It isn’t uncommon to come across abandoned houses, buildings, and other types of property, and suddenly having a strange feeling of both nostalgia and inspiration. For the younger generations and some art enthusiasts, their natural reaction is to take their phones or cameras and snap a bunch of beautiful pictures. There is a sense of enchantment and attraction to abandoned places, and the recent Instagram trends can confirm it. Rescuing abandoned architecture is important for the communities that surround them, and we should start thinking about the perception of the industry towards this kind of spaces.
More often than we think, we are likely to find abandoned houses and lots in neighborhoods where buyer demand is particularly low. This results in a negative impact that homeowners must endure, causing the value of their own homes to go down in the real estate market. Therefore, both the communities and local authorities need to collaborate and try to come up with a solution to the problem. However, sometimes finding a way to solve the situation might be harder than it should be.
In many cases, abandoned property does have a legal owner, belonging to an estate and having an heir that just won’t settle on what to do with such property. Thus, nothing is done and properties remain in abandonment. In other cases, these houses and buildings belong to senior citizens who suffer from dementia or even Alzheimer’s, so they are unable to keep up with the maintenance of the proper. Other cases might involve homeowners who are mentally ill or that are in jail, which also makes it quite hard for them to manage their properties.
In order to rescue abandoned buildings in our neighborhood or community, there are different paths we can take. The first option would be to follow what is known as a code of enforcement. The majority of towns have adopted a property maintenance code or law, which helps by setting standards that have to be met. We as neighbors can file a complaint to our local government and ask them to take the matter in their hands. Another option would be through a neighbor organization. Cleaning up the property and possibly even purchasing as a community could be another alternative.
Regardless of the solution that a neighborhood might come up with, architecture firms and real estate agencies should start looking at these as opportunities that just can’t be missed. Rescuing this type of spaces is essential for the communities on which they are found. Therefore, rescuing abandoned architecture would mean that the value of a neighborhood is important. And not only the economic value of their properties but their value as citizens and thus as humans, too.