Evening star., 1954-04-15
Redeve|opnlent
Sought for All
Southwest
Land Agency Seeks
To Consolidate
Separate Projects
By George Beveridee

SSStSS OSNSsOSS
The District Redevelopment
Land Agency has voted to re-
quest expansion Of the boun.
daries of its second redevelop-
ment project to cover virtually
all of Southwest Washington.
Approval of such a move would
mean the agency could wrap up
the entire Southwest in one re-
development plan. instead of at
tacking the slum area piecemeal
in a series of smaller projects.
Area B. the city's pilot, 76-,
acre redevelopment tract just
west of South Capitol street, on
which planning already is we'll
along, would remain as an inde-
pendent project.
But the boundaries of a sec
ond 165-acre project-Area c.
would be expanded to cover
nearly all the land south of Inde-
pendence avenue to the WASH
ington Channel between South
Capitol and Eleventh streets S.W.
Includes Federal Property.
The new project area would
include the 350-acre site the
New York firm of Webb g.
Knapp wants to develop as an
attractive and monumental
housing, business and cultural
center. It also would cover a
large Federally owned area just
south of Independence avenue.
not heretofore earmarked for
redevelopment. The Govern
nent has indicated, however, it
wants to dispose of some of this
property.
Approval by the National
Capital Planning Commission
Ind the District Commissioners
would be necessary to change
Area C's boundaries. The present
boundaries reach only from
street on the north, Fort McNair
on the south, Maine avenue on
the west and South Capitol
street on the east.
The Housing and Home
Finance Agency already has al
located $132.500 in loans to the
land agency to plan Area C.
If the boundary change goes
through, the agency may have
to- go back for more planning
money.
John r. Searles, jr., agency
director, said the boundary
change request will be sent to
the planning commission this
week.
Demolition to Begin.
The agency board decided on
the request during a meeting
yesterday at which,it also:
l.. Announced that the first
actual demolition of slums in
Area B will take place at noon
ceremony on April 26.
2. Disclosed that a group Of
Washington builders is interest
ed in preparing redevelopment
plan for the Barry Farms subdi-
vision in Southeast Washington.
Congress. however, has forbidden
the use of redevelopment funds
in the Barry Farms area.
3. Authorized contracts to
spend $114,716 to buy 20 dwell
ings and three vacant lots in
Area B. This raises to $478,016
the amount the agency has obli-
gated for property purchases in
Area B.
4. Heard report that "a Of
the 1,345 families in Area B have
been permanently or temporar-
lily rehoused from dwellings they
have vacated in the project area.
The first demolition work will
be in Dixon's court, the notorious
alley-dwelling area within the
block bounded by Third, Fourth.
H and I streets SW. The District
Commissioners and HHFA off,
Gals will be invited to attend the
MON ceren1onv
Court Suits Pending.
The land agency has acquired
title to the entire block through
powers Of eminent domain, but
court suits have been brought by
some property owners there
against the redevelopers.
Completion of the blocks de-
molition will depend partly on
the outcome of these suits and
partly on how fast new homes
can be found for the remaining
residents. A contract calls for
the razing to be finished within
80 days after the last property
IS turned over to private wreck
ing firm.
For the last few weeks, off,
cialS said. the firm has been
poisoning rats-with considerable
success and in accordance with
health regulations-in vacated
structures.
On the Barry Farms proposal.
Mr.. Searles said he has been ap-
preached by a group of WELL
known local builders about the
possibility of their drawing up a
redevelopment plan for the 95-
acre area south of st. Elizabeths
Hospital and east of Nicholas
avenue.
Would Close Deal.
In return for this, he said, the
agency would have to agree not
to deal with any one else about
the area during the planning
period.
Mr.. Searles stressed that
nothing could be done at Barry
Farms unless Congress removed
a ban it imposed on redevelop-
ment there. Herman Schmidt.
a leader of the builders group,
told a reporter discussions would
be premature until this ban was