The Men’s Parties club was on the second floor of 1618 14th Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
After receiving numerous emails with photos from readers alerting us to the news, we took a look ourselves: There is, indeed, a notice at 1618 14th Street that the owners have filed an application for a permit to raze the building.
The building at Corcoran and 14th rose to “fame” three-and-a-half years ago as the site of “Men’s Parties/Wrestling Club” after a patron died after apparently falling down a flight of stairs on October 4, 2009.
A spokesperson for the DC Historic Preservation Office said they have not yet received the application to raze the property. However, they are aware that it is coming as the property is located within the 14th Street Historic District.
As we noted in our original 2009 story, “The location of the death is the upstairs unit of 1618 14th Street, at the northwest corner of 14th and Corcoran Streets NW. According to published reports (MetroWeekly) and numerous online reviews, the building houses a sex club for gay and bisexual men. The club last made news when it experienced a fire in June of 2005.”
The raze permit application at 1618 14th Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
After the DC Police spoke to Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 2F and said they were looking for ways to shut down the club, it was obvious that Men’s Parties days were numbered. After reopening for a while, Men’s Parties was shut down by the city in January 2010.
For relative newcomers to the neighborhood, it’s important to remember that the redevelopment of the 14th Street corridor had not come as far as it has today. There was still a spot for a business such as Men’s Parties — where patrons could come and go without attracting notice from crowds on the sidewalk.
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