Choose Your Location
|
![]() |
Merchants, some of whom have been skeptical of Fenty’s deadline since construction began in May, say they have been told they will not be able to move in until the middle of August.
Joanne Jung, a co-owner of Paik Produce, said Tuesday that while she wasn’t too upset by the delay, she was eager to move. Jung is one of several merchants who have been operating on the sidewalk next to the South Hall since the fire.
“It’s so hot outside and everything [is] so easily getting bad,” Jung said.
Fourteen merchants were displaced when an April 30 fire gutted the 134-year-old market’s South Hall. Fenty vowed to restore the building within two years and in May announced Turner Construction would build a $490,000, 50-by-230 temporary building.
Already, Fenty’s July 15 deadline to have construction on the building finished has been missed. On Tuesday, crews had one-third of the building framed out and were working to finish installing its steel beams.
Joel Causey, a project manager for Turner Construction, said there had been no major setbacks.
“There was a slight delay in the steel production but that’s because they were fabricating them from scratch from what the designs were,” Causey said.
Despite the missed deadline, community members said they did not think it was a sign of other things to come with the market’s future renovation efforts.
“I’d rather have them miss some deadlines to get it done right,” said Capitol Hill Restoration Society President Dick Wolf.
Fenty’s office did not return calls for comment on the temporary site construction.



Comments from Examiner Readers
4:55 AM MST on Thu., Aug. 2, 2007 re: "Displaced market vendors to get interim home Aug. 18"
Report as inappropriate
8:00 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 25, 2007
re: "Displaced merchants await relocation"
Report as inappropriate
12:26 PM MST on Fri., May. 18, 2007
re: "Eastern Market neighbors unhappy with temporary spot for vendors"
Report as inappropriate
7:14 AM MST on Fri., May. 18, 2007
re: "Eastern Market neighbors unhappy with temporary spot for vendors"
Report as inappropriate
1:26 PM MST on Mon., Apr. 30, 2007
re: "Eastern Market gutted by blaze"
Report as inappropriate
Mike Licht said:
>Re: Displaced market vendors to get interim home Aug. 18< Why the slight delay? A shortcoming of our so-called Just-In-Time economy is that goods are not stored in local warehouses but fabricated or assembled after orders come in. That often means they are often delivered slightly after the date originally promised by sales staff. Add all these slight delays at each step of a complex project and you get the few weeks here. For the life of me, I can't understand why the Examiner thinks this is such a big deal that someone has to be blamed for it. The paper has avoided issues of blame in other aspects of this story.
135 agree | 128 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Mike Licht said:
>Re: Displaced merchants await relocation< A 14-day delay doesn't seem a catastrophe, given the scope of the project. I understand it will take 2 years to restore the burned-out market building. The real question: Given that the same managers are in place, will the new building be plagued by trash and vermin, like the old one?
150 agree | 124 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
I just came from the groundbreaking for the temporary building and judging from the support, these people don't speak for the vast majority of the neighbors.
190 agree | 190 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
In about 2 months, you will be able to go shopping there again -- assuming the neighbors don't stop the temporary building
177 agree | 167 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examinorial said:
Man, I can't go shopping there anymore?This sucks.
178 agree | 207 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree