I was picking up some pizza from Bazbeux’s last night on Mass Ave and I saw all the construction that is taking place. The project going on is resurfacing of the street, sidewalk reconstruction and addition of electrical conduit for additional lighting along the avenue. At the expense of looking like a hipster with my highly bastardized photo via Instagram on my old iPhone (first version) I snapped this picture of the exposed bricks and streetcar track of yester-year. There is no amount of pavement or sidewalk construction that ever dampens my enthusiasm for wanting to see streetcars return to our streets so in that respect, I think this photo was neat enough to share with all of you and perhaps inspire a little bit of vision of what used to be, and what could be with enough political willpower. I’d be happier than a pig in slop if something like this were sprung on an unsuspecting citizen base when the city announces what it’s doing with the IFD HQ.
You and me both.
The repaving of Washington Street between Shadeland and Arlington has exposed them too. I wish someone had the vision and power to bring them back. It would be a huge plus for the city.
Question about the Regions building (or whatever it’s being called this week).
Is the new ‘skin’ finished? It continues to look (to me) like they stopped before they got done with the job.
Yes, they reskinned the entire building except for the ground floor lobby. The new facade was paid for by the building owner’s insurance company, and as the lobby facade was neither damaged nor a safety hazard, it was not replaced. However, the landlords are advertising retail space for a large restaurant in the lobby and promising to investment in significant capital improvements to the ground floor should they land a tenant. So, I think eventually the lobby facade will be replaced.
I was also excited to see the old street car tracks during the resurfacing of Mass Ave, East Washington, and Fairfield Ave (at Central). I wonder how hard it would be to make these tracks functional again?
Thought this was a pretty cool photo to serve as a reminder. Massachusetts & College Avenue Streetcar, 1881.
http://bit.ly/ex5F9x