Thirteen thousand souls, and from the picture above, a good prospect for one of those neutron-bomb downtowns. Well, let's amble.

Not, as we like to say, or rather hate to say but must, a rather auspicious start.

At least we got the OUMB out of the way. Let’s see what’s here; this is a two-week visit, so there must be a lot.

When you’re 14 and playing a city-building game and spend a lot of time arranging the potted firs just so

Is this a remnant of the ancient building itself, before it had its face ripped off?

You ask yourself: do they still exist? They made a lot of cool stuff in the 80s. Really well-styled electronics.

“And a fir . . . right here.”

It’s a bank. It’s also a very nice mid-century modern building.

Those gold accents always brought a lift to a building.

Then there’s the other style of mid-century office building, which had only itself to blame if subsequent era’s additions kept with the theme of “colorless and devoid of personality.”

On the exact opposite end of the modern spectrum: this lively little box.

Everything about it says fun and hamburgers and coke and maybe a dance.

Hmmm.

I’m inclined to think “new construction,” albeit in the late 40s or early 50s, rather than a renovation. It’s unusual to see new buildings on the corner. Usually the structures on the corner lasted forever.

Quite modern, but unloved

“And another fir . . . here.”

Great old facade, but the emptiness suggests a stasis that’s lasted a long, long time.

The cornice says it’s old. The rest of it says “the architect wasn’t slapped enough and made to feel the shame he so richly earned.

Honestly, it looks like it’s crapping out that corner column.

“I knew that bank would go bust. It was too narrow.”

I’m walking out limb-wise and saying it was all new, in the 50s.

An attempt at urban renewal, or perhaps two five-and-dimers right next to each other?

Why did I split this up? One of those situations where I bait you with dull stuff then knock you out the next week?

Stay tuned. (I don’t know the answer right now; haven’t looked at the next folder since I set it aside.)