlO9e
The District Redevelopment
Land Agency next week will seek
more details from each of the
five groups Of private investors
bidding on Southwest Washing
tons Area B redevelopment job.
The hearings, behind closed
doors, will be the next step in
the RLA's effort to decide which
Of the five proposals it received
on March 16 holds the most
promise for rebuilding the slum-
filled 76-acre tract south of the
Capitol.
RIA Director John r. Searles,
jr., said he expects a tentative
decision to be reached within a
month.
It must be tentative, he said,
because a final contract for the
face-lifting job must thereafter
be negotiated. Under the lede-
velopment formula, the RIA will
acquire and clear the. 76 acres,
then sell or lease them to the
chosen builder for development.
The. area involved is bounded by
Fourth, I and South Capitol
streets and the Pennsylvania
Railroad tracks.
8 Proposals UnreveaIed.
Two Of the five groups, East
ern Construction Co., of Falls
Church, and a syndicate of is
Washington area builders, have
made public essential points of
their proposals. The other three
have declined to do so.
Mr.. SearleS disclosed the bids
show a wide variance in the
numbers Of dwelling units the
groups propose to build. RIA
specifications require that there
be between 750 and 900 such
units. Those proposed, Mr..
SearleS said, are:
Webb & Knapp, of New York,
772 dwellings; Eastern, 803;
Standard Construction Co., Inc,
Of Washington, $40; Bush Con-
struction Co., of Norfolk, be-
tween $50 and 900. and the local
builder syndicate. 900.
To Cover All Questions.
At a meeting yesterday, the
RIA board Of directors in
Structed Mr.. Searles to ask each
Of the groups to appear at a sep
arate time next week to discuss
questions raised by their pro-
posalS. The director said the
discussions will cover all parts
OF the bids and were called "in
order to give each proposal a
completely fair shake"
IF the RIA is leaning favor
ably toward one or more of the
bids at this time. officials won't
admit it. There was no COM
ment on this question yesterday,
after the board reviewed sum-
maries Of each bid. The sum-
maries were prepared by the
RIA staff. and did not carry
recommendations.
Mr.. SearleS said the group had
contemplated calling in a re-
development expert from another
city to assist them, but decided
against it. He pointed out that
technical questions must be
cleared with the District Zoning
Commission and other official
groups. and added:
I'm sure with their advice,
our board will be able to reach
a decision"
Whole Area Sought.
The proposal submitted by the
New York firm of Webb IL
Knapp was made on a tentative
basis. Ofhcials Of the firm said
they were interested in the 76-
acre Area B job only If they
would be able to handle rede-
velopment of the entire 427-acre
southwest section earmarked for
a face-l lifting.
Mr.. Searles said he did, not
know when the New Yorkers
viii submit their proposal for
the entire area. He said he has
received indications. however.
that they may be interested in
radeveloping the rest Of the
southwest, even If they failed
to get the Area B job.
Meanwhile, the Housing and
Home Finance Agency indicated
a decision will be announced
within several days on the RLA's
for a Federal loan
and grant to carry out its part |
Of the Area B program. The
money is needed to buy the
land. clear it, re-house present
residents and meet allied adj