News Articles, 1995-1997
  News Articles, Main Page

Logan Residents Sue Owner Of Drug-Infested Building
The InTowner
Sept. 1996

Charging that Blue and White Limited Partnership, which late last year acquired 1421-12th Street from Freddie Mack Mortgage Corporation, has persisted in operating the building in such a manner so as to constitute a danger to the immediate neighbors and cause "substantial depreciation in the value" of the surrounding properties, neighbors are now suing after having made no headway through negotiation.

Brought as a private nuisance claim, the suit, filed in DC Superior Court on July 8, 1996, seeks a judgment ordering the abatement of the nuisance and the awarding of compensatory damages as established by jury trial and for punitive damages of $500,000 and legal costs. The initial hearing is scheduled for October 11, 1996.

As we reported almost a year ago, this building, of which only about half of the 30 apartments are occupied, has been the bane of the Logan Circle Community Associations. Notable among the illegal activities are extensive drug dealing and gun-running, the chop-shop that operates in the building's rear yard, prostitution, assaults and robberies, homicide, rape, and more. These criminal activities are not confined to the inside, but spill outside and into the surrounding streets. In fact, suburbanites drive in from far and wide to complete drug transactions out front on the sidewalk.

The complaint alleges that the owners have refused to "abate these dangerous conditions," and have "unreasonably, wilfully, recklessly and for an excessive period of time permitted these activities to take place . . . ." . It is further charged that the owners have "aggravated these conditions by permitting the Property to remain poorly lit, inadequately supervised, managed, secured and cleaned . . . ." and this has led to conditions constituting "a danger to plaintiffs and the surrounding neighborhood's health, safety and welfare. . . ." .