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Does any one have any info concerning the most recent stop work order on 1221 & 1223 fourth st. ? The work order states there are no approved plans on site and exceeding scope of project.
What's really going on with this project? And is it acceptable to build a town house with out a masonary fire wall between properties?
Comments
very good questions. The foundation was laid about 6-8ft beyond what they were permitted for. furthermore, they proceeded to erect the structure and have still not obtained their building permit. There are also issues concerning (lack of) fire rated materials between the 2 houses and between 1223 & 1225 4th. dcra is responding very well to the situation.
Posted By Si Kailian / At 7/3/07 10:17 AM
Posted By Si Kailian / At 7/3/07 10:17 AM
I live at 1225 4th St. and I know a little about the project. Over the last year my wife and I have had multiple problems with the developer of this property. His name is Manif Jaffa and he has repeatedly lied to us, flaunted city codes, and been unreceptive to neighbor concerns. At various times he has been in conflict with each of the adjoining property owners (3rd St. Church of God, Hugh Mckay and Lisa Scheer, and us).
Thanks to the generous help of Si and Cary and countless phone calls and emails to the city, the project was shut down yesterday. There were permits for any abrove ground work so all three stories of framing were completed without any permits. Permits were issued in the spring for foundation work but nothing else. The foundation work that has been completed, however, does not conform to the approved plans. The foundation is approximately 8 ft. longer than the plans and does not contain a foundation wall between the two lots.
Inspector Anthony Sanders from DCRA came to the site yesterday and was professional, efficient, and serious about his job. I'm going to let his office and the mayor's office know that I thought he did an excellent job of executing his duty and being willing to listen.
He showed up a little after noon and asked for permits. He immediately told the workers to start packing up when no plans could be produced. I approached him and let him know that I had previously obtained copies of the approved foundation plans and permits. He took a look at them and came into my house. Together we measured the length of my house and he agreed that Manif's project exceeded the scope of the approved plans (plans read 42.7 ft. and the actual length is approx 50.5 ft.).
He immediately phoned in to his office and ordered that a $4,000 fine be levied against each of the properties for working without permits (above ground) and exceeding the permits (below ground). He then took pictures of the length of the project and took notes. He assured me that this information would be passed along to zoning and they would take it from there.
We will have to follow up with Zoning and the DCRA to make sure these violations are corrected and to ensure that the construction proceeds according to laws. Obviously we're very concerned about our house and the separation between the two properties. Unfortunately, the city does not require that a masonry wall be constructed between the structures, although this is what the deveoper originally told us would happen (one of the first lies). I think the city requires that there be whats called a 2-hour fire wall and the materials for this can vary. If he had gotten permits, the materials and construction parameters would have been included.
I would ask everyone in the neighborhood to keep an eye on these properties and if you see anyone working there while the stop is in place, please call the police. And if anyone has any ideas as to how to follow up with zoning to make sure the foundation is redone to proper specifications, please let me know. I hope that all the work affecting our house will be torn down and completed according to plans and code.
Thanks again to Si and Cary and Inspector Sanders.
Lee
Posted By Lee Pellegrino / At 7/3/07 10:38 AM
Thanks to the generous help of Si and Cary and countless phone calls and emails to the city, the project was shut down yesterday. There were permits for any abrove ground work so all three stories of framing were completed without any permits. Permits were issued in the spring for foundation work but nothing else. The foundation work that has been completed, however, does not conform to the approved plans. The foundation is approximately 8 ft. longer than the plans and does not contain a foundation wall between the two lots.
Inspector Anthony Sanders from DCRA came to the site yesterday and was professional, efficient, and serious about his job. I'm going to let his office and the mayor's office know that I thought he did an excellent job of executing his duty and being willing to listen.
He showed up a little after noon and asked for permits. He immediately told the workers to start packing up when no plans could be produced. I approached him and let him know that I had previously obtained copies of the approved foundation plans and permits. He took a look at them and came into my house. Together we measured the length of my house and he agreed that Manif's project exceeded the scope of the approved plans (plans read 42.7 ft. and the actual length is approx 50.5 ft.).
He immediately phoned in to his office and ordered that a $4,000 fine be levied against each of the properties for working without permits (above ground) and exceeding the permits (below ground). He then took pictures of the length of the project and took notes. He assured me that this information would be passed along to zoning and they would take it from there.
We will have to follow up with Zoning and the DCRA to make sure these violations are corrected and to ensure that the construction proceeds according to laws. Obviously we're very concerned about our house and the separation between the two properties. Unfortunately, the city does not require that a masonry wall be constructed between the structures, although this is what the deveoper originally told us would happen (one of the first lies). I think the city requires that there be whats called a 2-hour fire wall and the materials for this can vary. If he had gotten permits, the materials and construction parameters would have been included.
I would ask everyone in the neighborhood to keep an eye on these properties and if you see anyone working there while the stop is in place, please call the police. And if anyone has any ideas as to how to follow up with zoning to make sure the foundation is redone to proper specifications, please let me know. I hope that all the work affecting our house will be torn down and completed according to plans and code.
Thanks again to Si and Cary and Inspector Sanders.
Lee
Posted By Lee Pellegrino / At 7/3/07 10:38 AM
Sorry about the typos. The above should read "there were NOT any permits for above ground work." One of these days, hopefully, I'll type something that does not have errors.
Posted By Lee / At 7/3/07 10:45 AM
Posted By Lee / At 7/3/07 10:45 AM
BTW 1225 4th is one of the oldest (wood frame)houses in the neighborhood circa 1865-ish.
Posted By Si Kailian / At 7/3/07 10:53 AM
Posted By Si Kailian / At 7/3/07 10:53 AM
My understanding was that many of the houses on Ridge, at least, date from 1860, when the street was first cut.
Posted By harry lime / At 7/10/07 2:57 PM
Posted By harry lime / At 7/10/07 2:57 PM
1860s, sure enough harry, check out the mount vernon square historic survey:
http://mountvernonsquare.org/images/DontTearItDown.pdf
Posted By Si Kailian / At 7/11/07 12:03 PM
http://mountvernonsquare.org/images/DontTearItDown.pdf
Posted By Si Kailian / At 7/11/07 12:03 PM
I know it's been a couple years but does anyone know how this all played out?
Posted By Krysta Brem / At 11/24/09 8:52 AM
Posted By Krysta Brem / At 11/24/09 8:52 AM
