Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-11
By GEORGE BEvERmGE

District redevelopment officials
tomorrow win tackle one Of their
toughest decisions selection OF Q
private investor to rebuild the
city's pilot Area B project IN
southwest Washington.
Three investment groups have
submitted bids to do the job
Each has q definite plan which
meets basic requirements for new
housing and commercial brM-
ings to replace slums In the IS
acre area just southwest OF the
Capitol. Each has offered 70 pay
annual ground rental-subject ITO
FLA financing-on land that Is
being cleared by the District Re-
Land Agency. Each
group includes substantial build
ers and businessmen. Each Is
eager for the job.
How VIII the selection be made?
The rental price the investors
are willing to pay RIA for the
land on which they win build
certainly win be q factor-but not
a crucial one. More weight, ON
cials say, win be carried by the
merits Of each plan. the kind Of
new community 1t would produce
and the benefits it would bring
to the city generally.
Schedule Listed
Tomorrow. the RIA board OF
directors viii begin hearing de-
tailed presentations from each
Of the three. The schedule:
10 am. tomorrow ~ Group
headed by Stewart Bainum,
builder, and r. s. Sensemar1,
architect, both Of Washington.
1880 pm. tomorrow-New York
syndicate headed by James H
Scheuer and Roger L. Stevens.
10 am. wednesday - Group
headed by I. s. Turnover. Wash
ington lumber dealer.
The board members. all APP
pointed by the White House. VIII
rely to q large extent in reaching
q decision on technical advice
from experts expected to attend
the three meetings. Included VIII
he ofiicials from the District
Zoning once, Federal Fine Arta
Commission, National Capital
Planning Commission and Dis
trict Department Of Licenses and
Inspections.
FLA Data Received
In addition, the board already
has received from FILA detailed
pro-and-con analyses Of each
plan and confidential run-downs
on the business experience OF
each group.
For several reasons. the RIA
board cannot reach an immedi-
ate decision.
One is that the official Area 3
blueprint for development. set
ting forth how much land should
be devoted to residential and how
much to commercial use. may be
changed. The possibility under
study is removal Of 12l ,2Sl
square feet of commercial use
from Area B, because q large
commercial Town Center" just
south Of Area B is proposed In
the william Zeckendorf plan fol
rebuilding the rest Of the South
west waterfront area.
The question is whether two
major commercial areas so close
together are needed.
Since the Area B bidders SUBJ
mitted ground rental proposals
on the basis of both commercial
and residential land use, RIA
viii have to determine this week
whether they still would go along
If the change is made-and
under what conditions.
Change Contested
One possibility is that Area B
would become entirely residen-
tial. but that the winning Area
B bidder might be assured of
participation in the Zecken-
dorf 'Town Center" commercial
project.
At least one of the three bid
ders. the Turover group, has
sharply contested the possible
change. The Turnover proposal
Is to pay 100000 ground rental
a year for loss, 076 square feet
Of residential-use land, and $45,-
600 for the 121. 292 square feet
of commercial land. Ofacials Of
that group argued that returns
from the commercial property
are needed to help carry the
land rental.
In the other two bids, the
Bainum group proposed to pay
$4,000 for residential and $780,
600 for commercial land and the
Scheuer-Stevens combine pro-
posed $81. 900 for residential and
$4,000 for commercial ground
rental.
These proposals presumably