1316 8th St NW- Still vacant

In December I noticed this FINALLY got a vacant property sticker.
About a year or two ago I had run into Alex P who said the owner was going to do something. Well, that was wishful thinking.
This has been vacant a long long time.
It's 2018 and it is still vacant.
A look at the DC Property Tax database shows, who look to be regular non-resident taxes, not the light a fire under yer butt vacant tax rate. The database doesn't give a date when the listed owner, Martin E. Hardy, obtained ownership. From other searches it appears he bought it for $425,500 in 2009. 
Maybe the problem is this address seems to be under two different lot numbers. I gather the old lot number is 0070, the new is 0830.
Anyway, it is 2018. The last permit I can find using DCRA's website....[grumble], was issued in 2014. It is to repair the earthquake damaged walls and change from a single family to multifamily. There were some permits prior to that, but my memory of visually inspecting from the sidewalk for several years this house, I haven't seen any changes. It looks the same since 2014 when I blogged about it earlier.
What's happening around it? Well Scripture Cathedral is gone and there is a hole in its place where some fancy schamancy condos/apartments for hipsters will be built.
Let's see if the city gets around to charging Mr. Hardy the proper tax rate because he's had 9 years to do whatever the heck he was going to do with this.

1316 8th St NW

I feel kinda bad about this, but not that bad. A neighbor mentioned that when she was looking for a house, she looked into 1316 8th St NW. But her handyman/contractor/friend said the foundation had a crack or some deal-killer like that. It could be someone's home if I gather that foundation thing got fixed or accommodated. The block is getting better, it is steps, literally steps away from the new Giant and a future Starbucks. When the Scripture Cathedral around the block finally pulls up and out and the developers put a cool new building where the church and the parking lot (partially shared with Immaculate Conception Roman catholic Church) sits, it will be even steps closer to cool stuff. But for now, it is a vacant house.
I know it is vacant for it has no drapes or anything on the 1st floor. I have been looking through the front window with a clear view of the back for at least a year or two or three now. It isn't a problem property. The yard is minimally kept up.
Looking at the DC tax office website, this was bought in 2009 for $425,500 by Martin E Hardy of McLean, VA and as far as I can tell, he has been paying the normal tax rate. According to DCRA's PIV application the last permit issued is from 2012 for some repair and construction reading as "Removal of paint from existing brick masonry using gentle chemical cleaning; tuck pointing to match original mortar color; repair of existing metal wall coping; repair of damaged brick arches. Removal of existing vinyl windows to be replaced with new, wood, two-over-tow, double-glazed, double-hung ..." Next time I walk by I need to check out the windows, see if they are wood. As I mentioned in other posts, one way to get from being charged the higher vacant tax rate is to get permits for work. Sometime work is not done, and a permit is way cheaper than the higher rate. 
Shame really because it is in a really great location. Steps from a grocery store, a good bar, a great restaurant, a pilates studio, the metro, a dry cleaner, the metro, bus routes, and you could walk to the Verizon Center. This location is wasted on being vacant.