Whether you liked him or not, outgoing Springfield mayor Charlie Ryan had a major hand in the elimination of blight in this city. Dozens of buildings all around town began sporting a big red 'X', marking them for demolition.
All the pictures on this post are from just one deeply troubled neighborhood, the Hollywood neighborhood in the south end.
One of the biggest demolition projects in the city is taking place here. It was way overdue.
Thankfully there are a lot more demos to come here.
The Hollywood section of Springfield, in the south end, supposedly got it's name after a couple locals made it to the west coast, and stardom. Most of the streets in the neighborhood are named after some famous 18th century forts and characters; Adams, Saratoga, Niagra, Oswego, Richelieu...terrible irony.
This neighborhood has fallen under extreme neglect. Dangerous and dirty, rife with drugs and violence. It must have been, and must still be, hell to live here. Throughout the 80's and 90's the 'City of Homes' was, in many places, beginning to look like the 'City of Slums'. This area a case in point. Finally something is being done about it.
Sometimes things are allowed to get so far gone, it's best to just level the whole stinking mess...
And start again.
Hopefully mayor-elect Dom Sarno and the City Council will maintain the attack, on the blight and hopelessness of certain sections of this city.
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