Evening star., 1957-04-16
Ria Requests
zeckendorf 10
Bid on Area c
Wants Firm Proposal
To Build on Half
Of Residence Project
BY GEORGE BEVERIDGE

ny 1EOhOE bEVEkAUOE
The Redevelopment Lane
Agency today invited William
zeckendorf to submit firm pro-
posal to build about half of the
residential development in the
huge 442-acre Area c redevelop-
ment project in Southwest
Washington.
The agency said it hoped tc
lease or sell the remaining so
per cent of residential land tc
other investors for rebuilding
Officials hope particularly to get
bids from Washington develop
ers.
In addition, the agency told
Mr.. zeckendorf in a letter that
1t would welcome propositions
from the New York real estate
tycoon for his construction Of j:
l. The 6-acre new water
front area south of Maine ave-
nue. between Seventh and
Eleventh streets S.W.
2. The 20-acre plaza" area
east of Tenth street and south
Of D. in the event that space is
not needed for the proposed
national auditorium and cultural
center. If the cultural center
is located there, RIA said il
would like to have a proposition
for development of land the
center would not use in that
area.
Major Policy Step
The action today represented
q major policy step and one OF
RLA's biggest problems--how
to dispose of land to private de-
velopers in the vast area. All
the new construction must be in
accordance with provisions OF
the official redevelopment plan
adopted by the city.
The RIA did not ask Mr..
zeckendorf for a price offer for
lease or purchase of the land.
Presumably, when the New
Yorker submits a proposition,
the agency will buck the deal to
nine-man panel of real estate
advisers for its advice on prices.
Procedure Now Being Urged
This is the procedure now be-
ing followed to determine price
of land to be leased by Mr.. Zeck-
endorf for construction OF re-
tail shopping Town Center
North of M street between Third
and Sixth.
The plan offered to Mr.. Zeck-
endorf includes seven adjoining
blocks or half-blocks which lie
south of the Southwest IF
street, freeway. north of NJ
street. east of Maine avenue and
west of Third and Fourth streets.
New development uses called
for by the plan for this area
include three 235-unit high rise
elevator apartments and about
700 row houses. plus the "Town
Center"
An almost identical number of
elevator apartment and row
house units would still be left
for disposition to other develop
ers in Area c.
RIA Wants to Proceed
RIA said 1t is concentrating
its land-acquisition program in
c on the Town Center" site
and one for the new Amidon
School at Fourth and streets
S.W. 1t said. however, that it
wanted to proceed Immediately
on acquisition of the property
earmarked for Mr.. Zeckendori
and that "if you start detailed
architectural planning now, it is
unlikely that he will hold you
up"
Concurrence Expected
The letter indicated RIA has
already had preliminary discus
sions with Mr.. Zeckendorf over
terms Of today's offer. so it is
expected to draw concurrence
from him. Earlier, the New
Yorker said he hoped to handle
about half of the rebuilding
RIA said today's decision would
not preclude development of
some Of the rest of the area by
Mr.. Zeckendorf if the agency is
unable to market the additional
land satisfactorily.
The Zeckendorf firm. Webb &,
Knapp, is known to have wanted
to be able to build contiguous
blocks to give it complete con-
troll over the architectural de-
tails of a sizable portion.