JD says: (2/6/15 11:10 AM)
I should add that this would not give WHS the entire block--there are three other small lots along L just south of the clinic, two of which have adjoining townhouses that don't look especially new. The third is just an open lot. Together they are assessed at about another $1.3 million.

JES says: (2/6/15 11:11 AM)
Having the spay & neuter clinic that far away from the current facility probably sucks. When we were adopting our dog, the NY Ave location was one of the shelters we went to; they're in DIRE need of a new building. This would be great!

JD says: (2/6/15 11:15 AM)
Yes, we went there when we were on the hunt that resulted in Charlie, though we ended up finding him at Howl to the Chief.

link

New York Avenue is indeed not an optimal facility.

I was also going to make a comment about how this Exxon location will make it even easier to fulfill the edict that all new Near Southeast residents be issued a dog on arrival.

202_cyclist says: (2/9/15 4:06 PM)
Off topic but it looks like work is beginning in earnest at the Ruben Companies lot this morning.

JD says: (2/9/15 4:08 PM)
Did you take the day off of work to celebrate? ;-)

202_cyclist says: (2/9/15 5:52 PM)
Maybe for the installation of the tower crane in May.

JD says: (2/9/15 5:59 PM)
Snark aside, what did you see at the site today that's any different? Looks the same to me as it did over the weekend, and no big dirt movers or anything.

202_cyclist says: (2/9/15 6:38 PM)
I ran by it this morning (at amazing, incredible, speed) and there was a small tractor on site and a new fence around the perimeter of the property (I think they installed the fence in the middle of the night because some metalic sound woke me up).

E. Masquinongy says: (2/10/15 9:01 AM)
JD: do you know who is the current owner of this site? thanks.

JD says: (2/10/15 9:21 AM)
You mean the Humane Society site? It's still owned by Exxon.

E. Masquinongy says: (2/11/15 8:35 AM)
Exxon has been paying taxes on this unproductive property for what, eight years? Surprising; why did they do that? They could kept the gas station and made some money off of it.

JD, thanks again for the info.

JD says: (2/11/15 8:53 AM)
I guess there's some clarification now that I look at the records--in 2008 Exxon Corporation transferred to the land to their Exxon Mobil Foundation. They apparently to do this sometimes when holding onto property that they expect to eventually sell for development. (so that then the nonprofit gets the proceeds from the sale)

And the taxes have to be a drop in the bucket for them.

E. Masquinongy says: (2/11/15 9:48 AM)
So, Exxon razes the property, making it an unimproved lot with minimal taxes. To hold the lot for a longer term, they "sell" it to their 501(c)3 foundation, which because of its status does not have to pay property taxes. After some years a deal appears, and the lot is sold back to the for-profit company, and then to a developer.

JD, is that how it works? Thanks for the schooling.

Gamble Rogers says: (2/18/15 2:56 PM)
As a resident on the 900 block of Potomac Avenue SE, I've got mixed feelings about this news.

On one hand, a new headquarters for the Washington Humane Society would be a definite improvement over the current abandoned Exxon lot. On the other, the Society's spay and neuter clinic has been unresponsive to the block's complaints regarding their weekly Saturday subsidized spay/neuter event.

Since the Society says "first come, first served," it leads to a really long line of fellow D.C. residents who drive waaaaay to fast for a residential block, leave litter on the block, and line up with enormous dogs that defecate on the sidewalks and in Virginia Avenue Park. There are easy ways to fix this -- such as giving people online appointments and maybe signage to remind folks to use trashcans for litter and poop -- but this will take some doing. And we haven't been successful to date.

And having never been to New York Avenue, what's the deal with noise? I'm betting it's a non-stop bark factory. That's not bad on New York Avenue NE, but probably wouldn't play well on South Carolina SE. Wonder what they'll do to mitigate noise.

Oh well -- the only hope is that the new building (should it get built) would offer a better facility for these public services. And would take the neighbors' needs in mind, too.