The 1400 block of S. Darien Street is rather hidden, only accessible via the 800 block of Reed Street and dead ending before reaching Wilder Street. Because it’s a little off the beaten path, it turns out we haven’t visited this block in years. And while it has undergone some changes since our last visit, its most significant change is still on the horizon.

Back in the winter of 2014, a fire destroyed a warehouse at 1403-09 S. Darien St., a space that had been used as band rehearsal space. Prior to the fire, developers had come forward with plans to redevelop the property into six homes with garages and had the support of the local community group. Within a few months of the fire, the developers got zoning and we assumed that the project would proceed apace. But that’s not what happened. Instead, the parcel continued to sit vacant.

A reader tipped us off to the fact that there are now some building materials on the site, which seems like a pretty good indication that construction could get started in the near future. Also, new developers bought the property for $890K earlier this year, which is yet another indication that we could soon see some action here. A reminder, FUSA Designs did the architecture for the project, and renderings showed some colorful bays.

With the project now in the hands of new developers, we hope they maintain the architectural touches in the renderings above. The pastel colored bays would add a whimsical touch to a block that’s rather dull. Even if the homes don’t look quite so fun though, we’ll consider it a win to see this project finally get built.