[Durham INC] instead of plywood on windows...

Fri Mar 4 14:34:26 EST 2011

I agree that boards aren't ideal, and I think Art is great as a temporary
fix to bring focus on a neighborhood in need of help. In Detroit though, as
far as I understand, those art installations were never meant to be
permanent. The intention was to get news crews to show the need for
investment in those neighborhoods. Now it's become a part of "ruins porn."

I live in Cleveland-Holloway and even though there has been significant
reinvestment, and a number of vacant houses renovated, there are still 15
vacant/abandoned houses within a block and a half of my house. I don't want
permanent art installations that outsiders come to gawk at. I want *new
neighbors,* permanent, real-life new neighbors invested in the health of the
area.

I think the city's installation on Holloway St. is great, and I think the
temporary New Neighbors exhibit is a fantastic idea. I hope it brings people
to East Durham and shows what a vibrant, functioning community it is. I know
the intent of the program was to get people to buy houses in East Durham,
and I hope that's what it accomplishes.

(And I should mention that both Ken Gasch and Bill Anderson have been
instrumental in bringing new owner occupiers to Cleveland-Holloway. I hope
more real estate agents start showing more homes in our neighborhood and
other East Durham Neighborhoods to people looking to buy a home for
themselves, and not just investment properties.)

Just my two cents.

Matt Dudek
*Cleveland-Holloway*

On Fri, Mar 4, 2011 at 1:59 PM, <TheOcean1 at aol.com> wrote:

>  I love Melissa's idea (about the painting contest, not young kids using
> them as meeting locations), and greatly prefer the look of that house on
> Holloway with these windows/painted plywood to secure it.
>  But I'm a little concerned that owners of boarded up houses will view
> this as a more permanent solution than the old style of boarding up the
> house.
>
> They won't be productive properties again until they are occupied, and as a
> Realtor, it's hard to show a boarded up house, painted boards or otherwise.
> I see boarded up houses as property that needs to change hands for
> everyone's sake, the neighborhood, the former owner and the future owner,
> even the house itself.
>
> Since I'm on the committee, I wanted to make proper disclosure that I'm a
> Realtor with a history of buying/selling vacant properties. There's no money
> in it, which is part of the problem. I became a Realtor to assist a
> neighborhood. One of the primo houses, with a piece of Ellerbee Creek
> running thru it's backyard, we bought for less than $20k. Do the math, my
> take was less than $300. and most wouldn't have done the paperwork for that.
> But it helped transfer ownership so the renovations could begin.
>
> My reason for bringing up that house is that it was easy to show to
> perspective buyers/renovators. The front door had been kicked in, and the
> same sneaker print was also on the front door of the house next door.
> Both of these houses are now beautifully renovated and owner occupied.
>
> Not sure that would be the case if they had been boarded up, with decorated
> boards or plain ones.
>
> I think the question might be: "Which helps a house change hands faster,
> decorative boards, or a Realtor who is community minded enough to do the
> work for peanuts?"
>
> *Bill Anderson*
>  In a message dated 3/4/2011 10:15:07 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> fletch.groups at gmail.com writes:
>
> Ken, not every boarded up house has a neighbor that can keep an eye on it.
> There are entire blocks of streets that are made up entirely of boarded up
> houses. Turning these buildings into art may increase traffic and visibility
> around them, helping decrease squatters and general crime in the
> neighborhoods they are in. Detroit has had some success with this<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidelberg_Project>
> .
>
> On Thu, Mar 3, 2011 at 10:34 PM, Ken Gasch <Ken at kengasch.com> wrote:
>
>> Boarded up windows scream: "Hello squatter, please consider prying a board
>> loose on my back side and coming on in. As you can see by my boarded up
>> windows, I am empty and nobody will bother you for weeks at a time."
>>  Artwork will do the same thing.
>>
>> Boarding up homes is a bad policy.
>>
>> Homes should be lived in.
>>
>> I have had to keep squatters out of houses scores of times.
>>
>> For starters, go in a few times and throw all their belongings out. That
>> usually keeps them from coming back.
>>
>> Empower the neighbors to watch the house for you. I have one project where
>> a neighbor ran off some would-be looters/squatters with a 12-gage, double
>> barrel shotgun.
>>
>> Get temporary power on and play music and keep a light on or two. Put
>> lights on timers.
>>
>> Sign a trespass agreement with the police and post "no trespassing" signs.
>> My sign is not big and neon orange. My sign is very small. It does not
>> scream: "empty house."  It is in 12-point type and says: "No Trespassing.
>> Durham Police Department, Pursuant to NC General Statute 14-153.13 (1),
>> I hereby authorize any officer of the Durham Police Department to arrest and
>> remove any intruder found upon these premises.  I will testify in court as
>> to my power to delegate this authority.  Please do not hesitate to phone me
>> at any time of day or night.  Thank you, Ken Gasch 919.475.8866."
>>
>> Do not board up houses!!!
>>
>> Ken Gasch
>> REALTOR®/Broker
>> Seagroves Realty
>> www.KenGasch.com <http://www.kengasch.com/>
>> C: 919.475.8866
>> F: 866.229.4267
>>
>>
>>
>>   On Thu, Mar 3, 2011 at 10:24 PM, Barry Ragin <bragin at nc.rr.com> wrote:
>>
>>> You know, for a city that's on everyone's list of the top ten places to
>>> live in the US, we sure seem to have a lot of vacant and abandoned houses in
>>> this town.
>>>
>>> I can't for the life of me understand why that should be.
>>>
>>> Barry Ragin
>>>
>>> On 3/3/11 4:30 PM, Melissa's yahoo wrote:
>>>
>>>> Maybe Durham would consider hosting a contest where artists paint a
>>>> board to be permanently displayed in windows that are broken/in disrepair.
>>>> Durham could give a small cash prize and/or display the winning board at
>>>> City Hall or something like that. It would be great publicity for the many
>>>> artists in Durham and the Triangle. If this doesn't float, maybe we can make
>>>> it a contest for schools or school aged children and give the winner a $200
>>>> savings bond - this is what they did for the Durham America Recycles Day
>>>> contest this year. Or the winner's school could get a raingarden
>>>> installation or something like that, which we want to see done anyway...
>>>>
>>>> Melissa
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>>
>>>> On Mar 2, 2011, at 7:13 PM, "RW Pickle"<randy at 27beverly.com>  wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Since this is a current topic of a new committee, those involved (as
>>>>> well
>>>>> as anyone else interested) should view the recent window treatment
>>>>> (instead of plywood or other materials) used by NIS on a house located
>>>>> on
>>>>> Holloway Street. The house is located on the right in the first block
>>>>> (going out Holloway from downtown past the Public Library) just past
>>>>> the
>>>>> Dillard Street intersection. The house is white and I believe it's the
>>>>> 3rd
>>>>> or 4th on the right as you head out Holloway that way. This is a window
>>>>> treatment that offers security, yet looks like a window. The house also
>>>>> has fresh straw in the yard from reseeding (just to help you locate
>>>>> it).
>>>>> It has much better curb appeal than plywood and just casually looking,
>>>>> it
>>>>> looks like windows are in place.
>>>>>
>>>>> Randy Pickle
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Durham INC Mailing List
>>>>> list at durham-inc.org
>>>>> http://www.durham-inc.org/list.html
>>>>>
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>>
>>
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