Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-17
Action Pushed
For U. 5. Offices
in Southwest
Owners Denounce
zeckendorf Plan at
Senate Hearing
BY GEORGE BEvERIDGE

A~SAoACbASA4 w eAAtAAS4 A3SS 49, !"
Federal Office buildings in Wash
ington's Southwest redevelop-
ment area had the Endorsement
Of a Senate subcommittee today
A formula providing for the
new buildings was adopted yes
terday by a Public Works sub
committee, headed by Senator
Symington, Democrat, of Mis-
souri,. after a biting attack by
Washington business property
owners on the entire Southwest
plan proposed by William Zeck-
endorf. New York real estate
promoter.
The property owners contend
ed the Zeckendorf plans for new
private Office and rental housing
space would compete unfairly
with existing properties, already
feeling the pinch of vacancies.
They also challenged soundness
of the Zeckendorf plans.
Subcommittee Proposals
The subcommittee new ver-
sion Of legislation for the Gov
eminent buildings proposed:
l. That the authorization
should be handled by amending
the existing Federal Lease-Pur-
chase Act, under which the Gov
eminent can enter long term
rental contracts with investors
who put up the buildings.
2. That the General Services
Administration be empowered to
negotiate contracts for the build
ings, rather than accept them
solely on q basis of competitive
bids. The right to negotiate has
been a prime appeal by Mr.
Zeckendorf.
8. That for each new Federal
building put UP, existing Fed
eral tempo space "of equivalent
occupancy" be demolished.
No Arguments Over Tempos
The third of these points-re-
moval of the tempos-has been
entirely non-controversial. The
other two, however, have pro-
vided most Of the argument
throughout subcommittee hear
ings.
Yesterday was no exception.
as Senator Symington spared
verbally with Assistant Budget
Bureau Director Harold L. Pear
son over how far Congress should
go-if at all-in setting down
ground rules to guide GSA in
contracts it might negotiate with
Mr.. Zeckendorf or anyone else,
Mr.. Pearson made it plain the
administration thinks the best
way to handle such contracts is
by competitive bids.
But if Congress thinks the
southwest situation has unique
problems which would justify
negotiated contracts, he argued,
the administration would appre-
ciate some general guidance" in
how to go about making them.
Senator Symington insisted
that Congress wasn't going to be
put in any such position.
All through the hearings, the
Missouri Democrat said. admin
| istration officials had tried to
saddle this COMMITTEE with
purely administrative decisions. "
who built them.
Opposition testimony to the
legislation, meanwhile, was aimed
more at the private construction
in the Zeckendorf plan than at
Federal buildings.
Nom Occupancy Cited
Charles J. Bauer, executive
secretary of the Building Own
ers and Managers Association
OF Metropolitan Washington,
said one Washington Office build
ing put up last year is "only
about so per cent rented and
several others are scarcely
more successful" Mr.. Bauer
said his group did not believe
private Office buildings will do
well in the Southwest area" and
added:
"Has the Government become
impotent in its accepted role. to
the point where a promoter who
is unfamiliar with the condi-
tons of the local market should
be deputized as a guiding genius
for an undertaking as large as
this?"
Attorney Testifies
Opposition also came from
Morris Kanfer, Washington at
torney, and N. r. Danielian.
president of the Great Lakes
st. Lawrence Association. Mr.
Danielian said he was testifying
as an interested observer.
| Mr.. Kanfer charged that the
Zeckendorf firm had done such
a good promotion job on its
plan that citizens and property
owners have been disarmed to
the point where no one has APP
peared before this committee to
analyze whether Washington =,
can absorb the impact of a $500
million development
Oficials of the Zeckendorf
firm of Webb & Knapp said their
total development plan would
cost about 1925 million, of which
| $40 million would be Federal ex-
penditure to provide about 2
million square feet of office
space.
They commended that most Of
the need for the new Office and
housing space they propose
would be generated by the new
project itself wouldn't be in con-
fiict with existing business.
Blair Concert Tomorrow
The Montgomery Blair High
School Advanced Chorus will