Signs of Decay

My compulsion for punning got the best of me. There are a few old buildings in the District that still have their original signs hanging. This one is a landmark, not just because of its age and location (pretty close to downtown DC, around popular bars, etc.), but also for its origins. Thomas Walker Furniture is infamous in law school courses and economics classes all over the United States because of its unfair contractual negotiations.

Once I built a tower.

Despite the economic turmoil of the last few years, DC continues its building boom. Of course, with any construction, there must also be destruction. DC's traditional styles of architecture are being overshadowed, then consumed entirely, by the high-rise residential buildings like these. The good news with all of this gentrification is lower crime rates; the bad news is skyrocketing rents, and, of course, the loss of so many beautiful buildings like the one in the middle. But it's not just the buildings we're losing, it's also the expanse of open sky above. Click here for a closer view of the smaller building on the left (or here if you'd like to hear the old song the title references).

The O St. Market

The roof of the O St. Market (near O & 7th NW) collapsed a few years ago. Now there's just a shell, looking like some urban picturesque ruin. It's surrounded by a construction fence for the past few weeks and is scheduled for demolition.