Comments on: Should Affordable Housing Trump Historic Preservation?

By: Claire Dechon

Claire Dechon — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 11:41:09 +0000

It is incredulous to me for anyone to think that for the unethical Kaufman is a humanitarian all of a sudden. He knowingly bought a historic house kn owing full well the limitations of that but as a lawyer decided to reply and waiting/wheel and dealing game hoping to find that special person who would "play nice". The last proposal only offer a could of the units to be "affordable" ( not really according to last income records of DC) The rest will be the typical developers profit and Kaufman will finally have his headache relieved. He should be bound by the same historic guidelines other properties are or strip the house from him for a responsible person to rebuild.

By: The Tersh Building

The Tersh Building — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:17:35 +0000

I hope they call it the Tersh or the Sammy. Kaufman offered a reasonable solution with the move and Tersh fought it like the nasty guy he is. And now Kaufman's faced with what to do with the building/site. As to Sammy's claim of demolition by neglect, please prove it Sammy. do you think that when Tersh was railroading HPRB and he thought that there was a case of demo by neglect, that he wouldn't have been screaming about it? Before you start throwing big words and unsubstantiated claims around, maybe you should see what's proposed, the guidelines for affordable housing that are being discussed (no money from the city has been requested- let's deal in facts Sammy, not emotional hatred of Kaufman, AU students and their parents and people that need/want affordable housing), and the design? Sammy, if I didn't know you better, I might suspect you're a bigot. DC Guy is right. it's landlocked. Furthermore,the house isn't historic, isn't significant (see the historic reports that were submitted with KAufman's move request- do you have those Sammy so you can post a link?)and should be pancaked. It's not about what you think about Kaufman's ethics, it's about what's right for the city, right for preservation, right for this site and people that need affordable housing so they can walk to worship or live near their jobs as teachers, librarians, and firemen.

By: Sammy

Sammy — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 17:29:56 +0000

2005 City Paper article on business practices of Mark Kaufman and his Hastings Development Co. in the Monterrey in Cleveland Park.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/cover/2005/cover0930.html

By: DC Guy

DC Guy — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 02:48:04 +0000

Without a curb cut on Wisconsin Avenue, this house is landlocked. No way it is viable as a single family house.

By: The truth for you

The truth for you — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 02:31:32 +0000

Historic preservationists have no use for people with less income than they have. And they work hand in hand with the gentrifiers to make this city richer and whiter.

By: Drez

Drez — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 23:54:01 +0000

Is it historic? Significant? Preserve and encorporate it into a new, larger, multi-unit affordable housing structure.

By: Sammy

Sammy — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 21:40:13 +0000

Is this the same guy who built the problematic development on Springland La? Who wanted to blanket what is now Rosedale park with townhouses? The same guy who's been pursuing a demolition by neglect strategy on this house for years? When he says he'll build "affordable" housing, he probably means units marketed at AU students using dad's Amex platinum card. DC taxpayers, hold on to your wallets!

By: RT

RT — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 19:06:08 +0000

Knock this down. Single family home along a major commercial and high/mid rise residential corridor? Historic? hah!

I don't care for the affordable housing slant- but if it works, then so be it. Anything to take power away from the entitled uber-NIMBYs.

By: Cleveland Park Resident

Cleveland Park Resident — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 19:05:04 +0000

Anything that Mark Kaufman is proposing is almost certainly a bad idea... the man doesn't have enough ethics to fill a thimble.

By: Typical DC BS

Typical DC BS — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 18:25:08 +0000

Take one look at my screen name and it says it all about this whole matter. What sheer idiocy on the Historic Preservation Review Board's part. I can't believe they are that devoid of common sense.