It was two and a half years ago that we first brought 1244 Ridge Ave. to your attention, which was when we first learned of plans to bring this long-blighted building back from the dead. The building has sat on the triangular patch of land formed by the intersection of 13th Street, Green Street, and Ridge Avenue for over a hundred years, but has looked awful in recent memory. A couple of years back, it looked like this:

As you can imagine, we were cheered over the summer when we noticed that work was finally underway on this building, which despite its status as an eyesore, contained heaps of potential for a very cool rehab. A rendering from Harman Deutsch seemed to indicate that the look of the building would be restored to something that echoed its historic appearance while also looking forward. In the past, the building had a fourth story which the developers were intending to bring back.

Passing by the other day, we saw a building that's still very much a work in progress. But its current appearance left us feeling a little underwhelmed.

The rendering has this classy look that the real thing doesn't quite capture. Could the problem be that the first floor is still lacking stucco? Is it the color change on the bays? The fact that they used different windows than suggested in the rendering? Or maybe just that it's still a work in progress? We can't quite put a finger on it, but this renovation leaves us a little cold. Make no mistake- we're thrilled that the building is finally getting a new lease on life. Even Dr. J, it seems, is looking on this rehab from across the street with a nonplussed look.

We'll come back to the building once the renovation is finished, and render final judgement.