Err -

Mind you, I do these well in advance. That said:

Good Lord, what have I done?

I’m sure this was a 2007 era Google Street View pic taken at a Batman-villain-lair mode, which I straightened. Must have been a garbage source if this is what I got. And why did I go back in time?

That’s why.

Something’s happening here, and it’s either controlled devolution to a smaller building, or prep for eventual destruction.

Only the faves, I guess

Down the street a bit:

Looks as if it has a few more decades left. It’s occupied. The upper floors appear to have the stickers indicating new glass. Here’s to a better future!

Oh

Is this a war memorial for a long-ago conflict in which only one solider was lost?

No, it’s an insurance office.

Cool sign! Wonder what the rest of his building looks like -

I can’t imagine anyone was happy with this. Not the client, not the architect, who didn’t expect people to be so critical, not the pedestrians and passersby. It’s uniquely awful, and not in an interesting way.

Yes, yes, I do think the upper stories were painted once, then the paint was removed, but not with any particular effort.

I suspect the cornice was more elaborate, balancing it out.

Buildings with spindly columns on the corners always look as if they’re insufficiently supported.

The ground floor looks occupied, but nothing else above. Interesting story here and I’ll never know it.

The burly confidence of the new century:

Did the ground floor get renovated, or did it somehow, in all these years, escape modification entirely?

LAVO

That’s really nice. Unique, too. It’s intentionally asymmetrical, but it’s a well-made composition. Subsequent bricking of the storefront over-the-plate-glass windows, alas. Almost looks like 1920s terra cotta.

Someone cared:

And someone didn’t. Care, that is.

Storefront over-the-plate-glass windows still extant. I mean, probably new glass at some point, but no one’s spoiled them.

OUMB from the White Elephant era of architecture.

More? Oh my yes. Lots more. But that’s next week.