Evening star., 1955-11-15
Land Agency Okays
Southwest Project
0yerrides Plans
For Changes in
Speedup Move

The RedeVelopment Land
Agency Board voted today to go
ahead under the presently APP
proved plan for Southwest Re-
development Project Area B, de-
spite various modification pro.
posais.
The action followed a report
by Assistant Engineer Commits
sioner Robert E. Mathe. who met
yesterday with representatives
OF the District government, the
land agency. the National Capi-
tai Planning Commission ,and
the developer.
A New York syndicate, headed
by Roger L. Stevens and James
II. 6cheuer, has been selected to
redevelop the 76.acre project
just southwest Of Capitol Hill.
Notifications have been pro-
posed. such as excluding q pro-
posed commercial development,
putting public housing along the
expressway on the north. making
certain boundary changes and
attempting to make some speci-
fication changes.
Would Avoid Delays
Col. Mathe said there obvious
ly would be q long delay in get
ting agency approval and hold.
ling a public hearing before the
project could be returned to the
developer.
Il think it would mean not
one brick would be paid in. South.
west this summer" he said.
"If We try to make Area B
conform to every detail with
Area c, which is still changing
every day. wen never get any.
where" he added.
Southwest Area c is being
planned by the New York firm
of Webb & Knapp.
Might Change Later
Under Col. Mathe's outlined
Iplan Of action, no notifications
would be attempted for Area b
at this time. with the UNDER
standing that later the western
end might be amended to sub
stitute residential development
for commercial.
He suggested letting the de-
lveloper go ahead. with the ex-
lception that q line be drawn
somewhere In the block to the
least Of Fourth street indicating
Ihe should draw his plan so that
along Fourth street, he could put
'Ieither commercial or residential
structures.
Col. Mathe said the developer
indicated it would take $40 days
from the start Of planning to the
start Of work.
| "As I see it." he went on, I'VE
ican stir it around for another
Igo-round for the next six
months, and still not have it
perfect"
Some Services Needed
1 John A. Remon. RIA chair
imam, commented in connection
with the proposed commercial
development that tI'm not firm-
Ily convinced in my own mind
we may not come out with some
commercial development on
Fourth street.
Every day see more and
more necessity for some sort Of
simple service activities in some
iof these big apartments people
are getting older every day, they
like to get a cup of coffee, their
lshoeS shined, or a haircut. There
seems to be a trend along those
lines"
! A town center" for central.
Iized shopping in the Southwest
has been planned for a large
tract Immediately south of Prof.
ect B.
/ Surveyors at Work
| John R. Searles, jr., executive
director of the land agency, re-
ported that surveys have begun
lin the Northwest section. He
said that seven surveyors are at
work.
The agency now has the big
Job of transferring funds to
lthe planning commission. The
money is available and the ac-
Itual planning of redevelopment
lis before the agency now.
Mr.. Searles said it is hoped
lin the next two or three weeks
Ito develop an outline OF proce-
Idures for beginning the planning
in conjunction with the PLAN
ming commission.