A couple of readers have urged us to revisit the booming 2200 block of Wilder Street in recent weeks, but that pesky early setting sun foiled us a couple times before we could get some decent images of what's happening. You may recall, we first visited this block back in January, when we learned of plans for four new homes on the north side of the block and three more homes on the south side, but the project was no slam dunk as it had not yet gone to the ZBA. By the end of the summer, we heard that a couple homes were getting demoed in preparation for the the aforementioned project and we learned that the ZBA had indeed given their blessing. Today, as we approach the end of the year, we can report that the project seems to be moving forward full speed ahead, with footings on the south side and an excavator doing its thing on the north side.
Seven new homes under construction on one block is no small thing, but we've got another nugget to bring to your attention. You may remember, the most notable feature of this block is a large vacant lot on its southern side which we had originally thought was entirely owned by City agencies. But we were incorrect. The City does indeed own a few properties in this mass of land, but more than half of it is privately owned and a few of the properties have changed hands in the last few years. One such property, 2218 Wilder St., was bought by V2 Properties earlier this year. Wasting no time, they're already hard at work building a new home here.
With any luck, this project will soon be joined by some other homes and this large gap in the neighborhood will start to fill in. And if we're not asking too much, perhaps the City could sell off their lots on this block? And everywhere else, for that matter? It's just not fair to the people that live on the 2200 block of Wilder Street today or to the people who will be moving here sometime next year. Or the thousands of other people living near vacant City owned properties scattered around town, for that matter.