It was almost three years ago that we first brought the blighted Lincoln Apartments at 1222 Locust St. to your attention. Remember, we told you about its sad recent history, having suffered a fire in 2006 and sat vacant ever since. Back then, we were stoked to share the good news that progress was finally imminent here, with support from the Washington Square West Civic Association Zoning Committee for the building's renovation. 

View of the building through the trees

The supported plans included forty-four units, with six studios, thirty-two one bedroom apartments, and six two bedrooms. The plan for the building from Cecil Baker + Partners was slated to begin in the spring of 2012. As you can see from the current photos, the building still looks like dreck.

Less obstructed view of building

Looking up, see the graffitti

As you can also see in the photos (and as several readers have emailed us), a construction fence has appeared in front of the building! This gives us a pretty good indication that construction is about to get underway or has already begun. We're not sure whether the project will match the proposal from a couple of years ago, but we would imagine that it will be pretty close. Whatever happens inside, we'll be very pleased to see this building finally spring back to life. And not for nothing, but the preservation and restoration of this 120-year-old building is a great thing for the neighborhood. After all these years, it will surely be a welcome sight for folks who live and work nearby.