an empty lot is preferable to the piece of crap townhomes plaguing the city. for a stark, depressing example, visit the 2 blocks east of aurora & north of 85th.

"i wouldn't live there if you paid me" - talking heads, the great country

Did you used to go to new years eve parties in this neighborhood? Around 92nd and 5th NE? Mike and Kara's place...

Just trying to figure out if you are THAT jonah.

-Sean

I kid.

@ 8- There's already a Walgreens about a mile away on Northgate. I just wish there was a decent bar in my neighborhood.

I'm sure we can find a FEMA trailer for him.

@ 10- There are no good bars. The res is cheap but totally inconsistent. My last few visits to the Maple Leaf Grill have been disappointing and I just haven't made it to The Jones. It doesn't look like a bar I would enjoy.

@ 11- I wrote about Waldo a few weeks ago. The neighborhood is in the process of getting it declared as a historic site. I'm all for the preservation of the trees but the building is hideous.
I'm more excited/amazed/frightened by the prospect of the city capping the reservoir and turning the area into a massive park.

Two problems, though. First, I assumed that a 4-story condo would go up overlooking the very long strip of backyard, making it impossible to enjoy the backyard once that happened, and requiring a year or more of endurance of construction next door.

Second, the backyard is adjacent to Judy Fu's. Now I love Snappy Dragon. Don't get me wrong. But they have reasonably long hours and they deliver. So there would be the constant smell of hand shaved noodles and the constant coming and going of vehicles.

My wife and I opted not to buy the house, as much as we liked it, which was quite a lot. It did get sold and I hope the new owners have enjoyed the relative quiet given that the burned-down area has been unbuilt so far.

This">http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=89th+and+Roosevelt,+Seattle,+WA&sll=47.640288,-122.307173&sspn=0.007605,0.01884&ie=UTF8&ll=47.693326,-122.317786&spn=0.00095,0.002355&t=k&z=19&om=1>This Google link with satellite view is really out of date, as it doesn't show the house, which was built in 2003, I believe.

I'm sure there's a million reasons why these spaces occur, but the only scenario I ever imagine is the proverbial insane property owner, living far away in a huge house, surrounded by piles and piles of old newspapers, who's children will occasionally check in on in anticipation of the day they inherit all that "big city property".

Decent food, too!

It's also a bit far from my place.

I think I'm gonna have to go there and get a sandwich tonight. Mmmm.

While I'd live to defend the guy's right to property, he's doing absolutely nothing with a piece of property because of some mental psychosis. He needs to give it up and move on with whatever life he has left.

That's if his excuse is above board. I think this is just his stated excuse, and he's just holding out for a big sale to the first person or entity willing to make a crazy bid way above its value.