Evening star., 1961-03-27
Foggy Bottom Plan
Runs Into Trouble
Commissioners
Ask Why City
Should Pay
BY GEORGE WILSON
Star Staff Writer

renewal plan today ran into a
severe challenge by the Dis
trict Commissioners and several
Of those who stand to lose
property in the Foggy Bottom
area.
However, the proposal also
got considerable backing from
city planners and private or
ganizations, who contended the
plan is essential to keep the
key area in Northwest from de-
teriorating into a "hodgepodge"
OF housing and industry.
Walter NJ. Tobr;ner, presi-
dent of the District Board of
Commissioners, and Engineer
Commissioner: Frederick j.
Clarke asked, at a hearing to-
day, why the District Govern
ment should contribute $500, 900
to the luxury apartment COM
plex rather than have the de-
velopers finance it entirely.
Syndicate Ready
AS stake is a $25 million
development in the eight acres
bounded by Virginia avenue,
E, G and Twenty-third streets
NV. A syndicate headed by
James F. Salkeld of Shannon &
Luchs is ready to build the
project.
The syndicate has been work.
ing closely with the National
Capital Planning Commission,
which planned the future uses
of the Foggy Bottom site. The
idea is to have the Redevelop-
ment Land Agency assemble
the land and then sell it back
as one piece to the syndicate.
Urban renewal officials indi-
cate there will be SIS million
difference between the cost of
assembling the land and the
price it brings when sold to the
syndicate. The Federal Gov
ernment would pay 81 million
OF this loss, and the District
government 100000.
? sIsn't it possible for the pri-
vate developers to absorb the
SIS million?" Gen. Clarke asked
John r. Searles, jr., director
of the Redevelopment Land
Agency.
Aid Call Necessary
Mr.. Searles replied that the
project planned by the plan
ming commission could not be
carried out without urban re-
neWal assistance, since it calls
for a series of open spaces and
low-density housing as well as
underground parking for $500
cars.
Without using the urban re-
newal approach, Mr.. SearleS
said, the city would end up with
a mixture of housing and Of
flee buildings in the Columbia
Plaza area.
Mr.. Salkeld said his syndi-
cate could not carry out the
proposed plan and still absorb
an extra SIS million in cost.
I've studied it very thor
he said, promising to
submit a financial analysis to
the Commissioners at a later
date.
Meyer Siegel, a Washington
builder, challenged claims that
the project could not be done
urban renewal and Of
fered to do it himself with pri-
vate money If he got FILA as
SiStance.
Whole Idea Hit
DR.. Meyer M. Silverman of
1915 Wisconsin avenue NV.
charged that the whole CO.
lumbia Plaza project seems
to be illegal and violates the
and desires of the Con-
gress." He said he had reason
to believe" that the figures on
the amount of Sub-standard
housing in the area were false.
DR.. Silverman said he has given
his material to the Senate.
In one of the statements
the Columbia Plaza
plan, Earl Gauger, vice presi-
dent of the Washington chap
ter OF the American Institute
Of Architects, said the propose!
combines the only logical"
method to combine the public
and private interests in the
Foggy Bottom area.
The District Commissioners
are expected to decide ON
whether to applove the Foggy
Bottom plan before April 6,
the next meeting of the Ma
tional Capital Planning Com
mission. Approval by the Dis
'rict Commissioners is neces-
sary before the plan can be
executed