Dive Brief:
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The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority is demolishing a brand-new condominium building that officials said was built atop an aging water sewer main and could cause damage that would lead to flooding.
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The multimillion-dollar building’s developer, Edge Investments, has asked a D.C. Superior Court to stop the demolition and told NBC4 Washington that the city issued permits for the multi-story structure.
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But the city, which has already started gutting the building, countered that the construction was "impermissibl[e" because the permit applications and plans misrepresented the finished product. "To ensure that the sewer main is not compromised," the city said in a statement, "the structure will be demolished."
Dive Insight:
It is not clear whether the city or the developer will pay for the demolition. In court documents, the developer claimed that the water company was aware of the construction but did not oppose the permits until the building was almost complete, NBC4 reported.
If the court finds that the city issued the permits in error, D.C. taxpayers could be picking up the tab.