Just around the corner from the artisans space The Cedar Works project we informed you about a few weeks ago, an abandoned home takes up half of a duplex on the corner of 50th and Pentridge Streets. The same owner owns an abutting vacant lot.

Blighted building

An available sign has been posted at this unkempt, yet not overgrown next lot over to the north since at least September, 2009, according to GoogleEarth. Two lots actually makeup the vacant lot. The northern lot is owned by Mid-Autumn Realty LLC, according to public record. Its southern neighbor, the also vacant 723 S. 50th St., last sold for $7,800 in 2005, and as we said has the same owner as the blighted property next door.

The vacant lots

When we called the number posted on the ‘Available’ sign, a woman answered who refused to provide any information. She said the lot has been available and the house has been vacant for more than three years. She said she was unaware of any projects in the neighborhood, like the aforementioned Cedar Works development.

“If you’re not interested in buying I don’t have time for this conversation,” she said.

Looking north toward Baltimore Ave.

The vacant lot could make for viable retail. Half a block north is the Baltimore Avenue, home to Dock Street Brewery, Satellite Café and Firehouse Bicycles. There is also Vix Emporium, which celebrates its fifth birthday this month, just past the northwest corner of 50th and Baltimore, and next to that is Seeds Gallery, which opened this summer. While this off the main avenue location might not be the most viable for purely commercial matters, it could work well as a ground-floor retail, maybe a café or restaurant, with residential above. Or hey, all residential would probably be okay too. And the owner is actually willing to sell at a reasonable price, we may well see something come to this lot someday soon. But only time will tell.

–Lou Mancinelli