What a shame that a building with so much architectural character would be abandoned this way. Pics #1 and 3 stand out best for me, and the blood/paint(?) in #5 is rather creepy. It really looks like blood. Ewww.
Barra Castle was built in the 1930s, in the neo-gothic style, it has always been apartments, and had 18 units across three floors and a basement level. In August 2007 one of the first floor units suffered a fire, and city inspectors kicked everyone out and closed the building.
The golden era for the apartment was from the 1930s to 1987 when the building was new and in beautiful shape. But when it was sold in late 1980s, the new landlords rented to a much tougher crowd.
By the mid to late 1990s the place was a disaster, a s*** hole, as described by a former tenant.
The current owner purchased the Castle in 2006, and immediately pumped $250,000 into the building to replace the aging electrical and plumbing systems, along with the roof (which was still original). But the city continued to resist, and the fire in 2007, inspectors shut the entire building down.
The state Barra Castle is in today is all the city's fault in this case, who left the place alone for almost 20 years, despite the historical designation of the exterior of the building, it is a classic case for attempted demolition by neglect.
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