Courtney Mabeus, The Examiner
2007-06-23 07:00:00.0
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WASHINGTON -

Some Eastern Market merchants displaced by a fire that gutted its South Hall expressed skepticism Friday over whether they will be able to move into temporary quarters by the end of July, as promised by Mayor Adrian Fenty.

From a refrigerated trailer overlooking Hine Junior High School's playground, where a temporary aluminum structure to house the merchants is to be constructed, Market Poultry owner Mel Inman told customers he didn't think the building would be ready until August.

On Friday, Crews worked in the lot, located at Seventh and C streets in Southeast. The site was little more than a patchwork of dirt and asphalt pits dotted by dozens of PVC pipes, making it hard for merchants and customers to imagine that a building would stand there in three weeks.

"I guess you have to push toward some type of goal," Inman said. "If you're a little behind, I guess that's OK, too."

An April 30 fire displaced all 14 merchants from the 134-year-old South Hall. Fenty has estimated it would take as long as two years and between $30 million and $40 million to rebuild. In the interim, some merchants have set up outside the market while they wait for a temporary facility.

Inman and Emilio Canales, who runs Canales Quality Meats, said they were under the impression from the mayor's office that the building would be in place by July 4. After that, contractors could begin outfitting the building with the equipment that merchants would need to operate.

But Fenty spokeswoman Dena Iverson said she did not know how merchants got the July 4 date. City officials plan to have the building in place by July 15, she said, and merchants should still plan to move in by month's end.

Progress "is being made," Iverson said.

"A lot of the work is underground because it's things like wiring and plumbing so it's not necessarily work that you see above ground," Iverson said.

cmabeus@dcexaminer.com