Developer secures vacant houses overrun by squatters
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| The vacant house at 3408 Washington Drive has been boarded up. |
The vacant houses on Washington Drive and Charles
Street in Bailey’s Crossroads that had been taken over by homeless squatters were
boarded up on March 31.
Street in Bailey’s Crossroads that had been taken over by homeless squatters were
boarded up on March 31.
Neighbors had been complaining for weeks about the
properties, but Spectrum Development finally responded after WUSA Channel 9
reported on the situation on March 30. One homeless man even admitted on camera
that he was using K2 (an illegal synthetic drug also known as “spice”) in one
of the houses.
properties, but Spectrum Development finally responded after WUSA Channel 9
reported on the situation on March 30. One homeless man even admitted on camera
that he was using K2 (an illegal synthetic drug also known as “spice”) in one
of the houses.
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| 3402 Charles Street has been secured. |
WUSA had followed up on a story posted on the Annandale Blog and, in fact, got the location wrong, calling it Annandale, instead of
Bailey’s Crossroads.
Bailey’s Crossroads.
Spectrum acquired the houses, as well as a vacant lot
and old Geico building on Leesburg Pike, for a shopping center project that had
been approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors more than a year ago.
and old Geico building on Leesburg Pike, for a shopping center project that had
been approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors more than a year ago.
Residents were concerned that Spectrum, which plans to tear down the two
houses, had left them unsecured with unlocked doors and broken windows. They had
repeatedly called the police to report homeless men in the houses and wandering
the neighborhood.
houses, had left them unsecured with unlocked doors and broken windows. They had
repeatedly called the police to report homeless men in the houses and wandering
the neighborhood.
Spectrum President Dick Buskell sent an email to
residents on March 31 stating that the properties had not been secured earlier
because the company thought the demolition would have happened sooner.
residents on March 31 stating that the properties had not been secured earlier
because the company thought the demolition would have happened sooner.
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| Here’s what the Charles Street house used to look like. |
“Had we had any idea that we were going to encounter
these bureaucratic delays, we would have secured the properties in February,”
Buskell stated. “Believe me these delays are very costly and we are all
victims. We would have eliminated this longstanding eyesore in 2013 when we put
the properties under contract if we were allowed to, and I truly believe that
the Culmore community as a whole would be well on its way to revitalization.”
these bureaucratic delays, we would have secured the properties in February,”
Buskell stated. “Believe me these delays are very costly and we are all
victims. We would have eliminated this longstanding eyesore in 2013 when we put
the properties under contract if we were allowed to, and I truly believe that
the Culmore community as a whole would be well on its way to revitalization.”
Buskell said Washington Gas has disconnected the
gas line, which means demolition can begin shortly. He also reported that
Spectrum has filed a no-trespassing authorization with the police. Neighbors
had complained that the lack of such an authorization meant that the police couldn’t
arrest the squatters.
A resident of Washington Street takes issue with a statement by Buskell
to WUSA that he just learned about the squatters “a couple of days ago.” Residents had sent several emails to Spectrum over the past few weeks about
the broken windows and homeless people and requesting the properties be cleaned
up and secured as soon as possible.
This area has gone from good to worse. So this is progress, Penny progress or FAKE progress? Progress must mean the Dump gets Dumpier.
You know, you could go on being bitter about what happened here, or be glad that at least the houses have FINALLY been boarded up.
Yes, it's truly a disgrace that this was so badly botched, but I, for one, am glad that WUSA got involved and helped advocate for the residents of the neighborhood. They absolutely didn't deserve to be subjected to this; my heart goes out to them.
I strongly suggest that you whiners either take a glimpse at the bright side of life once in a while, or get some treatment for your trolling addictions and find something more productive to do.
the developers are victims. this is an April Fools article i'm assuming? please let it be.
No, it is actually a new Mason District Beautification initiative, the brainchild of Ms. Gross.
Unfortunately it's reality … the voters of Mason District allowed Penny Gross to win by a few hundred votes. Fairfax County has become a bureaucratic nightmare.
A few hundred votes? Penny defeated her opponent in the last general election by 2,411 votes.
Yet only something like 6% of registered voters bothered to vote
OMG if Penny wasn't the supervisor Mason District would be like Tyson's and everyone would have Unicorns that poop rainbows.
Ha! Thank you so much for that!! 😀
How kind & generous & magnanimous of them.