I took a short look at The Ville on a bright and sweltering Saturday recently. Despite the frequent reports of doom and gloom, much of the neighborhood has a lot going for it. There are many streets that are lined with some nice in-fill, and I hope can be built in the future. I definitely have a more optimistic and rounded opinion than when I looked at the neighborhood back in 2014.

New apartments that I looked at under construction back in October of 2018 are now complete and occupied.

There are still many abandoned buildings as well, such as these below. The house on the left is extremely old, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it dated back to the 1860s or 70s.

On the streets near Home G. Phillips Hospital, which is now retirement apartments, there are other renovations, as well.

These two houses, which are some of the last survivors of the wood frame buildings that originally populated the neighborhood, are still standing. I looked at them back in January of 2017.

I first spotted them back in March of 2014; someone had been setting fire to these houses, and leaving burned out hulks behind. Thankfully, it seems like the fires had stopped and the ruins have been cleared out.

I was surprised to see this apartment complex abandoned, and judging from the condition of the plywood, it was boarded up recently. The sign advertising the complex is in a relatively new type font, so that is not a good sign.

And I still think there is so much potential for this central hall country house on Taylor Avenue, which I’ve looked at before.