Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-16
Simple Solution
Sought in Renewal
Pennsylvania
Avenue Project
Group Meets
BY ROBERT ]. LEWIS
Star Staff Writer
BY ROBERT ]. LEWIS
star Staff Writer

BY ROBERT ]. LEWIS
Star Staff Writer
A 10-man Advisory Council
on Redevelopment of Pennsyl-
vania Avenue met today for the
first time and said it hoped for
a simple solution" to improve
the city's main ceremonial
thoroughfare.
After a White House meeting
this morning, the group took a
bus tour of the avenue in the
rain, visited the Capitol. and
then began a working session"
in the offices of the National
Capital Planning Commission.
Nathaniel OwingS, chairman
of the group, said before this
closed meeting:
I'VE are hoping to develop a
solution so simple that there
will be no disagreement about
putting it into effect"
The San Francisco architect,
who heads the all-male advisory
group, said there was no inten-
ton to try to duplicate Roman
type buildings on the streets
north side to make them con-
form to the Federal Triangle
buildings on the south side.
I'm sure there won't be any
reproductions" he said.
The councils role will be to
advise members and staff of
the planning commission. which
has been requested by President
Kennedy to complete a report
on the project within a year.
Avenues Vista
At the Capitol the group was
Joined by j. George Stewart.
architect of the Capitol. and
Mario Campbell, assistant
architect of the Capitol. The
group then viewed the Avenues
vista in the haze and rain from
the west balcony on the Capt.
tolls principal floor.
Secretary of Labor Goldberg,
who played a major role in de-
veloping the project, welcomed
the members and said it would
be their job in advising on the
project, to balance" the i'm
portant aspects of the avenue.
Pennsylvania avenue is the
bridge between Congress and
the Executive, and in addition
it is a great thoroughfare for
the city," he said.
Therefore. it seems to me
that the key to the problem is
to balance the interests of these
three in behalf of the people of
the United States"
Mr.. Goldberg said that all
over the country there is a
tremendous interest in the Cap
ital that is increasing" and it
is time, he said, Ito recapture
the original spirit" of the city.
I'VE have almost reached the
last hour in which we can do
this and unless we proceed rap
idly it will be too late" he said.
Announcement of the coun-
ellis membership today at the
White House carried out a rec
concentration made six weeks
ago by a Cabinet-level COM
mittee calling for redevelop-
ment of the north side of the
avenue. from the Capitol TO
Fifteenth street NV.
The Administration has ap-
proved a request for a supple
mentary appropriation of $110,-
900 for the Planning Commits
sion to finance preparation Of
a redevelopment plan, it was
learned today. The request has
not yet been sent to Congress.
Members of the panel are:
Minoru YamaSaki. Detroit archi-
tect; Paul Thirty, Seattle
architect; William Walton.
Washington artist frequently
consulted by President Ken
nedy on matters of art and
architecture; Douglas Haskell,
New York, editor of Architect
ural Forum magazine; Ralph
Walker, New York architect
and member of the Fine Arts
Commission; Daniel Kiley.
landscape architect; Frederick
Gutheim. head of the Wash
ington Center for Metropolitan
Studies; Daniel P. Moynahan,
special assistant to Secretary
of Labor Arthur J. Goldberg,
and Charles Fans, Los Angeles
designer famous for the Fans
chair.
Planning Commission staff
work on the project will be
carried out under the direction
of William E. Finley, staff di-
rector. Polly Shackleton, for
merly an official of the Amer
lean Institute of Architects and
now Democratic National Com
mitteewoman for the District,
will serve as secretary to the
council