Evening star., 1953-10-23
Southwest Plan
Held Weakened
By compromise
Architect DepIores
Loss of BoIdness
In RedeveIopment

A prominent District architect
charged today that compromises
had sapped the boldness and
imagination from the Southwest
redevelopment program to the
point that similar programs else
where in the city would be de-
prived of stimulation.
The speaker was Louis Juste-
ment, who took part in the
drafting of original plans for
the area. later revamped. He
addressed the Regional Confer
ence of the Middle Atlantic Dis
trict, American Institute of
Architects, at the Hotel Statler
The architect took the floor
during public discussion follow
ing a forum on 1.-THE Architect
and Urban Redevelopment" at
the morning session..
DeplOreS Compromise.
"It's great pity we had to
compromise in the Southwest
Mr.. Justement said.
He explained that the studies
for redeveloping the Southwest,
in which he participated, had to
be compromised to satisfy the
divergent interests involved.
He described these compro-
misses as "a continuing diffusion
OF something that might have
been bold and imaginative" He
expressed fear that what is 60
ing to be done in the Southwest
will not stimulate further rede-
velopment.
The mountain has labored
and brought forth a mouse" Mr.,
JuStement said.
Compromise Called Necessary.
But a little later in the pro-
gram John Searles, executive di-
rector, District Redevelopment
Land Agency, pointed out that
compromises are necessary to
get the job done. The only
place that one can't compromise,
he said, is with the District
building code.
Mr.. Searles told the audience
that only 10 per cent of the pop
ulation affected by redevelop-
ment in the southwest will not
move to better housing. He said
rehabilitation must take a second
seat If redevelopment is going to
be accomplished. He said his
agency anticipates no trouble in
finding new homes in the Wash
ington area for southwest resi-
dents by the new program.
"Redevelopment must be bold
dramatic, Clean" Mr.. Searles as
serted.
The greatest mistake, he de-
clared. would be. to let relocation
OF people govern the redevelop-
ment of these areas. He said he
does not feel the needs of fam
lilies should comfort the redevel-
opment area.
Would Improve Dispersal.
Nathaniel A. Owings, promi-
nent architect of Chicago and
New York. counseled the confer
ence:
development has to be on
broad strokes, not on picayune
remodeling. I feel we should
ignore this problem of dispersal
Let's go ahead and rebuild our
cities and if an enemy bomb
tails, then your numbers up"
, Carl FeisS, chief, Planning ard
Engineering branch, Division OF
Slum Clearance and Urban Re-
development, Housing and Home
Finance Agency. was moderator
at the seminar.
Richard Steiner, director, Bal
timore Redevelopment Commits
sion, urged the architects to take
a more active part in public
affairs. He said:
"As cit yofficials, we need your
help, your very best thinking
your best efforts, your best solu-
tions to the problems"
Mr.. Steiner said the architects
have defaulted in formulating
public policy, more than they
to the mortgage holders,
lawyers, economists, home build
erS and a new breed of real estate
philosophers.
German Group Attends.
Alexander Smith Cochran,
Baltimore architect, declared the
should not be a mere
caterer. He said that architects,
trained in using their imagina-
ton, should assume leadership.
Attending the morning session
was a group of West German
federal and state officials and
A translation system
was set up for their convenience
to follow the proceedings.
Ludwig Joutz, Washington
with the firm of Muir
ply and Locraft, was host to the
group. Mr.. Joutz explained the
visitors are particularly inter-
ested in redevelopment because
of the numerous bombed areas in
German cities.