Neighborhood Changes

Less than a month ago I started watching the progress of a house down the street getting remodeled. They gutted the insides down to the studs. I was astonished to walk by one day and find they'd removed half the roof. A day or two later I started taking pictures because Steve was interested, but hadn't the time to see the place before they built it back up again.

August 8:
If you look closely you can see they nailed plywood right over the siding. They've already begun the second story that is replacing the right half of the roof.


The view from the right:
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I believe it was on that day I spoke to the contractor. I think he was the company owner or at least the lead guy. He always seems to be there, and he was the last one there that day. I told him I'd been wondering why they didn't just take the whole thing down. Was the wood still that good, did it save them some money? He told me they were just under the wire with the amount demolished to still be classified as a remodel, rather than a new building. That saved them $90,000. I know nothing of the details, but I'm aware the difference in classification makes it a completely different thing with the permits and whatnot. He had a magnetic sign on his truck: Wood Dog Rebuilders.

Nine days later, the house is taking a new shape, as viewed from the right:


They will have quite the view of their neighbor's roof:


This weekend, it's looking pretty well enclosed, but that siding is still showing in places. I wonder if they have plans for those spots, or just haven't got the plywood cut yet. Earlier, such spots on the right-hand side did get covered:


The view from the right:


I like the Native American Flag. I wonder if that is temporary until the roof is finished. I wonder if it belongs to one of the remodelers or the new owners. I don't even know if there are new owners. (Pause while I look at portlandmaps.com.) There was never a For Sale sign. Portland Maps does not yet reflect a sale. The house next to it recently sold for $325,500. That house had even less square feet than this one before improvements, yet this one did not have as great a value. This gutting will surely raise the value by $200,000.

The house next door is seeing some changes too. The second story is getting a balcony, I guess. A couple of years ago I'd walk past tsk-tsking, looking at that window with the broken glass that went unfixed for months on end. Now here the new owners removed the wood below (hmmm) and put in a door.




That's not all. Another house down the street lost its roof too:




That was August 16. The next day, morning:


and evening:


The Division Maytag that has been on Division forever has moved. Sadly, they can't compete with places like Sears for new products sales. The new occupants have a bunch of reclaimed stained glass windows and "architectural details" for sale.

Maytag moved just a block away, to the retail hinterlands, you could say. There is no ramp to their back door. How'd they get that fridge there?

The Maytag guy is still cheerful:
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Just a small sunken storefront next to the tattoo parlor and Food Fight Vegan Grocery. Let me say this is not the hinterlands for Food Fight, because I'm sure people come from around the city to shop at a vegan-dedicated store.

Just so you know, there is junk food in the vegan store too:

Another neighborhood change, a new horse. I was sad a couple months ago to find this white horse in pieces. She did like to hop down into the street at times, and must have been in the wrong place when a car drove up. (I thought I took a photo but can't find it now.) Now, this black beauty has taken her place.

Finally, a gift left on the sidewalk. Sanskrit, meaning just what it says: