Abandoned Buildings Dilemma

My visit to the Mississippi River town where I grew up led to discovering old architecture, abandoned and without prospects for renovation or rehabbing. It's a problem prevalent throughout small towns! Go to Design2Share.com for the latest expert home design tips, advice, diaries, blogs, videos, and photo shoots.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• abandoned
• buildings
• old
• school
• movie
• theater
• Clinton
• Iowa
• Lyons
• architecture
• renovation
• Design2Share
• howto
• DIY

[yamahonkawazuki]

i would love to get my hands on a property/properties like youve shown, i dont know whay, i just like the old buildings.

[westend104]

@yamahonkawazuki ME TOO! I'd love to put some tender loving care into restoring some of these cool places. The old post office downtown in this city is abandoned, and it's architecturally significant; would make a great restaurant, book store, bowling alley - maybe a combination of all three! Thanks much for watching.

[TheSparrowsRevenge]

that high school is a gorgeous building! it's definitely a shame that it was left to rot. i live in a small town myself and there are beautiful 100 year old pioneer buildings sitting around that no one seems to care about. each year they crumble a little more and it just breaks my heart to see it.

[westend104]

@TheSparrowsRevenge Yes, you're so right; it's a shame and a waste. Thanks so much for watching, and spread the word about coming to the rescue of historic buildings. We need to show them some TLC.

[mvarahadas]

Older communities were designed around a central plaza or courthouse. This made the business district within walking distance for the urban populace. Rural residents could drive a few miles and get what they needed in one location. The Interstate Highways and easy auto financing created a new mobile consumer. Rural property was cheaper and had fewer zoning issues than urban land and the new breed of consumers allowed decentralization to occur.

[westend104]

@mvarahadas Fascinating! Thanks so much for watching, and sharing these observations! In this town's case, there were strict zoning decrees in place for decades, but when they began to relax in the 1980s, sprawl happened and the downtown came upon hard times.

[fk4515]

ADA accessibility, Asbestos and lead base paint. We legislated the death of these buildings and the small towns they are in.

[AlMayer1100]

In capitalism scarcity is the driving force. Never give anything away for free. If you cant find tenants for a building, leave the building empty. Even though there are people who need a place to stay. Dont let them in. The bakery destroys the bread thats not being sold. Even though there a people starving. Capitalism produces scarcity. No money? Bad luck.

[blissfullB]

Modern code enforcement makes it prohibitive...asbestos abatement, plumbing and electrical upgrade. Beautiful old buildings everywhere standing vacant and rotting.

[eagle45147]

I remember going to the Lyons theater. Now that the new bridge is at 19th Ave. N. I think it is hurting the Lyons business district.

[HistoricDepths]

nice video! thanks for the video! :)

[sennichi98]

Life ebbing out? During the entire video saw one other sign of life - a pickup drove by. That was it! I'd say life is already gone.

[oomoonbeam]

wow that high school,its sad to see it closed u can just imagian all the memories it has for people who use to go there.... My old high school was knocked down it been there for 70 years i felt sad walking round on the reunion day before they knocked it all down,its going to be playing fields now, they have built a new one close by and my daughter will be going but just looks like 80s square blocks no character at all..p.s love your trip down memory lane going to look at some more of ur vids:0)

[telemetry9]

This is happening throughout western society. Very apparent here in the UK. Nobody makes anything in this virtual economy and shareholders dictate policy.

Hence society is declining as economic value is considered the only value. Well; there's much more to being human and existing than that.

Paradigm shift - shock therapy is the only thing that'll change this toxic behaviour now.

[yamahonkawazuki]

@westend104 id love to get my hands on that old high school. maybe make a B&B out of it. or something. even if its NOT official, id still rehab it, and live within while working on it lol. those old buildings have some STRONG bones i lived in a 4 square house in west chicago il. built in 1910 talking 2x12" TRUE floor joists.