I took these shots yesterday -- about 5pm on a Sunday afternoon. That's when most legitimate contracting work goes on, right?
The guy in white was hacking his way back to front across the side wall. Obviously, as old brick walls are load-bearing, this would eventually cause a huge portion of the wall above to collapse. Then the guys just have to walk up and pick up the bricks.... assuming nobody is killed when the wall falls down.
But what about the house? The beautiful, historic, till-recently-partially-occupied house?...
Fuck the house, apparently.
When I came back for another pass a few minutes later, some of them were driving away. I wasn't quite quick enough to get a good shot of their truck as they passed; the license plate isn't quite legible. Damn. On the side, it said something along the lines of "E J Snow Removal" or "Easy Job Snow Removal".
I have to wonder who's paying these guys, who commissioned them to start attacking the last survivors of this block.... and if there's any relation to the ongoing encroachment of Blairmont, an organization that would probably be very happy to see many blocks swept clean of their historic houses. Surprise surprise, that's exactly what's happening.
8 comments:
Eh well. You don't just manually knock down a good brick wall without a backhoe so it is pretty much assumed the wall was already on the verge of collapse. I'm guessing the place has been vacant for at least a dozen years? The owners are the real criminals here not the scrappers. At least some of the building is going to be reused instead of being buried in a landfill. They are stupid to be sure but that place is already a dead skeleton. It should have been renovated 50 years ago.
It was fine up till this. See here.
One of the units was even occupied, at least part-time.
The thieves have done more damage on the western-most row. They have taken the east wall down and wrapped the corner, removing part of the front elevation. The second-floor joists are precarious, held inplace by the framing that ties them to the roof joists above.
I see a 4 and and HZS on a Missouri plate. That's a Chevy/GMC 4X4 graphic, though I couldn't tell you exactly when between '88 and '07 it's from.
I take that back, those appear to be pre -late '99 tailights. So there's only 11 years of models I can't narrow it down to.
--Obs, So damned useful.
I'm appalled at short sighted STEALERS of other peoples property.
While it's depressing to know the truth of what's happening, I thank you for documenting it.
What was, what could've been, what is....
NY Building Power Wash
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