Evening star., 1954-02-17
Cautious Endorsement Given
Southwest Plan by Officials

made. The redevelopment for
mula provides that the plan must
be formally proposed by the
National Capital Planning Com
mission and approved by the
District Commissioners after
public hearing.
Mr.. Searles said he would like
the planning commission to be
on the negotiations from the be-
ginning. He said he also wants
to begin immediate conferences
with the Housing and Home
Finance Agency to determine how
much Federal redevelopment aid
might be available to the Dis
trict.
Area b Underway.
Plans already are we'll under
way for redeveloping the 76-acre
B Area, located just east of South
Capitol street. This area would
be excluded from the Webb &
Knapp proposal and continue
alone. The Webb & Knapp plan
covers virtually all the rest Of
the Southwest, however, from the
B Areas western boundary on
Fourth street to Eleventh street,
and from the Washington Chan
mel to the Pennsylvania Rail-
road tracks.
One complication to this pro-
posal already exists, however.
Within Webb & Knapp's pro-
posed area, the District Commis-
sioners already have approved
boundaries for a second smaller
project, designated as Area c.
It constitutes about half of the
Webb & Knapp proposal, and
the land agency already has
drawn $350,000 in Federal aid to
plan its development.
One possibility to be explored
with the planning commission
and the District Commissioners,
it was learned. will be whether
the boundaries of Project C"
can be changed to include the
entire Webb & Knapp proposal.
so that the planning funds can
be used on it.
Brig. Gen. Louis w. Prentiss,
Engineer Commissioner. said he
thinks the planning commission
should be the first port of CALL"
since it has the general RESPONSE
bility to map redevelopment
plans.
Wants More on Financing.
Gen. PrentiSS said he wants
to know more about the New
Workers proposals for financing.
but that he is enthusiastic about
its possibilities. He noted that.
even if the District bore some of
the expense, it could look for
ward confidently to increased tax
revenues possibly as much as
81 million more a year.
He emphasized. however, that
the proposal for the Federal Gov
ernment to shell out about $50
million for the opera house SYM
phony hall convention hall prof.
ect. however, posed a more Sc
rious problem.
Other civic leaders who heard
presentation of the plan at a
dinner Monday night expressed
similar feelings that the $50
million grant is the pivotal point
in the plans success.
Harry L. Merrick, president of
the Washington Board of Trade.
said the proposal is "a wonderful
idea," and economically sound
il Congress can be sold on the
idea of accepting the three ma
tlonal structures as Federal
responsibility.
Il can't imagine anyone being
against it." he said. If Congress
can be sold"
Francis G. Addison, jr., presi-
dent Of the Security Bank, said
the plan was imaginative and
susceptible of wonderful develop
ment. if Congress will put the
pivotal plan into effect" There
is no question, he said, that
the rest of the program would
revitaliZe the area"
Tremendous Benefit Seen.
Granville Guide, chairman of
the Greater National Capital
Committee. said it appeared to
HIM also that the plan hinges
on Congress-" He stressd that
the entire plan, however, would
be a tremendous benefit to Wash
! ington both as a tourist and con-
vention center"
Edward R. Carr, former presi-
dent of the National Association
OF Home Builders, said the plan
is a magnificent conception"
in which he is sure local builders
would be anxious to participate.
He urged some plan by which
people throughout the country