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1327 Girard St, NW Today – What Happens Next?

A reader writes in wondering what will happen to the property at 1327 Girard St, NW which was decimated by fire on May 4th. Does anyone know what happens now? Any idea how long the process will take before a new property is built?

Category: Columbia Heights, fire

By: Prince Of Petworth | 15 May 2012 4:00 PM | 15 Comments

Anonymous

Considering the same couple still owns it, the answer is probably not much anytime soon.

May 15, 2012 at 4:15 pm
Anonymous

Years. Insurance settlement, plans and specs, construction financing, permits — and that’s even if the sales process goes through which would require environmental checks and negotiation. 2013 to start.

May 15, 2012 at 4:19 pm
john2010

I heard there is supposed to be a discrimination complaint

May 15, 2012 at 4:28 pm
- textdoc
  
  Against what entity — the fire department??
  
  May 15, 2012 at 5:15 pm
  - Joe E.
    
    Hephaestus was obviously negligent when he let Prometheus steal fire, so they may have some sort of a case.
    
    May 15, 2012 at 6:00 pm
    - bs
      
      +1
      
      May 16, 2012 at 10:59 am
Anonymous

Hopefully there is also a thorough investigation to determine who started the fire. I would assume their insurance will insist on that, as they should.

May 15, 2012 at 4:56 pm
- Anonymous
  
  Insurance? Does anyone really believe that place had insurance? Anyone who walked in front (or behind) that propety would know it was one match away from a fire and a strong breeze away from falling over. This going to be a mess for years to come.
  
  May 15, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Anonymous

My guess is this stays a smokey hole in the ground for years while the owners get into epic legal battles with everyone under the sun. After that they will probably declare bankruptcy and then after that, their surviving relatives will sell it to a developer who will build something that consists mostly of gypsum board.

May 15, 2012 at 6:09 pm
- Abe
  
  I think Anonymous 6:09pm hit the nail on the head. Similar type scenario happened years ago at 15th and Swann NW. Pack rat lived in run down house. Place burns to the ground. No insurance. Owner dies from unrelated causes. Distant nephew sells to developers and the site became condos going for 500-600k a piece.
  
  May 15, 2012 at 6:21 pm
joker

The building may be gone but the land itself is assesed at ~500K in value. Not a bad ROI since the rumor is they got it for literally nothing.

They could sell to any handful of DC condo developers who would want a prime ~qrt acre right there to build 700K 2bed/2ba condos on.

Knowing who owned it, if they did have insurance they will simply rebuild something on the lot that underuses its potential, but then again thats their perogative.

May 15, 2012 at 6:24 pm
Anonymous

There’s still a gap on my block from a 2009 fire. No idea what the situation is, but the formerly-adjoining houses are suffering structural decay as a result of the lost support of the burned house. I wonder if those owners have against the owner of the vacant lot? These houses were built to hold each other up.

May 15, 2012 at 10:31 pm
- jaydub
  
  The two buildings next to this one had a slight gap between them, so they should be ok structurally. Plus one has just been built and the other is being rehabbed (I think).
  
  May 15, 2012 at 10:56 pm
anon

Perhaps this is the perfect location for the Cap City Diner…

May 15, 2012 at 11:44 pm
- Anonymous
  
  Might have to put it in perpendicular to the street, but it could be made to work!
  
  May 16, 2012 at 8:11 am