Writing a section of Rust n Brique about something that I only have one photo of may be kind of boring. Unfortunately, due to having a life, I wasn't able to get any pictures of the destruction of the neighborhood off of Sector Ave. until after it was all gone. One day, I noticed a big "road closed" sign at the corner of this road and W. 117th. Later, construction equipment showed up. Then houses started coming down, or, in one case, as the "artist's rendering" on the front page illustrates, burning down. Finally a sign came up with a notice that a Target will be coming soon to this particular location.

The last thing to come down was "The Red Room," a strange place that I think was a hall you could rent to have a party in. I'm not entirely sure. It was a pretty weird looking building, and, of course, the only picture I have of it is the rubble you see above.

Of course, as a "socially aware" person, I'm probably supposed to complain about the eminent domain issues involved with knocking down a neighborhood to build a box store. However, this was an odd neighborhood that never really seemed like it should have existed. Maybe prior to the building of I-90 things were different, but it was a moderately slummy area wedged between the freeway and an industrial zone. I doubt anyone was too heartbroken about having to sell their home at an above-market rate and move somewhere else. That might be an unfair assumption, but it wasn't exactly a place I'd imagine generating a lot of history or sentimental attachment. And, yeah, I know Target is "just as bad" as the ogre called Wal-Mart, but when I go out for my semi-yearly conspicuous consumption at the clearance racks, at least now I won't need to get a ride to Rocky River.

Next: Mansfield Photos

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