Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-25
Urban Council
Member Hits
Appoinfee
Cook. Is Techniciun,
Not q Civic Leader,
Mrs. Riggs Asserts

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The appointment of G. Yates
Cook to the Commissioners
Urban Renewal Council was
criticized yesterday by another
member of the citizens advisory
group.
Without mentioning Mr.. Cook
by name. Mrs. Virginia Riggs
read the council a statement she
later told reporters was in
criticism of the Commissioners
appointment of Mr.. Cook last
month to succeed George A.
Garrett. who resigned as a coun-
Gil member in January.
Mrs. Riggs said she felt the
appointment violated a Com
missioners' order setting up the
I15-member council and implied
all its members should be citizen
leaders
She said she did not intend a
personal attack on Mr.. Cook
but was speaking to the organic
makeup of the council. She said
she considered Mr.. Cook to be
a technical expert" and not a
representative Washington citi-
zen leader.
Former Housing Official
Mr.. Cook is a former housing
Iofflcial of Baltimore and the Ma
Itional Association of Home
Builders and is now director OF
THE Federal City Council. Mr.
Garrett long has been active in
civic affairs here.
Mrs. Riggs statement sug.
Igested, however, that the coun.
Gil should have a small "com-
mittee of experts" to assist it
She also contended that (D the
council had not been promptly
Informed of Mr.. CARROTS resig-
nation and % nonattendance
at a specified number of meet
ings should automatically dis
qualify council members.
One District official said the
Commissioners have the only
voice in appointment of members
to its advisory councils.
/ Council Chairman William H
Dyer suggested that if Mrs. Riggs
desired action on any of her pro-
IposalS. however, she put them in
form for consideration at a SUBJ
sequent session.
Optimistic Predictions
On another matter, the coun-
ell heard an optimistic set Of
predictions for progress in Wash
Iington's big Southwest redevel-
opment programs.
The council pressed John R
Searles, Redevelopment anc
Agency director, for something
definite in the way of time,
and got these predictions:
/. That RIA hopes to sign q
contract with a New York syn.
, dictate within the next month fol
rebuilding Area B, the pilot 76-
acre redevelopment project. ano
that new construction could be
under way by October.
2. That RLA-if a number
of interim steps proceed smooth
ly-could begin acquiring land
for redevolpment by August ]
in the big Area c project
planned by the Zeckendorf firm
of Webb g. Knapp.
Hearing Hurdle to Clear
Mr.. SearleS noted that the
first big barrier in Area C will
be a Commissioners public hear
ing May IA on whether to APP
prove the development plan.
He stressed that RIA has
made no contractural commit
: ment to any private investor on
participation in the gigantic re-
building program. He said the
expectation. however, was that
his agency would lease or sell
about half the land earmarked
for private development to Webb
& Knapp and sits associates.
: Council members listened to a
description of the Area C plan
approved three weeks ago by
the National Capital Planning
IlCommission. The council agreed
to make some expression" on
1.-The plan at its next meeting.