How's That Ill Advised Pocketbook Factory Project Coming Along?

It's been quite a while since HUDseen has focused on the Pocketbook Factory project on North 6th Street, so I thought it was time to have a look at the ambitious development that will transform the neighborhood primarily in negative ways.  It seems to be rolling along lately without the pauses that were common last year and the year before.  I won't call it progress, though.

There's been plenty of noise daily, plenty of guys in hard hats, plenty of beep beeps from machinery backing up (even on Sundays), plenty of stones and mud in the street on both Prospect and on 6th, new windows have been installed, a series of dumpster at the southeast corner have been filling up quickly (some with scraps if you want wallboard, as in picture), trucks block the intersection, and the lovely chain link fence along what was once a sidewalk is still looking so neighborly and inviting (not to mention annoying if you park next to it and need to use a passenger side door).  But most telling, perhaps, is that the developers continue to make sure the hundreds of lightbulbs inside the expansive 4-story building remain on at night.  That makes me think they aren't going to run out of money anytime soon. 

Last night, two years or more into the project.

Gauging by what I can see through the lower windows facing Prospect, I would say that this project will not be finished for at least another two years.  For the sake of the neighborhood, I hope I am wrong.  It's not like any of us are looking forward to this thing opening up and creating all sorts of headaches, parking being at the top of the list, but an enormous multi-year construction site in a dense residential neighborhood is nothing to write home about either.  

This soon-to-be-disaster will be one of Kamal Johnson's many legacies no one will be proud of (another one is also in progress just one block east).  It never should have been allowed to move forward.  Apartments? Sure, but with a parking lot somewhere on or off-site!  Knock the factory down and build a few houses?  Sure! A hotel and spa, etc. on North 6th Street between Prospect and Washington intended for visitors to the city but with no dedicated parking on site or nearby?  Don't be foolish!  (Too late.  We were duped again!)

Delivery being made this morning.  The white box
truck parked in the background is owned by the 
neighbor across the street.  Until last week, it had 
been parked unmoved on 6th south of Prospect for 
at least 5 months.  It takes up two standard parking spaces. 

I don't know when the PB project began in earnest, but I believe the first HUDseen article about it was in February of 2023, almost two and a half years ago.  (My goodness, where does the time go?)  Read it here: Lights On!.  There are other articles about the PB here on your favorite blog -- just type Pocketbook in the search bar to find them.  Then read 'em and weep.