Business & Tech
Collapsed Wisconsin Avenue Building's Re-construction to Begin
The structure at 1424 Wisconsin Ave. NW recently secured new construction permits.
The building that mysteriously collapsed Thanksgiving Day 2011 recently received permits to rebuild at 1424 Wisconsin Ave. NW in Georgetown.
A permit issued Aug. 5 will allow the owners to "Reconstruct collapsed portion of existing, non-conforming, contributing 2-story, Georgetown retail building, as per plans. Includes completion of previously permitted cellar excavation work."
The structure collapsed just as many Georgetowners were sitting down to their turkey dinners. The building and impacted neighboring properties were unoccupied when the incident occurred.
New permits to rebuild the structure were put on hold in part because the Advisory Neighborhood Commission was worried about the property owner's history of issues with proper permitting.
Almost 10 years before 1424 Wisconsin Ave. NW collapsed, owner Mohammad Esfahani leased 1329 Wisconsin Ave., historically an ice house built in the mid 1800s. During renovations to that property, part of the roof collapsed, reducing the building to an unsupported facade.
The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs denied a permit application and upheld a stop work order issued for 1424 Wisconsin Ave. during a hearing in February 2012. That same month ANC asked DCRA to step in and take on a bigger role in the oversight of the 1424 Wisconsin Ave. to prevent additional damage.
More recently the ANC heard new plans for the space and the design for the facade underwent review by the Old Georgetown Board. An initial design included adding a third-floor addition to the property. That idea did not receive approval from either review body.
The permits issued earlier this month are for reconstruction of a two-story building.
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