May 18, 2011

Following last week’s Villa Capri/Vista Theater fire, firefighters discovered a 4-foot by 4-foot crawlspace (tunnel) that ran under the old building. This nosey li’l newshound tried to garner access to the rubble to get some pictures of the infamous tunnel but was run off repeatedly by a security guard stationed at the demo site.

Whether the tunnel was used in prohibition days for bootlegging or later during the 1970s and 1980s as a gangster get-away route, one thing is certain: every time a prominent building falls, a chapter of rich history falls with it.

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No violations. Really? Neighborhood Preservation Inspectors recently cleared this ramshackle home at 425 S. Elmwood of any and all existing codes violations despite the fact the property is trashed in every way. Boards hanging off the structure, trash and litter strewn across the uncut and unkept yard and an illegally poured driveway are all plainly visible from the public right-of-way.

Owned by an absentee landlord who lives in Lee’s Summit, the house has been an eyesore for years. According to neighbors, the landlord rents to anyone with a fist full of cash. Our issue, however, is with a codes inspector who gives this eyesore a clean bill of health when so many blatant violations clearly exist. This news canine isn’t sure if it’s a lazy inspector or an inspector on the take – either way, it doesn’t make for much of a livable community.

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Tip o’ the hat to Scarritt residents Stephan Zweifler, as well as Jason Milbrandt and Michael Stringer, for opening their properties to the Kansas City Museum History Walk on Sunday.  Both properties were fantastic for different reasons and were greatly appreciated by tour patrons. It’s neighbors like these who make Historic Northeast a great place to call home.

Above, 425 S. Elmwood has a clean inspection record despite the clear violations seen by the neighbors and public.