Evening star., 1953-04-30
Norfolk Firm Chosen
By RIA 10 Develop
Southwest 5 B Area
By George Beveridee


A Norfolk builder today pre-
pared to negotiate a firm con-
tract to convert some of South
west Washington's worst slumS
into a new S6O-family COM
munity. mixing low-rental flats
with eight-story, air-conditioned
elevator apartments.
The Virginia firm, Bush Con-
tracing Co.. was selected by the
District Redevelopment Land
Agency late yesterday to handle
redevelopment of the Southwest's
B area, a tract bounded roughly
by Fourth, I and South Capitol
streets and the Pennsylvania
Railroad tracks.
It was given the nod over
four other building groups which
submitted bids on how they
would have rebuilt the slum area.
Three of the groups were from
the Washington area.
Plans for Five Firms Approved.
In addition, the RIA approved
bids from five Southwest busi-
nessmen. who proposed plans
either to expand or move their
firm in conjunction with the
Bush project. They include:
Max Greenwald, sheet. metal
and roofing, 214 E street S.W.:
Rudderforth Brothers, wholesale
seafood. 208 E street S.W.; Mar
tin Wiegand, Inc, wholesale lum-
ber, 603 South Capitol street;
Eagle Transfer Co., 1886 E street
S.W., and Safeway Stores, Inc.
Safeway proposed to pay $780,
600 for the site of a new store
on the west side of Fourth street
between G and H streets S.W.,
and Wiegand proposed to move
its lumber yard to a location
near South Capitol and K streets.
The RIA, under it's redevelop-
ment scheme. will acquire title
to Area B properties, rehouse
present residents. clear the land
and sell it to the Bush firm for
redevelopment in compliance
with its plan.
Offered More Money for Land.
A major factor giving the edge
to Bush Construction, RIA OH
Gals said, was the amount of
money offered for the land.
RIA Director John r. Searles,
jr., said the firm, headed by
Ralph E. Bush, proposed either
to buy the land desired for ST.
419.475, or to lease it over q
long period for a sum amounting
to about $4,000 a year.
Mr.. Searles said these were the
highest figures offered. Despite
that fact, however, he said, Mr..
Bush asked for less land than
any of the other four major
bidders. The others, whose pro-
posals were not made public,
asked to take over the entire 76-
acre B area, he said.
Not included in the Bush bid
were the five smaller properties
approved yesterday for individual
redevelopment. Also deleted were
about $4,000 squage feet of land
-earmarked for industrial use
between F street and the railroad
tracks.
To Be Offered Later.
The 10000 square feet will be
offered for sale later. In addi-
ton. the RIA will get an undis-
closed sum from the District for
land to be used in construction
of the proposed F street express
way. Mr.. .Searles said he hoped
these sums, coupled with the
Bush money. would amount to
about 81 million.
Funds thus recovered will re-
duce the size of Federal grants
necessary to pay for the multi
million-dollar slum clearance job.
The B area tract is regarded
as a pilot project in a program
to redevelop an extensive 427-
acre Southwest area ranging
along the waterfront from South
Capitol to Twelfth streets. Orig
inally, all five of the major bid
derS expressed an interest in the
whole area. They included, be-
sides Bush Construction. Webb
& Knapp, Of New York; Standard
Construction Co., Inc, 1910 Ver-
mont avenue NV; Eastern Con-
Struction Co.. Inc. Falls Church
and syndicate of Is prominent
Washington builders.