Coming Down Alert – Lonely, Beaten Up and About to Go – Liaoyong Road

This old house has somehow survived the destruction all around – on a square block at Liaoyang Road (formerly Liaoyong Road) and Huimin Road (Baikal Road) in Hongkou (Hongkew). No idea why this one didn’t come down with the rest of the block but apparently, so the gate guard tells me, it’s due to go in the very near future. Migrant workers live inside at the moment and the upstairs has become uninhabitable due to the usual ‘slum by intent’ strategy or removing roof tiles and breaking windows to allow in the elements. Therefore the timbers are now pretty rotten apparently. A real shame as the roof level rooms must have been great once due to the high beams.

Of course inside the place is being steadily stripped, trashed and gutted. Shame as it was once a nice house and there was no need for it to fall into such disrepair. But high rises and office blocks are planned and the Bright Young Things don’t want wine bars in converted houses in this part of town so….