Evening star., 1960-12-09
Renewal Aides
Fight Delay on
|Adams-Morgan
Walker, Dear. .Bruy
Fear Dompenine
OF Citizen Interest

i
the suggestion of Chairman
Mcmillan Of the House District
Committee to postpone the
planning Of the Adams Morgan
project.
Mr.. Mcmillan wrote Admin
istrator Norman P. Mason of
the Housing and Home Finance
Agency that planning funds for
Adams-Morgan should be with
held until such time as some
final expression is made by the
Congress regarding the Re-
development Land Agency pro-
gram in the District of Colum-
bia."
The District Committee
chairman further stated that
"it appears probable" that q
majority Of those in the Adams
Morgan area oppose the prof.
ect contrary to the represen-
tations of professional pro-
ponents of renewal programs "
Walker Opposes Delay
/ Commissioner David M
Walker Of the Federal Urban
Renewal Administration said he
would recommend to his boss
that the Mcmillan request be
disapproved. Mr.. Walker said
delays always have the effect
Of lessening citizen interest ir
an urban renewal project
adding that now is the time to
kindle the enthusiasm rather
than dampen it.
Robert e. Mclaughlin, chair
man Of the District Board oi
Commissioners, agreed with Mr.
Walker that such delay is un-
desirable. Mr.. Mclaughlin
added that the District Com.
missioners had approved the
planning money application
after long elaboration.
by and large" he said. I'VE
do have the support of the city
on the Adams Morgan project
He said the planning money
would permit a thorough study
Of the possibilities of rehabili-
tating the Adams Morgan area
contending the study certainly
would be appropriate"
Dean Richard M. Bray O
. American University. the super
visor who set up the citizer
, organizations for the Adams
Morgan project. said the pro
posal has been "completel!
aired" and any further dela.
/ would just make the citizen
} lose heart"
Il Donald D. Gartenhaus, chair
man Of the Adams Morgan Cit.
. izens Planning Commission
charged sthat Mr.. Mcmillan
had betrayed those citizens
.. trying to plan the rejuventatior
!, Of their neighborhood.
! s4s4.oOO Involved
Mr.. Mcmillan asked Fed
eral administrators to with
, hold $464,0o0 for planning tn
, Adams-Morgan project.
The implication Of Mr.. Nc
Millan's letter to Mr.. Masol
! was more far-reaching. Tn
chairman made it clear tina
! he stood with the House o
: Representatives in its over
D whelming vote last session t,
J. half all other renewal project
: until the Southwest Washing
I ton program was so per cen
completed.
The Senate District Commit
tee postponed action on tn
' House bill pending an investi
i cation Of its own.
Mr.. Mcmillan came to Wash
7 ington this week for a separat
hearing and was briefed b
representatives of the Kalo
rama Citizens Association an
the Lanier Place Protectiv
Association. The Kaloram
group in November pulled ou
of the Adams Morgan plannin
committee and voted for Fed
eral withholding of Feders
funds for this demonstratiol
project.
The project was designed t
determine If citizens themselve
q successfully could plan renews
: OF their neighborhood. Tn
: Adams-Morgan area is bounde
= by Rock Greek Park, Florid
avenue NV, u and Sixteent
streets, Columbia road. LAME
d place and Calvert street.