Friday, March 07, 2008

Renovations?

Everyday when I drive to work, I go through a traditionally black neighborhood. When I began doing this, it was pretty seriously run down. The houses were old, the people were poor. There were problems with crime.

Then one day, I noticed that one of the houses was getting new siding. Then another got a new roof. The tiny concrete block houses on one street were getting very spiffed up with new paint, new roofs, new porches and new fences. It was like a wave moving through the neighborhood. Nothing too over the top, just a growing pride in house and home and neighborhood. It was lovely to see.

Soon, the vacant lots were partially cleared and new houses started going in. NICE houses. I miss the greenspace, but I understand that they really were just vacant lots.

The rolling fix up finally moved to the nicer houses in the neighborhood. One that was nice and big got new landscaping and new windows and was just spiffed up in general. The house next to it was quite a nice brick house with lovely landscaping.

Last week, I drove past and discovered that work was in progress. The bricks had been painted an off white. Dormers had been added to the roof. And a new entryway was being built. But apparently the owners couldn't decide which kind...

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Shall we have a gable or a colonnade?

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No! Wait! TURRETS are cool! Let's have one of those!!!

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You have to wonder what the permit office was thinking when they approved this...

14 comments:

karisma said...

Hmmm! I guess they were thinking "Oh well, everyone to his own" You know what one person sees as beauty is another ones horror.

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

Looks like someone got a special price on columns and finials.
DotnFL

Celeste said...

Oh, my. There goes the neighborhood (surely, this isn't the latest fad?)

Anonymous said...

Wonder why they didn't have a balcony or two?

That girl said...

maybe it's a bed and breakfast wannabe?? They always have an excess amount of columns in their decorations....

karatemom said...

I just like that you can see grass!! haha..under a ton of snow here ..will up load some pics later today.

karatemom said...

p.s. pics are up ..

Aoj and The Lurchers said...

More to the point, you've got to wonder who the heck came up with the design in the first place!!

Anonymous said...

I know, it is the new office for the Far Out Roofing Co.
Dot in FL

Anonymous said...

Hi Sweetie, I'm all caught up. Read right back to "You are Clogs" (I'm bare feet). Jagged Mommy? LOL

Anonymous said...

One of each! Obviously these people like to have their cake and eat it too.

AJsMom said...

Oh I like it...it's kind of like an architect's catalog...

Nona said...

LOL!!! Strange ... VERY strange. Why does America still have black and white and whatever else neighbourhoods.