[magellan]

It is weird that it has been standing for 15 years? Maybe the people still own the property, and what has been built so far, but just ran out of money or lost their financing to complete it (the bank disburses money as you progress along on construction). Maybe they someday dream of finishing it. Although, at this point, the framing probably needs to be taken down to the foundation and started over again due to warpage from the elements.

It'd make for an interesting article. With a little digging, you can probably find out who owns it through county records.

Here it is from the Ann Arbor Road (23) side:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...,253.3,,0,8.06

[canudigit]

Pretty depressing sight, isn't it?

I have tried many times to find Monroe County public real estate and tax records online, but they don't seem to put their records online. Dundee has a search site, but I think it's just for properties within the village proper, plus, it costs $1 everytime you do a search, and I have no idea what the address of that place would be, even if it was in that data base, which it wouldn't be, since it's out in the country.

The only way to research it would be to go to the Monroe Co. courthouse in downtown Monroe, and I just don't care enough about who owns that house to take the time to do that. Apparently, whoever owns it has no desire to do anything about it.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by canudigit

Pretty depressing sight, isn't it?

I have tried many times to find Monroe County public real estate and tax records online, but they don't seem to put their records online. Dundee has a search site, but I think it's just for properties within the village proper, plus, it costs $1 everytime you do a search, and I have no idea what the address of that place would be, even if it was in that data base, which it wouldn't be, since it's out in the country.

The only way to research it would be to go to the Monroe Co. courthouse in downtown Monroe, and I just don't care enough about who owns that house to take the time to do that. Apparently, whoever owns it has no desire to do anything about it.

Yeah, I noticed that. I too went to the Monroe County website and tried to look it up by the approximate address shown on google maps. In Kent County, they have all the parcels mapped out on a GIS system, so you can find them on a map online, grab the parcel number and address, and then look them up on the Kent County system (for free). Tells you tax history, sale dates, assessed value, etc., everything that is public record.

[canudigit]

Most counties have at least some of their records online, it's frustrating for me, as a resident of Monroe County, that they don't. It's probably a money issue, since I'm sure it would cost them something to maintain online records.

[J'aimeDesVilles]

I drive past that house every day going to and from work. I really don't even notice it anymore. Surprised to hear it has been in that sorry condition for so long. I started this job in June '08 and presumed it was a fairly recent situation at that time.

As far as building near a freeway, I grew up close to one and it never bothered me. In fact, the sound of the traffic flow was kind of soothing. Not like city street traffic that is disruptive. Anyway this house really isn't that close to US-23 and perhaps the owner had planned to put in landscaping to screen it. If they had money for that large of a home on a large lot they may have had the money for some major landscping.

Regarding the demolition of the home, I would be fairly certain a bank owns it and they are not going to do anything unless required. It is located in a fairly rural area so it is doubtful the house poses any nuisance or danger to the community and it may not even be visible from neighboring homes.

Drive through any rural area and you will see plenty of delapidated barns that have been in that condition probably for decades. This is only different because it is (or was intended to be) a dwelling. It may very well remain in this deteriorating condition for another 10 or 15 years or until someone buys the land and has it torn down.

Furthermore, Monroe county is one of the poorest counties in SE Michigan. I wouldn't imagine they can, or will, do anything about it. Probably the best outcome, aside from the land being purchased, would be a lightning strike during a long hot, dry spell some August. It would be one helluva a bonfire!

[michigan83]

I don't know if it will last 10-15 more years. That OSB board that they use for sheeting isn't designed to be exposed to the weather. I would imagine that stuff is getting pretty soft by now and will probably start falling apart/falling off.

Where I live, sometimes the local fire department will burn down an abandoned house as sort of a "practice run." I'm not sure where they get permission to do it, or who owned the houses, but I've seen it happen two or three times. Maybe they could do something like that.

[J'aimeDesVilles]

Good idea ^^^.
And it would be fun to watch.

[Retroit]

It would make a nice Governor's Mansion.

...a third one, that is.

[wendyl77]

Here is a close up picture. houses starting at | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/buckshotjones/3083814006/ - broken link)

[cushla]

Sad really that this was probably some ones dream.