Courtney Mabeus, The Examiner
2007-05-04 07:00:00.0
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WASHINGTON -

A team of architects and planners is reviewing possible temporary sites for the 13 merchants devastated by Monday’s Eastern Market fire, D.C. Council Member Tommy Wells said Thursday.

City leaders have said they hope to keep merchants within a few blocks’ radius of the market’s current location off Seventh Street in Southeast. Wells, D-Ward 6, said the merchants could be allowed to move to Hine Junior High, located a block away, if it is closed at the end of the academic year under a proposed District public school consolidation plan.

“Our commitment is to be no further than two or three blocks [from Eastern Market],” Wells said. “We are going to see how creative we can be.”

Fire officials said the cause of Monday’s fire was electrical. It gutted the South Hall of Capitol Hill’s beloved market, which was not insured. Mayor Adrian Fenty vowed to rebuild it at a cost of $20 million to $30 million and has pledged to help support the displaced merchants in the interim, saying there is a “short list” of sites being considered. Fenty spokeswoman Mafara Hobson said she was looking into whether Fenty is considering Hine.

Just hours after the fire, a citywide grassroots efforts sprouted to help raise money for repairs and to support the businesses owners.

A group created on the social-networking Web site Facebook.com to discuss repairs and advertise fundraisers Monday had more than 600 members by noon Thursday. A number of area businesses agreed to contribute percentages of their sales May 8 to the Capitol Hill Community Foundation’s “Eastern Market Keep it Going” fund.

CHCF President Nicky Cymrot said the fund has received about $100,000 in donations this week. A fundraiser Wednesday raised about $30,000, Cymrot said.

The foundation will have a booth set up at Sunday’s 44th Annual Market Day. Cymrot said she expects turnout for the event to be high.

cmabeus@dcexaminer.com