A reader reached out recently, wondering about a vacant building on the corner of 15th & Fitzwater, and the vacant lot next door. We've found ourselves wondering about these properties before, though somehow we've never thought to write about 'em.
The building, 735 S. 15th St., clearly has wonderful bones. Until a couple of years ago, it actually looked much worse than it does today. We seem to remember a time when all the window openings were boarded up. We wonder, did a Doors & Windows violation lead to the installation of windows? And if the building did indeed get such a violation, how come it's still got plywood where the doors are supposed to go? If and when the property is rehabbed, we just hope that the details like the wonderful window lintels are preserved.
The lot next door represents a great opportunity. It's zoned multi-family, and could be a quadplex by right. Developers would surely pay over $250K for such a lot, especially since zoning wouldn't be an issue.
So why do these properties continue to sit undeveloped? We couldn't tell you.
The building and the lot are both owned by the family that owns Slater Funeral Home, located on the 1400 block of Fitzwater Street. They acquired the building over thirty years ago. They got the lot from the City about a decade ago, paying a mere $2,500. A near neighbor spoke with someone at the funeral home who said that the properties will eventually be developed and they're not for sale. No timeline was given.
So for people who live nearby, expect these properties to get developed, sometime between tomorrow and thirty years from now. On the plus side, at least their taxes have gone up dramatically with AVI- so hopefully, that will hasten the development, at least for the property on the corner.