This building at the corner of 14th and Meridian Pl, NW is one of the most frequently nominated horse’s ass award buildings in the city. At one point it was slated to become the future home/expansion of Bacon Funeral Home (still located next door.) Lately, to me, it’s been looking particularly bleak.
What can be/should be/needs to be done in order to fix one of the worst eyesores in the city?
“Dear PoP,
I’d like to nominate 3228 Hiatt for a Horse’s Ass award. It has been under construction for years with no sign of actual work.”
Yes, I agree, this is a def. a strong candidate for a Horse’s Ass Award.
Tons of potential here. Anyone know how long it’s been in this condition?
“Dear PoP,
My husband and I live on Sherman Ave and love, love, love our neighborhood, but are concerned about an abandoned building at the corner (2601 Sherman Ave NW). It was a downtrodden convienience store about 2 years ago when it was abandoned and it has been falling apart ever since. Occasionally (about once every 3 months) we see people stripping things out of the building but we can’t tell if they are working to tear it down, or if these are just scavengers. Its been abandoned now for about 2 years and I worry about squatters and it becoming a haven for unsavory activity. I’ve noticed that DC has posted signs fining the owner, but nothing has been done. Is there anything we can do as a DC resident to complain about the building and finally get it torn down? It seems that it is becoming a health as well as a safety hazard.
I’ve filed a 311 complaint with the city, but I assume since DC has put big orange stickers/ signs on the door about fines that’s not going to do much good.”
You can learn more about getting a property declared blighted or vacant here. I’d also encourage you to email [email protected] as well as your council member.
Anyone have success getting a building listed as blighted?
Back in Nov. ’10 a reader nominated this building next to the Morrison-Clark Inn for a horse’s ass award. I just noticed some permits, new fencing and a dumpster out front. Looks it’ll be condos:
“Dear PoP,
I emailed you about two months ago asking for information about this borderline-abandoned building, and it looks like there’s finally something going on. All of the graffiti has been painted over, and a “For Sale” sign has been nailed to a window. I can’t find a listing anywhere, but I’m hoping it goes fast and something fantastic comes in its place.”
Let’s hope the asking price is realistic!
In our recent discussion of the corner of 11th and Rhode Island Ave, NW many readers have noted how this section of 11th street has tons of potential. Many buildings have already been fixed up. So it always pains me when I pass the one above. Hopefully it will catch the wave of 11th Street resurgence and get fixed up soon.
“Dear PoP,
I think about the story behind this home every time I walk past. It’s on the stretch of Euclid between 11th and 13th and is the only decrepit house on the block. Looks as though as one time it must have been an incredibly grand family home. The windows on the side (you unfortunately can’t see from the photos) are beautiful and amazing. Unfortunately, the roof looks to be rotting out, the porch is crumbling, bricks are visibly loose in several spots, it’s boarded up and the yard is completely overgrown. There’s also a rusted out old shell of a car on blocks in the rear.
I am constantly wondering what the deal is with this place and whether or not it’s being held on to until it seems like the “right” time to turn it in to another condo building. I hope that eventually it can regain some of its past grandeur and I am hopeful that somebody is finally stepping up to take care of this property–from my last look at the back it *almost* looks like there are new windows and a new support has been added under a corner of the roof. The front gate is bolted with a rusted out padlock and I couldn’t see any visible permits but it would be great to have this home fit in with the rest of the block.
Would love to know if anybody knows the status of this property and if it may indeed be on the turn-around.”
“Dear PoP,
A while back I wrote to nominate the old Alliance of Concerned Men at 11th and Harvard St NW that burned down for the Horse’s Ass award. At the time it looked like there was some hope that it would be converted to an “old person’s home.” Apparently the city or some developer had taken over the building after the AOCM had abandoned it after the fire.
Well, since then nothing seems to have happened. There are permits on the door but I haven’t seen a soul do any work on the property and I live across the street so I see it daily. The windows are still boarded up but some of the boards are loose or have come off allowing entrance into the abandoned structure. You can see sunlight coming through the roof which means the inside must be a mess now that the weather has gotten to it. I’m afraid that now it’s possible to get inside through the unboarded windows, it will become a magnet for ilicit activity in the neighborhood.
I would love it if you could get an update on what’s going on and why the progress has ground to a halt and also who or what I need to do to get the person(s) responsible to secure the building.”
Ward One Council Member Jim Graham writes:
“2905 11th St., the former Men’s Alliance building, was issued construction permits on 4/8/11 for renovations. DCHA has considered several options. Let me now ask Director Todman for their latest plan.
I am always available to provide updates, but DCRA also makes this information available here.”
Hopefully Director Todman will share some good news soon. I’m afraid the original reader is right that the area could become a nuisance property in its current state. When I went to check on the property last weekend I saw a discarded briefcase, possibly dumped after a robbery, (I called the police and they took it) as well as a door that was unlocked, not to mention the broken windows.
Whatever priority this building once had, I’d say it’s high time it moved up the list.
Unlocked door on first floor
Discarded briefcase behind front stairwell
False promises…?
