Roadside to acquire, redevelop fire-ravaged Frager’s Hardware on Capitol Hill

Roadside Development has agreed to acquire and rebuild the fire-gutted Frager’s Hardware campus on Pennsylvania Avenue SE, finally returning the iconic store to its longtime home.

Frager’s, based at 1101-1117 Pennsylvania Ave. on Capitol Hill since 1920, was ravaged by fire in June 2013 — a blaze sparked by a discarded cigarette. It is currently operating out of three Hill locations.

With the rebuild, Frager’s will return its hardware, paint, garden center and equipment rental businesses under a long-term lease. While Roadside anticipates redeveloping within Frager’s existing footprint, and rebuilding the second-floor, non-Frager’s tenant spaces, it does plan to add an unknown number of floors above for residential.

“In order for this building to come back to life, we need more floors to be able to afford what we need to do,” said Richard Lake, a Roadside founding partner.

Frager’s owner John Weintrab retained Colliers International to manage the redevelopment solicitation and weigh offers and concepts. Per Lake, six or seven bids were received, and Roadside was selected largely for its rebuild of CityMarket at O in Shaw. The circa 1881 City Market collapsed under the weight of a 2003 snowstorm, leaving a Frager’s-like shell.

“They were impressed with how we worked with the community and the user with how we brought that building back to life,” Lake said. “They expect us to do the same exact thing here.”

The plan for Frager’s is in the earliest stages. In the short term, Roadside will “brace it properly” to prepare the site for redevelopment.

“Our goal is to restore in place, refurbish where necessary, but to honor the integrity of the existing structure,” Lake said.

With a contract now signed, the parties will enter a due diligence period, during which Roadside will finalize the Frager’s lease, set up meetings and calls with the community, and get into the building. Lake said he hopes to close the deal within 180 days. The sales price was not disclosed.

Construction on the new Frager’s is expected to take a minimum of 18 months.

“We could not have made it this far if not for the support and patience of the community, the District government, and most of all our employees,” Weintraub said in a statement.

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