Evening star., 1954-03-21
District 10 Seek
Single Study Of
All Southwest
Aims for u. S.. Funds
AS First Step in
Zeckendorf Survey
BY George Beveridee

BY George Beveridee
The District Redevelopment
Land Agency is expected this
week to take the first step toward
study Of the so-called Zecken-
dorf plan for rebuilding south
west Washington.
The step will be in the form
of a move to permit Federal
planning money. already partly
in hand. to be spent on a single
redeyelopment study of the en-
tire southwest area--from the
Mall to Washington Channel
and from South Capitol to about
Twelfth streets.
Only land excluded would be
Area B, the s76-acre tract near
South Capitol street which
makes up the city's pilot slum
clearance and redevelopment
project. It's plans already are
well under way and will proceed
Independently Of the larger
study.
Land agency officials last
month got a $l32.500 ALLEGATION
from the Housing and Home
Finance Agency to plan a second
Southwest project. Containing
165 acres and designated as Area
c. this second project was to be
bounded by I street on the north.
Fort McNair on the south. Maine
avenue on the west and Canal
and South Capitol streets on the
east. 81
Wants Boundaries Moved.
RIA Chairman John A. Remon
said he will propose at a board
meeting Wednesday that the
Area c boundaries be expanded
to cover the entire Southwest
section.
This. he pointed out. would
permit a single study of the pro-
posal by the New York firm OF
Webb g. Knapp to convert the
Southwest into a showplace OF
modern residential. business,
cultural and entertainment struc-
lures.
Mr.. Remon and william Zeck-
endorf, Webb g. Knapp presi-
dent. agreed last week to a 12-
month study to determine If the
New Yorkers' idea is economi-
cally feasible and acceptable to
city and Federal officials.
The New York plan generally
covers a 350-acre Southwest
area between the railroad tracks
and Washington Channel. But
it's most important feature-n
the New Workers eyes-would
be a broad new mall along the
line of Tenth street from Inde-
pendence avenue to the cham
mel.
Mr.. Remon said he wanted to
expand the Area c boundaries.
however, to cover blocks north
of the railroad tracks which are
left out of the Zeckendorf plan,
He said some Federal properties
there are slated to be declared
surplus. and should be studied
for possible redevelopment.
Next Study Area.
The existing boundaries of
Area c were set by the National
Capital Planning Commission
and the District Commissioners
as the next study area. Both
groups would have to approve
any change.
Mr.. Remon said he was conf
dent both groups. as well as the
HHFA, would go along with his
proposal.
Both the planners and city
heads also will have to approve
any final redevelopment plan.
whether it follows the Zecken-
dorf idea or deals with small
projects such as Area B. Once
the plan is approved, Under the
city's redevelopment law. the
land agency can acquire title to
the slum areas. raze structures
and sell the land to private in
vestors for rebuilding.
Under a new administration
housing bill now on Capitol Hill,
cities would be required to have
te?wide slum elimination pro-
grams in order to get Federal aid
for such redevelopment projects.
John r. Searles, jr., RIA !di-
rector, told the Senate Banking
Committee Friday he hoped plans
would be developed soon for re-
development Of northwest Wash
ington areas.
Senator Payne, Democrat, of
Ohio, questioned Mr.. Searles
closely about why first priority
hadn't been given slum-infested
northwest sections. The RIA
chief told him the southwest
needed redevelopment equally as
much. and noted that highway
development problems have to be
Strengthened out before q north
west plan can be agreed upon.
Easier 20 Handle.
Planning Commission officials
told a reporter the southwest
also was given top priority be-
cause its natural boundaries, iso-
lating it from the rest of the city.
made it easier to handle than the
Sprawling northwest.
While the planners want to
move into the northwest even
tually, no money Is available to
start studies there now, officials
said.
Mr.. Searles, who testified be-
fore the Senate group on behalf
of the National Association of
Housing and Redevelopment Of
ficials, disclosed also that his
agency got almost twice what
we expected" in bids from pri-
vate investors for the Area B re-
DEVELOPMENT ioh.
He said this will mean that