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a view from recently demolished 669 Genesee Street


Not all Vacant Houses are Demo Candidates

I’ve been ranting and raving about vacant houses in the neighborhood for sometime. I’ve documented and photographed all the boarded and empty houses in this 25 block Masten neighborhood. I’ve even created a special list of “soon to be vacant” houses. Not all vacant houses are demo candidates. Many of these houses appear to be in reasonably good structural condition and for many reasons are worth keeping as part of the streetscape and neighborhood.


This is what the same house looked like in July, 2004 and this is what the smaller brown cottage looked like in August, 2004.

These are two of the dozens of empty and vacant house in this 25 block neighborhood of Masten between Main/Jefferson – Ferry/Utica which would make excellent homes for a small family, artists or single folks. The combined city/county taxes here are less than $600/year. I’d assume that some of the mechanical systems need to be up-dated or replaced and then there are all costs associated with maintenance and cosmetic issues. The neighborhood is re-bounding with many recently renovated and new homes. I wrote about this recently. Here some examples of new and renovated houses in this 25 block neighborhood. (Just scroll down in the post.)

I’ve lived in this neighborhood for 8 years. If you are interested in taking a closer look at either of these houses, please let me know. I can work with you and contact the owner. I have no financial interest here other than how their prospective sale may contribute to the overall quality of life here in the ‘hood. Based on recent sale numbers you are probably looking at a sale price of 3-8K!!! Perhaps less.

Imagine either one of these houses with a three-color paint job and freshly painted detail and a little bit of landscaping. E-mail me if you are interested in a neighborhood walk around.

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There is a quality even meaner than outright ugliness or disorder, and this meaner quality is the dishonest mask
of pretended order, achieved by ignoring or suppressing the real order that is struggling to exist and to be served.
- Jane Jacobs (1916-2006) from The Death and Life of Great American Cities, 1961.

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