Holy Moly! Stop Work Order Issued for Development at St. Thomas’ Parish

18th and Church St, NW before construction started

Ed. Note: CityPaper reported that the building’s ground floor footprint exceeds the 80% maximum lot occupancy and “The issue will now go back to the Board of Zoning Adjustment for further consideration.”

A reader passes on from St. Thomas’ Parish:

“Dear neighbors,

As you may have noticed the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) has issued a stop work order (SWO) for 1772 Church Street as a result of the decision from the DC Supreme Court, which sent the decision back to the zoning the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA). Our hope is to resolve this matter as quickly as possible and resume work. There is a great deal of construction fatigue in this area and I suspect we all would all want this project to resume and be completed as soon as possible. I don’t know anyone who wants a semi-built building in the neighborhood.

Vacated And Remanded decision from the DC Supreme Court (PDF)

In the mean time, you may notice workers on site performing certain tasks to ensure the site is safe, delivery of materials, and people performing administrative tasks. All of this is permissible under a SWO. DCRA officials have been on site this morning and clarified this issue. Below is an email from Garret Whitescarver (DCRA) which authorizes us to perform tasks to ensure the safety of the building and the public safety of this neighborhood.

——-

This hereby authorizes the continued operation of tensioning post-tension (PT) cables at the subject address, pursuant to building permit B1709520, while a Stop Work Order (SWO) is posted on the associated lot/square, 0156 0856. This authorization is limited to the tensioning of the installed PT cables only.

Please retain a copy of this authorization at the site while crews are working.

NOTICE TO CONCERNED DISTRICT OFFICIALS. This site is authorized to perform the described work while a SWO is posted at the site, pursuant to the authority granted by 12 DCMR 114.6.1, due to overriding building safety considerations. Please do not interfere with the authorized operations. Contact me directly for further clarification, if required.

Garret Whitescarver | Deputy Chief Building Official
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs”