Evening star., 1954-12-08
Dr.. Hoyt Puts
Population
AT $4,000
Estimates Guin of
Yeor at sc, 900 in
Trude Board Talk
BY George Beveridge

WaS1lngGOnS MeGTopOl1C n
Area population has increased
by 10000 persons this year to
q "conservatively estimated" De-
cember population Of 1,840. 900,
according to DR.. Homer Hoyt.
DIR. Hoyt, a land economist
who has just completed several
years of basic development
studies for individual suburban
areas here, disclosed the new
figures at the Washington Board
of Trade annual membership
meeting in the Willard Hotel
last night.
His up-to-date population es-
Inmates were just $4,000 above
those cited by the Washington
Board of Trade last week for the
area population as Of last jan
uary !.
Breakdown by Jurisdictions.
He said 985, 900 Of the $780,
900 persons or 53.5 per cent, now
live in the suburbs. His break
down:
District Of Columbia, 855, 900:
Montgomery County, 261, 1000;
Prince Georges County, 100000;
Arlington County. 10000: Fair
fax County, 100000; Alexandria,
$1,000, and Falls Church, 5000.
& The new figures, showing a
gain Of $4,000 persons since
the 1850 census, make his pre-
vious forecast of a 2.5 million
population by 1880 appear quite
conservative" DR.. Hoyt said.
The rate of growth also would
exceed his 1860 estimate of g.
040, 900, he said.
1--WE are not changing our
area forecasts now" he de-
clared. But they must be re-
garded as conservative in the
light of our national rate Of
growth, which, with sustained
higher birth rates, is rushing
forward to a 200 million figure
by 1870"
Estimates Housing.
The economist told the trade
board he expects building per-
mits to be issued for more than
$4,000 new area dwelling units
before this year is finished
the highest figure since 1850.
For the last four years. he
added, this area is second only
to Los Angeles among metro
politan areas with populations
exceeding l million in the con-
struction of new dwellings.
AS In his detailed study re-
ports, DR.. Hoyt encouraged
"non-nuisance type" industrial
expansion in the counties. pro-
posed better transportation ia
cilities, including use of rail-
roads for commuter traffic, and
called on counties to provide
more adequate shopping centers.
He said this lack of suburban
centerss Offering wide varieties
of merchandise gives the Wash
ington downtown business dis
trict its chief opportunity"
Last year, for example. he
estimated Montgomery County
residents spent >$88 million in
department, apparel and furni-
ture stores, but spent only $43
million of it in Montgomery
stores, giving the majority of
business tax revenues to other
jurisdictions. He cited similar
losses for other counties.
Calls for Land use Study.
He also urged strongly that,
in planning the areas growth
as a whole, the area must be
treated as an integrated unit and
not as separate parts" The first
step, he said, should be a land
use study that would pin-point
slum areas that must be rebuilt
conservation" areas of middle
aged homes, new areas and those
not yet developed.
The trade board also heard 9
brief talk by w. E. Reynolds
retired Public Buildings Com.
missioner, who has been retained
by the New York firm of Webt
g. Knapp as a consultant for it.
proposed Southwest Washington
redevelopment program.
Mr.. Reynolds. who in the Gov.
ernment post he held for 2t
years administered major Fed.
eral construction here. said The
Southwest project holds major
promise for ridding "a nationa
disgrace" - the eyesore tempo.
rary buildings in downtown
Washington.
Mr.. Reynolds recalled thai
| former President Roosevelt tole
him, during World War II. tt
build the new tempos so they'll
fall down in five year" Blu
time, he added, has shown tha
"the most permanent thing OF
earth is d temporary building il
Washington"
| The New Yorkers' hope Of get
ting new Federal buildings ah
thorized within the rebuil
7 Southwest area, Mr.. Reynold
said, could take care Of q Sub
stantial portion Of one Of tn,
great eyesores to people here
refer to those near the Lincoli
Memorial rejecting pool"
Would Start There.
"I have always felt we shoult
| just start with the tempos a
the Lincoln Memorial and jus
roll them up like a carpet" h
| added.
4 MIR. Reynolds said it "seem
/ fair to ask Congress to author
/ iZe removal Of the tempos. q stel
| Congress ''oWes to the people o
1.-THE United States =
Among other talks at tn
injecting: