1001 11 St NW-2016 update

Well the billboard is down.

This is a Jemal, Douglas Jemal property so there is no point of complaining about it.

Jemal does what he wants, when he damned well feels like it.

So there is no point of me looking at DCRA or the Tax Office or where ever. No point. Jemal does not react to vacant tax rates. Those higher taxes will just get paid by whomever leases the property in the future. Not worth hatin' the playa' 'cause he knows how to play the game.

The former owner of this blog Ed mentioned this property back in 2007. The property was serving a a big ole billboard. If you go on Google Streetview there is an Apple iPhone ad up. Now, today it is down and it looks like Dougie is doing something.

I'll have to check back in a year or two and see if he thrown up a huge shiny expensive glass building that covers up the "Hostel" sign.  Because that is what Dougie Doug does (say that 5x fast).

11th and K St NW- Vacant for over 20 years

This building has been vacant for over 20 years. How do I know this? Back in the 90s when I was going to grad school in New England, some friends and I came to DC for winter break. I stayed with my aunt in Maryland and they stayed at the Youth Hostel nearby. There are two vacant buildings in this photo though one is semi-being used as a billboard for the new iPhone 6.
1015 K Street (0342 0053) and 1001 11th St NW (0342 806) are listed in the tax database as belonging to " JEMAL'S BULLDOG LLC". Seriously Jemal? You're naming projects after pets? Is this project a dog? Anyway, as a Jemal Douglas building they may sit for another 20+ years.
It is taxed at the commercial rate since they are commercial buildings. Though vacant forever, tax records say the parcels came into the Jemal Empire in 2003 and 2005. They are next door to parcels 004 and 005, 1009 and 1011 K Streets NW, also listed under Jemal's Bulldog LLC.
Once seeing the name Jemal it is pretty much pointless to see if it is being taxed at the vacant rate, because it isn't and it doesn't matter, because Douglas Development only develops when they darn well feel like it and no increased taxes will make them budge.

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.

1216-1218 9th St NW- being worked on

I want to update these properties but the problem is construction is slower than slow sometimes. There is construction going on at 1216-1218 9th St NW. This is improvement actually from the condemnation of the buildings reported in 2008.
There is not just work being done on the facade but construction being done on the rear as well.
According to the tax database 1212-1226 9th St NW is one of Jemal's properties (listed as JEMAL'S 9TH STREET GANG OF 3 LLC ). Douglas Jemal is a huge property owner and developer in Washington DC. It doesn't matter if a property is vacant and taxed at the vacant rate, Jemal will sit on a property and only develop it when he is good and ready to do so. He/ his company bought this back in 2008 and it seems permits and all signs of beginning work began back in 2013.
Anyway, according to the Douglas Corporation's website this project is slated to become office and retail. I cannot find a delivery date.