myrklix
Patron with Honors
Cambridge Mission Demolition Photos
I just came across these photos of the demolition of the building the old Cambridge mission was in. They date back to the spring of 1987. I'd lived in the neighborhood for several years at this point and it struck me to memorialize part of the area that was being destroyed so out I rushed with my camera.
The location is Essex St., Central Square, a bustling multi-racial, multi-ethnic neighborhood considered the "downtown" of Cambridge. This period of the '80's was experiencing a real estate boom so the owner of this entire block had plans to entirely demolish half the block from Massachusetts Ave. all the way down Essex to the next street. The row houses that the mission was in were the only buildings demolished before the boom turned to bust. The huge development never happened and after a few years the buildings on Mass. Ave. were renovated and are in use to this day.
The first two photos show the wrecking crane at work. The building was 3 connected row houses. The two on the right side (in the process of being torn down) were the mission which was connected by a doorway cut through the brick wall separating the two units. The left side unit was some sort of psychotherapy counseling center call, I think, "Greenhouse". Talk about odd-couple neighbors!
The third photo is the lot after the demolition was complete. Years later this was turned into a parking lot.
The fourth photo shows Mass. Ave. (main thoroughfare), the front side of the buildings in photo three.
(This is my first time posting photos so any hints for the future are welcome.)
I just came across these photos of the demolition of the building the old Cambridge mission was in. They date back to the spring of 1987. I'd lived in the neighborhood for several years at this point and it struck me to memorialize part of the area that was being destroyed so out I rushed with my camera.
The location is Essex St., Central Square, a bustling multi-racial, multi-ethnic neighborhood considered the "downtown" of Cambridge. This period of the '80's was experiencing a real estate boom so the owner of this entire block had plans to entirely demolish half the block from Massachusetts Ave. all the way down Essex to the next street. The row houses that the mission was in were the only buildings demolished before the boom turned to bust. The huge development never happened and after a few years the buildings on Mass. Ave. were renovated and are in use to this day.
The first two photos show the wrecking crane at work. The building was 3 connected row houses. The two on the right side (in the process of being torn down) were the mission which was connected by a doorway cut through the brick wall separating the two units. The left side unit was some sort of psychotherapy counseling center call, I think, "Greenhouse". Talk about odd-couple neighbors!
The third photo is the lot after the demolition was complete. Years later this was turned into a parking lot.
The fourth photo shows Mass. Ave. (main thoroughfare), the front side of the buildings in photo three.
(This is my first time posting photos so any hints for the future are welcome.)
