Neighbor says demolition at 817 Maryland left debris, damaged property and raised safety worries

A neighbor of 817 Maryland Avenue told the board the demolition of the second floor was messy and left debris and dust that have affected his home and yard. He said he had incurred about $40,000 in damage and asked the board to consider the neighborhood impacts of the demolition and the proposed reconstruction.

The neighbor described the property's history and argued the house started as a single'family dwelling and "probably should never have been a 2 family house, let alone a 4 family house." He complained that demolition contractors did not adequately clean up debris; "Personally, I sustained $40,000 worth of damage on this house because of this fire," he said. The clerk told the neighbor that damage claims are likely civil matters and that the engineer's report and other records are part of the public file and posted online.

Board members acknowledged the neighbor's concerns and said the building department will require site security and that the engineer's affidavit will guide decisions about reconstruction. The neighbor requested a copy of the engineer's report; staff confirmed the report is part of the record and posted online.