Future of Frame Factory Still Unclear

Driving through Annandale on Little River Turnpike one might notice the boarded up building located at 7130 Little River Turnpike beside . The building previously housed the Frame Factory, but after a fire early last year destroyed much of the property, the business temporarily relocated to Alexandria. It is still unknown when or if the owners will renovate the building.

Steve Cowan, owner of the Frame Factory, said the Frame Factory had been at its Annandale location for 35 years when the fire happened. The Fire Marshall subsequently condemned the building. Although there are reports that the cause of the fire was faulty wiring, Cowan said the actual cause is undetermined. 

The fire occurred on Jan. 1, 2010 at 7:05 a.m., according to the press release from the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. The building was deemed a total loss. Mike Congleton with the Fairfax County Code Authority said there is currently an open investigation for the site.

Cowan, who does not own the building, said he would like to move the Frame Factory back to its original location if or when the landlord rebuilds the property. Neighboring businesses are also anxiously waiting for the rebuilding. Kurt Kruger, owner of Kruger’s Antiques Plus, said he would be glad to see the Frame Factory back. Kruger had a portion of his retail space behind the Frame Factory and experienced some loss during the fire.

According to Michael Heath, who is a handyman on the property, firemen initially were trying to put the fire out in the wrong building. The air conditioner on an adjacent property was nearly knocked off and it hung, unbalanced weeks later until it was taken down. Kruger said a considerable amount of the damage was done seeking entrance through the roof of the actual building to find the fire. Kruger estimated that he lost $20,000 to $30,000 in merchandise because of water and smoke damage.

Kruger added that he is unhappy about the condition of the building and said it doesn’t create a positive image for the site. Resident Herb Becker, a retired urban planner, agreed with Kruger. “It is a non-conforming building and it doesn’t help nearby businesses. It is an eyesore. Nobody wants to pull off the highway to a burned out property or an undesirable destination.”

Attempts by Annandale Patch to locate and speak with the owner of the property were unsuccessful at the time of publication.