This image of a hole in the floor says quite a bit from a construction angle https://i.sli.mg/2TXOhU.png .
What do I mean by that ? Visual clues and text clues.
Visual: The guy with his arms crossed is standing there and most likely seeing and thinking about the lack of a footer under that brick wall. So now what? Underpinning. But lets get clearance from someone before proceeding.
Enter the text clue. ( Note I'm only using the text parts that are relevant to the actual construction part here, for simplicity, wading through all this trash is tedious)
"Jimmycomet Hmmmmmmm....ok....hmmmm" ( This is the part where he is most likely thinking shit I have a problem)
"jacoplen needs underpinning" ( This may or may not be the guy with his arms crossed, regardless he knows what's needed to do this job)
"jimmycomet @jacoplen no underpinning please!!" ( This is a bit of a low grade panic/desperation kind of comment)
Why no underpinning? I refer you to this document http://os.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/os/publication/attachments/OS_DCMR_12A_Building_Code_Supplement.pdf . It's the D.C. construction code.
Underpinning requires not just normal permits, it also requires special permits.
Here is the regular permit required 105.1.4.12 .
105.1.4 Building Permits.
A building permit is required for the following activities:
1.
New construction, including constructing, adding to or moving a building or
structure;
2.
Altering or repairing an existing building or structure;
3.
Build
-out the interior layout of a tenant space within a new building
shell;
4.
Repair fire damage to a building or structure;
5.
Erect or replace a retaining wall;
6.
Erect or replace a fence;
7.
Erect or replace an awning, canopy, tent or other membrane structure, or similar
structures;
8.
Install or remove an underground storage tank;
9.
Erect a radio, television or other telecommunications tower;
10.
Construct, alter or repair a swimming pool;
11.
Construct supporting structures for heavy equipment.
12.
Underpinning;
13.
Change of use or occupancy, increase in load or modification of floor layout of
the building or structur
Here are the special permit requirements, note that underpinning is at the top of the list 105.1.11.1 .
105.1.11 Specialty Permits.
A specialty permit, as indicated hereafter, is required for the
following activities:
1.
Underpinning Permit, to underpin existing walls, footings, foundations or other
structural load bearing elements.
2.
Excavation Permit, to excavate or perform other earth disturbing activities
. All
work shall comply with soil erosion and sedimentation control regulations
specified in 21 DCMR Section
502.1 and the storm water management
regulations specified in 21 DCMR Section
526.1.
3.
Sheeting and Shoring Permit, to install excavation and sl
ope stabilization systems.
4.
Grading Permit, for grading, reg
rading or land filling operations. All work shall
comply with soil erosion and sedimentation control regulations specified in 21
DCMR Section
502.1 and the storm water management regulations s
pecified in
21 DCMR Section
526.1.
5.
Capacity Placard Permit, to obtain approval of the posted maximum occupant
load for the placards required by Section 1004.3.
6.
Capacity Increase Permit, to secure approval of an increase in allowable occupant
load for a building or premises.
7.
After
-Hours Permit, to engage in construction, installation, maintenance,
alteration, repair, demolition, or razing activities outside normal working hours,
subject to noise regulations set forth in 20 DCMR chapters 27 and 28, 14 DCMR
§2515, and the “Georgetown Project and Noise Control Amendment Act of
2004”, effective December 7, 2004 ( DC Law 15-
214;. For the purposes of this
permit, normal working hours shall be from seven (7) a.m. to seven (7) p.m.,
Monday through Saturday, exclusive of legal holidays.
8.
Tower Crane Permit, to install cranes or other similar hoisting devices, in public
space or private property.
Why is this important? please see https://voat.co/v/pizzagate/1454758 for my previous thoughts and observations . It's important because when you start undermining walls and other structural elements things can go from bad to worse in no time at all. This is why they have engineering departments. Can you just imagine the back and forth if they were to follow the permitting process? It would go something like this-
jimmycomet : "Hello mr. building department engineer, I need a special permit for underpinning"
mr. engineer : " No problem, let me look at your file, what would you like to build?"
jimmycomet : " Oh, nothing much, just an underground network of tunnels to supply my murder deathroom with ...."
This is why finding the permit trail could be key, along with historical engineering drawings and prints. Turns out you almost need a permit just to wipe your ass in D.C. If there is no permit trail to be found then it becomes a public safety and health issue, drawing even more attention and reason for inspections and on and on.
quantokitty ago
He's applied for three permits that were approved:
http://www.checkpermits.com/contractor/james-alefantis
None of them have to do underpinning.
24Rainier7 ago
Thank you, note that they are permits for obvious public spaces, and the replacement in kind permit is just a fluff permit for generating fees.
quantokitty ago
Yes, but I did a court search and these three were the only ones that came up. The business name didn't come up nor did the address except for these three.
24Rainier7 ago
Maybe the thing to do search for permits for each of the addresses in that strip mall and also HERECOMESYOURMAN LLC .
stickittotheman ago
Great find!
Yuke ago
Just for future record, the guy with the long hair is John Kreher. He's the guy that Alefantis co-owns HERECOMESYOURMAN LLC with. Here's his linked-in https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kreher-54551338
LargePepperoni ago
I just found this myself. Look like you beat me too it by 12 days. nice work.
AreWeSure ago
Which means it could change the meaning of this exchange
If they encountered needing underpinning before could be someone joking about a more involved, more complicated, more expensive job. It reminds me of the type of comment my boss makes when I remind him what he just said would expand the scope of one of our projects and thus take more time or money.
24Rainier7 ago
Thank you for your comment, I had considered the scope, time, money angle myself. It's just that the context is odd, like this entire situation.
Jugouptis ago
i think the pic was not from cpp but i cant remember from where it was.
24Rainier7 ago
That may well be but note the evasive nature of the no underpinning comment.
Jugouptis ago
it sure is interesting even when not at cpp.
24Rainier7 ago
Precisely, and if it is somewhere else it would only make sense if he had a stake in it, as in why all the concern for some other jobsite if it's not his project.
24Rainier7 ago
Thank you for the link, I just went there and it is down for maintenance? Fabricating and backdating permits? Or just another one of those coincidences?
Guy_with_the_face ago
Even if they are, which they likely are, thats how they play this game. Jimmycommet already hung himself when he said there was no basement. So what is he gonna do now, back peddle and say, oh that basement, i forgot, and here are the permits?
24Rainier7 ago
I know what you mean, good luck un-baking this cake. Even if they manufacture permits after the fact it will just draw more people in, jobsite inspectors, the planning department engineers, proposal drawings, etc....
DamnTheTorPEDOES ago
Potential Code violation? This is an awesome observation and I dont recall seeing a permit for this in the record.
24Rainier7 ago
Big time.