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Totally overgrown
10/28/2009 1:00 PM by John M
This Property is Condemned has documented one of the last vacants on the 800 block of 24th Street. (previously)
I live on this block and wish someone would renovate this house. I tried to chop some of the overgrowth down over the weekend to allow people to walk past the house safely. We just got new sidewalks and tree wells on the block, and already have 4 new Autumn Blaze Maples in the tree wells!!
I’m jealous, Bill! I want some maples in tree wells on 22nd! I’ll drive by to admire them. Do you know who owns this house?
Cynthia: Not sure who owns the house, but will do some digging. It really does detract from the good stuff going on in the neighborhood. I am looking forward to the maples growing large and providing some great shade in the summer and fall color in 10 or so years.
Bill, if the weeds are obstructing the sidewalk, I would think the city would cut them and fine the owner. Have you contacted the environmental control folks at city hall?
Thanks crd. I have sent in a complaint, as have several other neighbors. The owners are Willie, Estelle and Alminta Taylor- perhaps the house is tied up in a family estate. I don’t know these people personally, but would love to see the property restored and lived in. It is assessed for $73,700 by the City (including land).
Thanks Bill. You and I actually know each other – I used to work down the hall from you (Zincke Bldg.) when I worked for a small foundation. Anyway, in my humble opinion you certainly know your way around city hall so hopefully you can at least get the vegetation cut back, by the city and not your own labor. Best of luck!
thanks for the kind words. I am still in the Zincke, still planning parks. The City has met us half way to put in new sidewalks and tree wells- hopefully they will enforce code violations and encourage the owners to fix it up or sell it. I think it can be turned into a great house.
i just took some more pics two days ago. the city came and cut the growth away on the 6th i think. Now all the debris is just lying in the yard though.
also the prettiest cat, likely a stray, seems to have made its home on the porch and in the yard area.
I have a chubby black and white tuxedo cat who now hangs out there on occasion. There are also a few other cats that seem to call that place home.
I will try to get some of the trash picked up if it ever stops raining.
I got the trash picked up in the front yard, no cool stuff, but it looks a bit better. I really think the house could be restored if somebody acts fairly quickly. It has a direct tv dish hanging off the end of it.
great! You are a good neighboor!! the cat i saw was orange..really pretty too.
yeah i saw that dish too. it led me to believe the place had not been abandoned very long.
look out for my cat – he is very friendly- I wish I could keep him inside, but he pees by the door if I don’t let him be freeeee! He seems to have adjusted to the move to 24th, but I would hate for something to happen to him. Maybe he’s watching movies in the house with the orange cat??
This house would make a great candidate for the City’s spot blight ordinance. City takes it through spot blight process and sells it to someone who has to sign a development agreement to fix it up w/in 2 years in order to qualify as a purchaser.
New City Code Violation notices were posted at this house on December 31st. Does anyone know if the City has followed through on the Spot Blight Ordinance referred to in 14?