Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-31
Prob|emsCited
On Location Of
Auditorium
Building Firms
Stand Surprises
District Officials
BY GEORGE BEvERIDGE

william Zeckendorf'S New
York firm today said serious
problems are posed by District
Auditorium Commissions site
proposal for a cultural center in
the Southwest redevelopment
area.
This reaction came as a sur
prise because officials of the firm,
Webb g. Knapp. previously have
eagerly invited location of the
proposed auditorium cultural
center project in the Southwest
The Auditorium Commission
reporting to Congress yesterday,
said three sites were suitable
to 1.-TWO in Southwest and one
in Foggy Bottom.
Webb IL Knapp, in a state
ment today. implied fiat objec-
ton to one of the Southwest
sites-an 18-acre area between
Ninth, Twelfth, D and F streets
S.W.-by saying it was mot in
conformity with official rede-
velopment plans approved by the
National Capital Planning Com
mission.
Would Welcome Study
The firm said it would "wel-
come the opportunity" to work
with the Auditorium Commits
sion. however. on certain funda-
mental problems" affecting the
second Southwest site a 81
acre area between Sixth, Tenth,
D and F streets S.W.
William L. Slayton. chief OF
Webb & Knapp's Washington
Office. said he felt certain that
these problems all can be re-
solved for a satisfactory south
west location"
The Auditorium Commission
leans strongest toward its third
site. located in Foggy Bottom
But its report said it recognized
this site is in conflict with high
way proposals and that it might
only be available if proposed
highway routes are changed.
The Planning Commission will
discuss the problems involved in
all three sites at a meeting today.
The Webb & Knapp statement
was released to the press and
also sent to Planning Commits
sion Chairman Harland Barthol-
omew with an accompanying
letter.
The letter disclosed that Webb
& Knapp had submitted a pre-
vious confidential letter" to the
planners January rs, outlining
Webb & Knapp's reactions to
press accounts Of Auditorium
Commission studies before COM
pletion of the Auditorium. Com
mission report.
Statement Explained
After examining the Auditor
ium Commission report, yester-
day, Webb & Knapp said, I'VE
notice that it differs somewhat
from information previously
published in the press. Since our
confidential letter of January Is
was based upon these press &C
counts we would like to substi-
tute the new statement which
has been released to the press at
their request"
Webb & Knapp officials would
not comment on the earlier letter
and asked the planning commits
sion not to release it.
The new statement. which kept
open hopes for agreement on the
27-acre southwest site between
Tenth and Sixth streets, said
that location:
-. Would appear to be more
in conformity with the (official
redevelopment) plan although
from cursory analysis it would
seem to raise certain fun
damental problems in design
with respect to the Tenth street
MALL"
Mall Reference Presumed
Presumably this refers to Au-
ditorium Commission sketches
which show the cultural center
opening directly on a Tenth
street mall" eliminating a long
Office building proposed in the
redevelopment plan. Webb g.
Knapp has taken the position
that such buildings lining the
broad mall" between Independ-
ence avenue and Washington
Channel were necessary to MAIN
tain the architectural character
of the mall.
At today's Planning Commits
sion session, Auditorium Com
mission Chairman Agnes Meyer
was to discuss her groups new
report.