Lafayette Avenue in the Gate District has improved an amazing amount in the last decade, even with the tragic loss of Hodgen Elementary. With that, Garavaglia’s still sits empty and rapidly deteriorating as can be seen since I first photographed it way back in 2008. It shouldn’t be, as other storefronts have been successfully converted into other uses up and down Lafayette, as can be seen at the intersection with Compton, and also with the Art-Deco beauty seen in the photo above. It’s time for its owners to sell and let the developers who have been transforming this street to have a crack at it.