Rumor- 'Bout Jo Mamo Property-1600 N. Capitol

Sometime this year I was at a gathering and happen to chat with a fellow who was in the construction/ development business for large buildings. We got on the topic of Joe Mamo's (yes, sounds like 'Yo Momma') lot at the corner of Florida Avenue NW and North Capitol. The gentleman I was speaking with asked about the immediate area trying to get a sense of the value and feasibility of retail. I was honest, because as much as I would love that stretch of North Capitol to get cool stuff, there are some challenges that around that location that needs to address. But talking to the fellow one challenge is Joe Mamo, he wants too much for the land. Mamo is willing to sell, if the price is right, for him.
Joe Mamo has also been reanimating a dead PUD. Earlier this year he had a 2009 PUD extended for two more years.
Tax-wise this is not a vacant property, and listed as commercial.  Even though it is a vacant lot, and has been a vacant lot for many years, I gather things are different for commercial properties. Understandably, it is not in Mr. Mamo's name but in the name of the Five Q LLC. The owners pay about $23K a year in property tax. Despite that, I think this will probably remain vacant for many more years.

Waffle Shop- 2014 Update

You can search Penn Quarter Living for what's going on with the old Waffle Shop at 522 10th St NW. Right now, nothing. The only thing left is the 'S' from Shop part of the Waffle Shop sign.
You can still see the signage for the Help-Shop a New York City based company that set up a pop-up shop at the old Waffle Shop back in 2012. As with commercial pop-ups, they're here then they are gone.
When looking for the tax records I hit a snag. Apparently there is no 522 10th St NW. 504 10h St NW is the Lincoln Waffle House a few doors down, in the tax database it is 504-508 10th St NW( 0347 0826). Then there is 512 10th (0347 0825), various units of 514 10th owned by Ford's Theatre, then 516 10th (0347 0823) owned by the District of Columbia, 518 10th (0347 0822), and that's where the numbers end. I did find 522 10th in the DCRA PIVS. There was a permit issued in 2012.  It seems that it may be part of 1000-1006 F St NW (0347 0023) around the corner, owned by "JAMEL STERLING LP & JAMEL'S UP AGAINST THE WALL LLC".  Jamel's Up Against The Wall is listed as the owner of 522 10th St NW in PIVS.
You know if you just switch up the e and the a in Jamel, you have Jemal, as in Douglas Jemal. Downtown vacant commercial property in no rush it seems to be useful? Smells like Jemal. Looking at the Douglas Development site there is something in their 1000 F St NW info packet that has 10th St facing retail and something about construction starting in 2013. It's hard to say of any work is going on and it doesn't matter if it is taxed at the vacant rate or not. Commercial property taxes downtown are crazy high anyway and Jemal develops a property when he's damned well ready to and nobody can rush him or his company.

1740 New Jersey Avenue NW- under construction?

I took this picture a while ago but the blog "Short Articles about Long Meetings" confirmed what was going on with this property near the intersections of NJ, RI and Florida Avenues. It has been vacant since 2011, if not longer. There was a widow of a physician living in the house previously, but now the current owners are seeking to renovate the property into condos, the details you can read at the SAaLM link above.
Tax-wise the property appears to have been vacant since 2009, when the yearly tax jumped from  $1,564 in 2008 to $7,008 the following year. It has a class 3, which is the vacant rate, exception. The current owner, Newton St Development LLC bought the property in January 2014. In that same month a postcard permit was issued for internal demolition of non-bearing elements.
Considering that the ANC voted against the zoning variances the developers would need, it doesn't appear that anything is going to happen to this property any time soon, and thus will remain vacant.

Langston School- Vacant forever

The Langston School on the unit block of P St NW has been vacant for-like-ever. This photograph is from 2007. There have been some improvements, like better boarded up windows and doors. According to Wikipedia the school has been vacant sometime after 1997 when it closed and it is on the National Register of Historic places.
At the Bates Area Civic Association (BACA) meeting last night, a representative from Councilman McDuffie's (??) office said DGS had no plans for the building. The BACA president mentioned that the building, which charter schools have first dibs on, is so far gone that it would cost too much for a charter school to try to renovate it and make it functional. Other residents at the meeting pointed out the roof has holes in it, that allow in rain, to water the plants that are growing through the boards. On a slightly hopeful note the BACA president mentioned that Munde Verde, the charter school fixing up the Cook school across the street, might have some interest in the Langston building when they desire to expand their campus. But if that ever happens, that will be many, many years into the future.
In the meantime, DGS cleans up the area around the property and keeps the windows and doors and does its version of 'stabilizing' the property. This doesn't exactly fit the neighborhood's idea of stabilizing the building because it looks like demolition through neglect. 

448 Q St NW- Senior Tax Deduction Vacant

I debated if this house at 448 Q St NW was vacant for years. The stairs to the front door are gone, which I always thought as strange. That doesn't mean that it could have been attached to 450 Q St (which is a huge property) or that the occupants enter from the rear, or that it is just poorly maintained. But then, construction work began on 450 Q St, and it was very clear that the two buildings are not connected with each other, except by party wall.
Looking to see if 448 Q was listed as vacant, I see that it is not. Instead it is " ** Currently receiving the Senior Citizen Homestead Deduction*. " The owner, Andres R. Alquinta's, contact information is a PO Box in Springfield, Virginia. Can you get the homestead deduction as an absentee? I searched the Social Security Death Index and did not find Mr. Alquinta. Looking at the property taxes paid since 2007, Mr. Alquinta's tax bill has been slowly going down and is in the $1,400 range for 2014.
The building, from the front, seems to be fine, except for that missing stair. The stair is no small issue (and I should have taken a picture), go to Google Street view for the address and you can see the door is about 2 feet off the ground.
Interesting.