If the city hurries, it can create a vacant lot in this space before repairs are concluded.

The house next door was left to rot some time around 2009. As recently as this past spring, the city's frequently stated opinion was that the house was as yet was owned by the same man as before, a douchebag absentee named Harold residing elsewhere, who inexplicably was continuing to pay taxes on it while permitting it to fall down.

This never made very much sense, but at any rate, subcontractors for a firm bidding out such work from a major (unidentified) bank have appeared on the scene and started to make basic repairs. They have 90 days to finish, including clearing the jungle by the alley, and they believe a sale will take place shortly thereafter.

David Brewer, if you're reading this and not otherwise preoccupied with stoking the mayor's demolition fetish, you may wish to drop by and take a look.