We’ve spent many nights sipping pints outside at Pub and Kitchen or Meritage, and have often found ourselves staring across the street at an unusual, overgrown, one-story building on the northeast corner of 20th & Lombard. The building looks like it’s been there forever, and seems like a bit of a waste of space in this day and age.

Weird building

From 20th St.

According to public record, Rudolph Masciantonio has owned both the corner and the four-story building next door since at least the early 1970s. Peeking back at the zoning archive, it appears that the corner lot was vacant back then, indicating that the building isn’t more than four decades old. This is amazing to us. Prior to its construction, proposals came forward for a four-unit building in the 1960s, and a two-story mixed-use building in the early 1950s. Clearly, neither were built. A mixed-use building at this site was demolished for some reason back in the 1940s.

Zoomed in

Does anyone who lives in the neighborhood know anything about this building? When was it built? What’s inside? Is it connected to the home next door? Walking by the other day, we looked up through the large windows and saw a shimmer on the ceiling that would suggest a swimming pool or a large hot tub could be inside. If not that, then what?

If Mr. Masciantonio were to put it up for sale, we suspect he could get in excess of $300K for the corner. But if there’s indeed a pool inside, on a day like today, we’re not sure twice that amount would get him to part with the property. But on the other hand, if there’s nothing to speak of inside, it might be a good opportunity for someone to step in and make an offer.

Can anyone out there give us some concrete information on this property?