Neighbourhood Destruction

Neighbourhood Destruction

A few years ago we noticed some of the buildings in our neighbourhood putting up protest signs that they didn’t want to move.  Having seen this in other areas of the city previously we knew that their days were numbered.  The city had decided to demolish their houses to make way for newer and better buildings.  It took years to get all the residents out finally and over the past half a year or so they’ve started tearing them down.

The houses in these photos are quite big but there were a lot which were very small and run down.  I would often look at them as I passed by and wondered how people lived in such a small space.

Neighbourhood Destruction

It’s almost all gone now and the planning has already begun for the new houses that will go up in their place.  We’ve been living in this area for over 10 years now and I always found those small houses to have so much charm, even if they were severely outdated.  Soon it will have a whole new and fresh look, totally up to date.

It really is the end of an era for our neighbourhood.

At one point I considered going into the houses to get some photos like I took at Doel, but then I realized that there were signs warning against asbestos everywhere and decided against it.  These photos from outside will have to do.  I’m really curious what it will be like once they are all gone and the new houses start going up.  I suspect it will make for some major change in our immediate area.  It will certainly look better!  For over a year we’ve only had abandoned buildings full of graffiti.  It was such an eyesore.  It won’t take much to improve on that.

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12 comments

  1. It looks like we might live in the same area unless there are more places in Rotterdam that look like they have had a visit from Godzilla (which is very likely). These buildings look like the ones just down the street from me.
    .-= InvaderStu´s last blog ..Relationship Advice Drug Dealer =-.

    • I’m freaking out! I can’t believe we live so close. This is going to make my stalking you sooo much easier! :P

      • The houses were built just after the second world war. The first new streets after the bombing of Rotterdam. They were only suppose to be there for a certain time. The rent for it was really low. They were there longer then planned. Some people hoped it would be giving a protecting status because of it’s history, but unfortunately…. nope!

        BTW I’m Stu’s girlfriend ;P
        .-= Ladybird´s last blog ..Baking & house…. =-.

        • Hey thanks for visiting, neighbour! I think that’s the case with a LOT of Rotterdam. I always tell Xander that this place is like Sim City. It’s come time now that all the cheap and quick buildings from after WW2 are getting really run down and are being replaced. I wish I’d taken more photos before they were torn down.

          Off to visit your site now!

  2. I hope they don’t build some weird designed place. We have those popping up here and I can’t stand them. They are boxy,grey bricks and look just awful. Then you have the space age looking ones and I would hate to live in those too.

    They are going crazy over here with the cutting of trees! My neighbor had a giant one taken down in her back yard. It was our only source of privacy from the rest..now we have none. It was huge and they cut it down because she was scared of spiders coming into her house from the branches!
    .-= Sonya´s last blog ..Kool Aid Pie =-.

    • From what I’ve seen from the plans online a while back it looked like pretty nice houses going up. What I’m NOT looking forward to is the construction, because we are just close enough that we’ll hear every bang.

  3. Your 75sq.m is a whopping 807sq.ft!! My place here is 2300sq.ft plus an attached garage. Want to move here? Our exact house plan, just a few doors down is up for sale!! Only $85 000. Faro has such cheap homes!!

    What kind of compensation did they give the people living in the old places? Do they get an nice new place instead?
    .-= Kara´s last blog ..Finger Food Ideas Please! =-.

    • Omg that’s only like 62k euro for a house that big *Faints* I assume wages are probably less there though as they tend to be in more remote areas. It’s the same as CB, you can generally get places cheaper there because the wages are not as high and the cost of living is a lot less.

      • Oh no. In the north, the higher wages are found in the more remote communities.

        Faro is a bit of an anomaly though. The mine that did employ so many is now in reclamation and only employs a small number. Therefore the housing here is cheap. There are only a few jobs in town. It is perfect for people who work from home or have jobs that they work two weeks on site and then two weeks home.

        The other communities in the Yukon, and Whitehorse, have house prices much more substantial.
        .-= Kara´s last blog ..Finger Food Ideas Please! =-.

        • Well in any case I’ll try to talk hubby into buyin your neighbours house, then we can be weight loss buddies and go snowmobiling together and stuff! :P Your kids can play with my dogs and we can cry over all the food we can’t find haha

  4. A little asbestos won’t kill you, but its a mighty fine scare tactic to keep people out, LOL. Those houses looked really small, maybe we’re spoiled on this side of the pond, I complain that my 1200 sq feet isn’t enough, although it would be if I had a full basement to keep my junk in.
    .-= Nobody™´s last blog ..Big F-in Deal =-.

    • They are really small by North American standards but fair sized by Dutch standards. They have more space than the flat I am living in, which is 75 square meters. No idea what that is in feet but I’m pretty sure it’s nowhere near 1200 :P You are all spoiled brats over there, house wise!

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