The building that housed Bourbon, a former Glover Park bar and restaurant at 2348 Wisconsin Avenue, NW is heading for a delinquent property tax sale this summer. Bourbon closed three-and-a-half years ago after being purchased for $1,150,000 in 2014 by Bill Thomas the whiskey connoisseur of Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Adams Morgan. Mr. Thomas had high hopes for renovating the space and reopening within a year with a new name and fresh look. That never happened. Instead the building has sat vacant since October of 2015 as quite an eyesore in the neighborhood with trash, debris and a leaning chain-link fence surrounding it ever since.
The DC property tax sale (typically held in July) has not been compiled officially yet, though records indicate that the Office of Tax and Revenue expects $11,323 to be paid by the end of this month to avoid the tax sale. No tax payment has been recorded since July of 2018 while interest and penalties have been accruing for the past two years. In addition, the Jack Rose Dining Saloon building at 2007 18th St, NW is heading in the same direction with over $24K due by the end of the month to avoid the summer tax sale auction. Land records indicate Mr Thomas, under the auspices of "Whiskey Ventures LLC" borrowed over $1.8 million from BB&T for the purchase and renovation of the Glover Park building in 2015 but ran into multiple difficulties with the old building infrastructure, according to the Washington Post back then (see article).
The building has been for sale, sort of, since early 2018 at a "negotiable" price. Eric Gronning of Gronning Architects had completed architectural plans and renderings for a 3-story bar and restaurant with multiple outdoor spaces including a roof deck. The current sale listing advertises the plans as well as the liquor license for sale. There is no indication the BB&T loan is in default, so let's hope the delinquency can be cured quickly, and either the current owner or a new owner can see the potential of the opportunity here and finally take action. Talk to Thomas Tsianakas owner of the old Mason Inn building a few doors up the street.. See article - he's getting it done there and believes in the opportunities in Glover Park....
6/4/19: Editor's note: The delinquent property tax account was brought current with a $21K payment on 5/29/19, so 2348 Wisconsin Ave will not be appearing on the tax sale list in July. In addition, a payment was made on the same day in the amount $24K for 2007 18th St (Jack Rose Dining Saloon) to bring that account current and avoid the tax sale.