Safeway out...Urban Decay in...

Well that didn't take long.  A little over two months since it shuttered its doors and the abandoned Safeway building on 3rd and Maple is on the fast track to blight.  Some might say it's already arrived.  The store was never the pride and joy of the organization, and as far back as we can remember it had always been a little rough around the edges.

As unsightly as it is this building is teaching us all a lesson about design and it's impact on an environment:  remove the people, remove the activity, and the decline begins.  With no one to watch over the place, no customers to stop by for cigs or beer or bread, the decay sets in. Its the broken windows theory and the eyes on the street theory of urban design playing out for all to see.

Comments

[Todd]

exactly what I was thinking. i drove by there pretty late one night and the parking lot was still pretty bright from the lights. those taggers were pretty gutsy. That texaco across the street has been vacant for a number of months also.

[METROSPOKANE]

You're right, the whole intersection is slowly dying. Property owners nearby should be livid at the way the property is looking.

[Todd]

When the Texaco first closed I was going to snap some photos of it thinking that it won't be closed for long...guess I can take my time.

[sustainable]

I drive by that old Safeway a couple of times a day. The graffiti has gotten much worse in the last month. you would think that cornerstone (the real estate brokers) would want to take care of that so that they could sell or lease it easier. Too bad Trader Joe's didn't want the space...

[Todd]

I just drove by tonight and all the graffiti is covered up. Lets see how long that lasts.

[METROSPOKANE]

$50 bucks, it's back by next week.

[Todd]

there is already one new piece of graffiti on the S/E corner.

[METROSPOKANE]

Damn!!!That was quick.