Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-05
Planners Tell
Of New Aims
In Financing
By GRACE BAssETT

plfdtc icAthOlIlLdIOTb OF prop
erty IN the central city district
due for upgrading.
This assurance was given
business leaders yesterday by
National Capital Planning Com
mission Chairman Harland
Bartholomew and his staff as
sistants. John Nolen and
Charles Conrad.
Mr.. Bartholomew spoke be-
fore the Board of Trade urban
renewal committee at a Bur-
lington Hotel luncheon meet
ing.
First, he described the broad
proposal for converting the
Stun saddled area to de luxe
home. shopping and recrea-
tional area. The tract Is
bounded by Fourteenth street;
U street and Florida avenue;
Union Station, and Massachu-
sets avenue and K street.
Then in answer to questions,
he said the whole question Of
added Federal aid to private
owners would be opened through
the course Of renewal. expected
TO take at least 10 years.
Relatively Few Razings
How TO finance private re-
Mobilization is a key question
because only 20 per cent Of the
structures standing in the area
are obsolete" Mr.. Bartholo-
NEW noted. Remaining build
ings need to be conserved or
rehabilitated. not razed and re-
built. he said.
Federal mortgages granted to
owners for rehabilitation in
such areas are limited now to
$40, 900 per project, according to
Mr.. Conrad.
Both he and Mr.. Nolen said
they would query the Housing
and Home Finance Agency
about the possibility Of raising
this ceiling.
A decision will depend on
the profit potential for owners
planning rehabilitation, they
pointed out.
The pla inning commission
and the District Redevelop-
ment Land Agency have been
warned by a confidential star
report that this profit margin
may be very slim.
Local real estate man Charles
c. Koones. prepared the study.
He estimated that an owner
who converted a one-hoor
housing unit to three floors
could sell the converted prop
erty for only $1,000 more than
1t cost to fix the place UP, Mr..
Conrad said.
Report to HHFA
Although they disagreed with
some of Mr.. Koones' basic as
sumptions. the planners said
they were studying cost data.
The Koones report and prob
ably a supplement will be given
the HHFA, they said.
Mr.. Bartholomew emphasized
the urban renewal plan is a
preliminary draft. Sponsors
were soliciting suggestions from
groups like the Board of Trade
committee, he said.
The District Commissioners
have scheduled a first hearing
on the plan for 3 pm, Tues
day. at the District Building.
Committee Chairman William.
Dyer. who also heads the Conf
mlsSioners Urban enewal
Council. urged his committee
men to attend.
The plan is one way to re-
emphasize the Importance Of
the central city. Mr.. Bartholo-
NEW maintained.
He said central cities still
have a great future" despite
the increasing spread into the
suburbs. Transportation sys-
TENS can take only SO much
congestion caused by this con-
slant travelling between city
Offices and country homes. &C
cording to the Capital City's
chief planner.
He urged a new drive to
locate Federal buildings in
downtown Washington. A thor
ough economic study of the
central city also should be
undertaken. he said.
He promised the NCPC
would do all it could to organize
an orderly placement Of Fed
eral Offices downtown. as well
as the central city study.