Spring can really hang you up the most.*

Back on the Tour De Hood. It’s officially Spring, and Detroit is awakening from its gentle winter slumber. Let’s see what’s happened over the winter.  

I noticed some newly burned-out houses this morning. (That is to say, I don’t remember them being burned out last year). Here’s a sample of what I found.

This charming barn-ish fixer-upper has a mostly intact roof, some paint left on the outside, and part of a fence.  Ready to re-make into a Tribeca-Style loft for the right buyer. Church & schools nearby. Some streetlights.

This two-tone, two-story beauty has room for your growing family! Set in a park-like atmosphere, it has beautiful original landscaping. Hole in the peak of the roof could mark the beginning of a very nice skylight. Owner motivated!

Real rental possibilities abound in this semi-not-destroyed duplex.  Live downstairs while you clear out the fire damage up top. Most windows are still intact. Plywood covers can be re-purposed to help mend second floor. Nice big yard for cookouts and entertaining. Recent price re-adjustment.

Retail, retail, retail. Think of the opportunities to establish a luxe, upscale retailer here! No competition of any kind. Plenty of free parking. Start from scratch to build your dream store. Roof a problem. 

I’ve decided there are 7 life stages of Tour De Hood homes.  1) Inhabited, well-kept.  2) Inhabited, not well-kept. 3) For sale, well-kept. 4) For sale, not well-kept. 5) For sale, looks abandoned.  6) Abandoned. 7) Collapsed.

Ah well.  Just to keep myself from breaking into tears, I stopped at Good Girls Go To Paris and had a super yummy banana and Nutella crepe.  Here’s proof.

That’s all for now. I hope that next week some spring weeds will begin to show their pretty little heads in some of the abandoned lots along the TDH route.

* Props to composer and lyricist, Tommy Wolf and Fran Landesman