Building contractor MDA has proposed a $4.8 million renovation of the home that’s the subject of a federal lawsuit, including the removal of a large piece of brick and the construction of a roof overhang, which it says could cost up to $4,000.
The proposal, which was filed with the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, is being backed by a nonprofit group called American Building Preservation.
The group says it’s trying to save the home from being demolished by helping to develop an affordable housing solution.
The home is in an area that’s becoming increasingly difficult for renters, with rents increasing 10 percent a year and homeownership rates falling.
MDA says the home’s “large brick roof” and other structural problems, along with a lack of affordable housing options, have caused an economic crisis that has affected residents and communities across the country.
The building, which is located in the District, was designed in 1958.
MDFA, which specializes in building and rehabilitating old buildings, was founded in 1978.
In recent years, the firm has been at the forefront of the revitalization of older buildings in cities around the country, including in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and St. Louis.
The new home, which would be the third in the city to have a roof, is expected to be complete by the end of the year.
