Who are the people in your neighborhood?

[dancerjodi]

Here's our pix from the weekend:
http://www.diabolis.net/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=200

Brian, its Mt. Feake ;)

Particular photos to note, here's the condo crap going up in my old neighborhood. In its place once stood a couple of 2 or 4 family houses. The price for these are around $340k I think (isn't this kind of scary and surreal?):
http://www.diabolis.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=200&pos=30

For reference, these are the kind of houses that are behind them:
http://www.diabolis.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=200&pos=5

The Watch Factory - here's where my grandparents first met and where my Dad rented a massive office space for his printing business years ago. Now its still office space, and apparently a place for homeless people to hang out (in the underground tunnels and hidden basement rooms):
http://www.diabolis.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=200&pos=16

Here's the Brandeis Castle (picture taken from inside Mt. Feake Cemetary, where my Grampy, Aunt Sandy and Uncle Buster are buried):
http://www.diabolis.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=200&pos=23

The massive life-sized horse statue that Brian used to live near (think there are any Italians in this neighborhood?) ;)
http://www.diabolis.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=200&pos=34

Would *you* want to get ink here? I think not!
http://www.diabolis.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=200&pos=38

Mass Merchandise Mart: home of the outdoor flea market, Building 19, and the little Asian store that will sell weapons to under-aged boys (and, things that are illegal in MA):
http://www.diabolis.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=200&pos=43

Comments

[ej-geno.livejournal.com]

"(in the underground tunnels and hidden basement rooms)"

I've wanted to explore those tunnels for so long!!!

[alabastard.livejournal.com]

I love underground tunnels and rooms, there was a whole network of tunnels - for rum running and later used for slave transport and hiding, tunnels running from a central pond under the last little city in which I lived through the 90s; most were caved in and blocked, but some were still exploreable, with hidden rooms.

I must see the Brandeis Castle!!!

The Castle

[dancer.livejournal.com]

"I must see the Brandeis Castle!!!"

Its student housing if you can believe it. Back when I had a friend going there she lived in it - all of the rooms are funky shapes and sizes (it was for students nearing their end of their academic career there - and those that were very serious too, pre-med/pre-law since it was a 24 hour quiet building).

Here's some info:
http://www.brandeis.edu/studentlife/reslife/tour/castle.html

The Brandeis campus is very pretty - it may be a good place for you to check out if you're riding through the area. They are always building something so there are some neat comparisons of architecture there.

Re: The Castle

[alabastard.livejournal.com]

This makes me want to enroll there, just to live in that castle.... I'll have to explore the campus once biking weather comes back.

Scary Condos

[dancer.livejournal.com]

"Why would anyone want to pay that much for a place that looks like it's made out of Home Depot wallboard and covered in aluminum siding. I really hate when this happens to old neighborhoods. It's entirely disrespectful to the neighborhood, etc."

Because they are in rampant supply maybe? Cheaper than most houses in Waltham? Brand new and thus not as much worry about repairs? It sickens me everytime I drive by something like this - they are scattered all over the city and none of them are cheap.

"At lesat most of Salem seems to be going the route of what was done with my place - buying old rental properties, rehabbing them, and reselling them as condos. At least that doesn't destroy the look of the neighborhood."

Oh there are a lot of these in Waltham too (not as much as the "cookie-cutter new condos, though"). They charge just as much as the new places and sometimes even more. The people that lived in them as apartments would never be able to afford to buy the places, which makes me very sad (the people that built the city can't afford to live there anymore).

We'll be patient. We'll find someplace - and then hold on for dear life (thus, preventing another condo going in on *that* land, at least).

[tk7602.livejournal.com]

At lesat most of Salem seems to be going the route of what was done with my place - buying old rental properties, rehabbing them, and reselling them as condos. At least that doesn't destroy the look of the neighborhood.


that's happening too...

- buy 2 family house for ~$450K
- sell each half for $350K
- roll around in piles of money

it's GREAT!