DCRA Reviewing Sweet Mango Building Permit History
If you’ve been waiting for Sweet Mango to reopen it looks like you’ll have to wait a little bit longer.
Due to resident concerns about unpermitted construction at Sweet Mango over the years, DCRA construction inspections supervisor Garret Whitescarver was in attendance at the monthly ANC 4C08 meeting hosted by Commissioner Timothy Jones. Renewed interest in construction and safety at Sweet Mango arose after the recent August 4th fire. The restaurant has been closed since that time.
Based on what was learned at the meeting, it appears that Sweet Mango may be closed for a while longer. Before DCRA issues a certificate of occupancy for Sweet Mango they are reviewing all discernible work at the building and comparing it with known permits. The intent is to review unpermitted work, like that of the second story addition (enclosed in 2009), and make sure it is safe and meets current building codes. While its likely that most if not all of the work would have been allowable as a matter of right, that doesn’t negate the requirement of permits or inspections. Should anything not comply with current building codes, Sweet Mango will either have to remove it or go before the Board of Zoning Adjustment for a variance.
The long and the short of it is that this may take a little time, and until the review, inspections, and permits are issued the restaurant will not get the occupancy permit required to reopen.
Tags: construction, DCRA, Park View, Petworth, restaurants, Sweet Mango
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Park View, D.C. 
October 17, 2012 at 10:00 am
Glad to see DCRA is FINALLY on top of this. I like Sweet MAngo as much as the next person but they have a history of fires which is potentially dangerous for this block. Something isn’t being done correctly or to code so hopefully now those mistakes can be corrected.
October 18, 2012 at 5:12 pm
Happy residents + businesses with integrity + responsive government = great communities. I hope Sweet Mango gets it!
Thank you for keeping us informed.
October 31, 2012 at 1:38 pm
All you “new” people are destroying this neighborhood institution! Take your yuppy self elsewhere!
November 28, 2012 at 7:02 am
[…] small. The closure of Sweet Mango until this week, however, was not due to the fire but rather due to unpermitted construction at the […]
January 14, 2013 at 7:03 am
[…] fire seems to finally be drawing to a close. Upon the restaurant’s closure due to the fire, DCRA became involved and worked with Sweet Mango to ensure that recent construction was to code and permitted. Even […]