Neighborhood puzzle
The apt at 4001 W Crown, vacant and decaying for 20 years, was supposedly sold back in January. Supposedly the purchaser was required to tear the building down and build new houses or apts. Since the supposed sale nothing has happened; a few things were moved around, squatters continued squatting, a few more windows were broken or boarded.

Now a PECULIAR thing has happened. The roof has been tarped neatly with tape around the edges.


[Not current picture.]

The shingles are dry and crumbly but look intact, and the roof escaped damage from the windstorms of '14 and '15. The top roof isn't easy to reach, and the weather has been foggy and slippery.

Why would you tarp the roof if you're REQUIRED to tear the place down? Did the purchaser get a variance to leave it as is?

Later thought: Variance forced by asbestos?

Feb 2019: The squatters FINALLY forced police attention by lighting a fire in the garage. After that, the owner FINALLY boarded up every opening on the house. Previously one door was unboarded, and it was obviously the squatter entrance as verified by Detective Snow.


= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

MARCH 9, 2019 FINALLY SOME FUCKING REAL ACTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There's a temporary chain-link fence around the entire property, with a sign that says

DANGER CONSTRUCTION ZONE

Are they REALLY going to tear it down? Stay tuned!

MARCH 16, 2019: No, they're RENOVATING instead of tearing down. They've unboarded the windows and I can see drywall and insulation stacked inside. They took off the tarp on the roof and they're reshingling.

Yay for renovation! This old building has stood up remarkably well to the ravages of wind and snow, but it was surrendering to the ravages of meth-cooking squatters. Finally the building gets a chance to be civilized again.

And my seven years of prayerful walking have paid off.

Labels: Heimatkunde, Patient things

  ¶ 9:49 AM