Double Trouble on Avon Street

Avon has long been a pleasant stretch of mostly one-story bungalows in a variety of styles. But this pleasant mix has been upset by the recent arrival of some unwelcome neighbors. The bloated McMansion near Cerro Gordo would certainly be better suited to suburban Las Vegas than historic Echo Park. It may be historic...if you think cookie cutter houses from the 1980s are historic. Two blocks south, a worn-looking but charming Spanish-colonial style home was demolished to make way for this two-story box that will become a duplex. AvonStreet, and Echo Park, deserve far better than these two sad samples of Home Depot-design.

Grand Entrance for Jensen's

It was worth the wait. After winning a final approval by the city, the main entrance to Jensen's Recreation Center now features a grand, iron gate fit for a landmark hotel. The building is a city landmark, and the gate design needed to be approved and reviewed by the city to make sure it fit into the style of the 1924 building. What made it tricky is that the original design did not include a gate. So, the owners had to come up with a design that provided security but also respected the building's historic character. As an added bonus, a couple of cage-like enclosures in the lobby area will be removed.