Out on the Town

In the heart of Ajax, 5 homes sit all boarded up & waiting for re-development. In the name of "progress", these once-loved properties are being torn down to make way for a row of 'McMansion' town-homes. The builder describes them as " Freehold beautifully designed affordable luxury townhomes". All of the houses have huge back yards and were built in an era when open space was enjoyed, rather than being cloistered and fenced off from your neighbours. You can cross the back yards of all 5 properties without a single fence barring your way.
All of the houses are securely boarded up, and I was only able to get into one, thanks to a small POE that some previous visitor had created. Inside was a living room that rose 2 stories with a large mural on one wall, and with a very cool spiral staircase leading up to the 2nd floor, covered in shag carpet. Someone has thrown a rock through a 2nd story window, and there is a lot of broken glass on the rug. Aside from the one broken window, the house is in very good shape.

Upstairs, the retro effect continued, with one of the bedrooms containing a [b]rotary[/b] phone, of all things. There were also a couple of bedside tables, a blanket on the floor, and several books stacked neatly on the stand where the phone sits. It almost looks like someone has been sleeping there. The kitchen counter seems to bear witness to this as well, with several plates stacked by the sink, along with a griddle on the counter & pots in the sink.

The basement features a bar with a lobster trap hanging from the ceiling, and the whole room looks like it was a nice rec room. Both bathrooms I saw were very clean, with no damage. One even had a roll of toilet paper on its holder. Out back I saw a small stereo sitting on a stool, and further back a fire pit with the remains of a swivel chair in it. There were also a few sheds to one side of the property. In its day, this would have been a beautiful home.

The 2nd house I saw was also quite large, but inaccessible. However, out back was a second building that had obviously served as a business. What I saw inside was a bit bizarre. One side was very neat and tidy. The desk looked like someone was coming into work the next day, and near the front of the building was a table with colour samples and brochures neatly laid out. On the other side, it was very messy, and there was a large pile of empty shotgun shells on the floor, & debris and boards everywhere. It was very Jekyll & Hyde-ish. [b]Shotgun shells??[/b] What the...

The next house has an old black Acura with no plates sitting in the driveway (inside the fence). The passenger window has been broken, and there is rubbish and broken glass inside. It appears as though the car was just abandoned too.

Another one of the houses has a smaller house sitting on concrete blocks in the back yard. Was it relocated there? Was it a mother-in-law home? Strange to see. I did get exterior shots of the homes I wasn't able to get into. Who knows...maybe a POE will open up into some of them.

The last picture in the gallery shows an artist's conception of the new townhomes. I've made this location FM since those up to no good might steal, vandalize, or destroy what's there.

Update 2017
By KnightHawk

On my second visit, I was able to get into the other homes, and have created another location in order to highlight these houses. Out on the Town Pt. 2 showcases the other houses. Unfortunately, all the buildings have now been demolished to make way for McMansions. Ah, progress, thou art a fickle creature...