If you've been to Point Breeze lately, you've probably noticed that there's a ton of construction going on all over the neighborhood. Heading up 18th Street the other day, we kept bumping into projects so figured we'd pass along some updates. First, we look at 1334 S. 18th St., which was previously a vacant lot. Just to the north of this construction site, Community Ventures built some affordable housing units a couple years back.
Now framed out to two stories, this property will eventually be a single family home. Developers Oakwood Elm LLC bought the corner property last year for $55K which is a pretty good price considering that it's allowing a by-right build of a home that will sell for over $350K. The vacant lot immediately to the south, in case you're wondering, is owned by the City. So look for it to get developed really soon. Or maybe in ten years. We just don't know. One perk for whoever ends up living here is that they'll be mere steps from the still newish cafe, the Pharmacy.
Heading north, we spied a duplex under construction at the corner of 18th & Latona. We told you about this project last summer, after the building that had been here previously had just been demolished. When we see demolition sites, we sometimes worry that the project replacing it could lag, leaving an unseemly sight for the neighbors. Fortunately, this project picked up relatively quickly and is now in full swing. As the home we first mentioned has the Pharmacy nearby, this duplex will have the American Sardine Bar half a block away. But it won't be as convenient for the people who live there as it will be for the people who will live in the home that's under construction next door to the bar's outdoor space. Since we checked in on that project exactly a week ago, it's gotten some bricks out front but is still a couple months away.
Sure, there projects make traversing the neighborhood a challenge. But when they're all finished, those temporary inconveniences will disappear and the neighborhood will have some shiny new buildings. That is, until the next wave of construction inconveniences everyone again. But so it goes these days in Point Breeze.