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So Much Potential at 11th and K St, NW
I’ve said it before and I’ll, sadly likely, say it again – this building is so awesome. Makes me weep every time I pass it in its current condition.
Category: Architecture, Buildings, Downtown, horses ass award
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Recent Comments
11:46pm
I'm not sure who all these people are who are suggesting to park at DC USA. I just... 
AR
11:36pm
Work across the street. Business never appears to be THAT good (ie saddest bar/club I've...
Sure, transfer the title, registration, and insurance to someone who doesn't own or drive...
11:23pm
Mat, Thanks again for your support; and your point is well taken.
grr
11:04pm
"Used to live," not "used the live." I hate blackberrys.
I miss hearing the wild cats...
Heh… I work a block away, and just yesterday I almost took out my camera to nominate this property for your HAA. Such a shame.
Why DC lets this blight go on is beyond me.
I believe this another fine blighted property brought you by DC’s Doug Jamal. It’s a guaranteed moneymaker with that billboard and probably somehow excludes it from being considered an abandoned building.
from http://theother35percent.blogspot.com/2010/08/wrapped-in-billboard-mansion-rots-at.html
“Although the property is clearly vacant and some would consider it a blight, Jemal pays neither the vacant property rate of $5 per $100 value or the blighted property tax of $10 per $100. Instead, he pays the regular commercial property tax of 1.65%.”
This is a travesty. Thoughts on how to remedy the situation? There’s got to be a formal mechanism for filing a tax evasion complaint in DC. Does this qualify as “tax fraud”? (http://otr.cfo.dc.gov/otr/cwp/view,a,1330,q,594632.asp)
http://dcra.dc.gov/DC/DCRA/Inspections/Housing+Code+Inspections/Register+or+Report+a+Vacant+Property/Register+or+Report+a+Vacant+Property is how you report vacant/blighted property. If a few dozen people contact them, maybe they’ll do something about it. In addition to (not instead of) the web form, you can also tweet @dcra, I believe. I think the more people that do it, the better. DC is making so many budget cuts, it should at least collect the money its current policies provide for. If Jemal wants a building to sit vacant, he should have to pay for the privilege.
Is Jemal holding on to that corner property until he can find a way to screw over/kick put the American Youth Hostel next door and redevelop that end of the block?
The property is owned by Douglas Jemal, much like most of the city. The property is valued at $1.7 million
But instead of allowing properties like this one from being developed, Jemal lets them sit, rot, and yet the city does not go after him. I know many people who have done business with Jemal and they all state that he is terrible to work with and they got burned or ended up paying way too much for the property.
He was convicted of wire fraud in dealings with the city, but acquitted of bribery charges:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102600948.html
Not sure if he ever did any time for it. Doubtful given how connected he is. Just another shady developer IMO.
Which Council Member oversees that area?
Its Ward 2, Jack Evans
Jack Evans.
But no one in this town goes after Jemal. No one.
Doug Jemal must be in the possession of some really deep, dark secrets about somebody or someone in the DC government. The sort of things that, if revealed, might be sinister enough to overturn home rule. This is why he can basically do whatever he wants and get away with it.
I always wonder what the inside of buildings like this look like. Wish I could do some urban spelunking but the possibility of a breaking and entering charge always dissuades me. Oh well, it’s robably full of rats anyway.
It is completely full of rats. The hostel has had issues with the rat population coming from this hole for years.
Did Apple pay you to post that first picture?
Amazing potential. But I bet someone would knock it down and build a silver spring-like building before they’d take the time and money to rehab the original character of the building. sad.
http://www.theruinedcapitol.com
I wrote to Jack Evans – did you?
The last time I looked into this, I discovered it is pretty much the last (if not the last) of the K Street mansions. For those of you who don’t know, K Street was once lined with prominent houses – not boxy office buildings. I also seem to recall it had an odd tax rate because it was considered a billboard, not really a building – something that just makes me boil.
Jemal is something else. Anyone else notice he is an organizational sponsor of the DC Preservation League?