On the other side of the block, a section of Washington Avenue was closed off years ago and turned to a small but handsome park. This green space exemplifies the kind of small park that can thrive in a healthy city -- but can be a detriment in the kind of thinned-out urban landscape that surrounds Midtown.

A small row of commercial storefronts faces the park, one of the few surviving small-scale streetscapes in the area. Most others were abandoned and demolished years ago. This row has recently become active again, with restaurants and local organizations.

At the end of the storefronts stands a small surviving Second Empire townhouse, built in 1874. It is now home to the City House, a community educational organization. Their web site includes several photographs of the restored interior.

Image courtesy of Kevin Kieffer.

Image courtesy of Kevin Kieffer.