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Mister Max | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> The Decline & Fall - & Resurrection - of a Stone House in West Philadelphia tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

The Decline & Fall - & Resurrection - of a Stone House in West Philadelphia

An abandoned house gradually falls down (pages 1 & 2), sells, and is cleaned up (pages 3 & 4), is fenced (page 5), with restoration expected.
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April 2003. Weeds have recently been cut.
April 2003. Weeds have recently been cut.		 April 2003. The porch is almost whole.
April 2003. The porch is almost whole.		 November. The porch roof has fallen.
November. The porch roof has fallen.		 Pillars tilt to the right. The city has posted the front door.
Pillars tilt to the right. The city has posted the front door.
Still November 2003
Still November 2003		 Porch Roof
Porch Roof		 Porch roof with season-ending vegetation
Porch roof with season-ending vegetation		 (8)66 is the address
(8)66 is the address
March 2004. The porch roof has slumped further.
March 2004. The porch roof has slumped further.		 July 2004. Pillars are straighter from the front.
July 2004. Pillars are straighter from the front.		 Straight pillars but fallen roof
Straight pillars but fallen roof		 (8)66 is straight
(8)66 is straight
Crumbling Roof
Crumbling Roof		 Corner elements of the roof
Corner elements of the roof		 Which way are the pillars slanting?
Which way are the pillars slanting?		 The porch roof has pulled away from the stone wall.
The porch roof has pulled away from the stone wall.
Paint is peeling badly
Paint is peeling badly		 March 2005
March 2005		 Window tinned, porch roof collapsed
Window "tinned", porch roof collapsed		 The pillars are gone so the front and side roofs have fallen
The pillars are gone so the front and side roofs have fallen
an angular mess
an angular mess		 Front (41st St) Steps
Front (41st St) Steps		 It's been a mild winter so far, so not much has fallen in or down. Trash has accumulated, even this orange chair. A good sign today, though: sidewalk trash has been shoveled into neat piles.
January 2006

It's been a mild winter so far, so not much has fallen in or down. Trash has accumulated, even this orange chair.
A good sign today, though: sidewalk trash has been shoveled into neat piles.

 On January 19, 2006 the house was bought by Friends Rehabilitation Program Inc. They have reduced the building to its essence.
March 2006. The house is sold and being fixed up. So far, it's just cleaning out the rotten wood.

On January 19, 2006 the house was bought by
Friends Rehabilitation Program Inc.

They have reduced the building to its essence.

Front StepsAll the porches have been removed5317
Front Steps
All the porches have been removed
5317		 Only the base of a front porch pillar remains5337
Only the base of a front porch pillar remains
5337		 Gothic Windows5329
Gothic Windows
5329		 Side and Rear5335
Side and Rear
5335
Side View5320
Side View
5320		 Side Window5333
Side Window
5333		 Side projections5350
Side projections
5350		 Side Windows and porch deck5319
Side Windows and porch deck
5319
Side, with porch decking5330
Side, with porch decking
5330		 Side Porch5331
Side Porch
5331		 There's still some rot at the outside ends of the beams.
Side Porch, after removing the decking
5347

There's still some rot at the outside ends of the beams.

 The second floor window has been boarded up, but nothing else.
July 2006

The second floor window has been boarded up, but nothing else.
June 2007 The weeds are growing, and nothing has been done to the house.
June 2007 The weeds are growing, and nothing has been done to the house.		 Next door, though, is brightly painted.
Next door, though, is brightly painted.		 3650
July 2007 A crew from City Year is here to clean up the yard.

3650

 3652
Click to learn about City Year

3652
The crew has cleaned out a lot of growth and debris
The crew has cleaned out a lot of growth and debris		 The front and side yards now are neat
The front and side yards now are neat		 But the intricate roof decorations are getting worse
But the intricate roof decorations are getting worse		 3681
and worse

3681
The roofing is still a mess
The roofing is still a mess		 The rear of the building is still overgrown
The rear of the building is still overgrown		 And the front door has new graffiti.
And the front door has new graffiti.		 4745
Sept 2007 Lots more trash removed

4745
4747
And a fence has been started

4747

 - but still no sign of building4748
For the first time, the back of the house is clear.

- but still no sign of building
4748

 Image 1567
Spring 2009 A chain link fence safeguards the house.

Image 1567

 Image 1571
Does the fence mean that work will start soon?

Image 1571
Image 1570
This beautiful decoration remains.

Image 1570
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comment | share
exzim16-Apr-2008 01:12
Sad such a house is left to rot.
Marijka21-May-2006 13:52
really nice presentation of west philadelphia... when i drive through this area sometimes i can only imagine how wonderful life was back in its day.
Scott 31-Jan-2006 01:45
If I had a hammer.... Good series of photos.
Guest 29-Apr-2005 10:28
Sad but interesting journal of decay.
Dave Wyman05-Dec-2004 01:27
An unusual and interesting series of photographs - thanks.

Dave
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