I tend to focus on the large-scale demolitions and renovations around here, but every now and then there are little ones that catch my eye. I was surprised this week to drive by this little house on Nevada Street and see it torn apart like this. The holes in the walls and ceilings are a tell-tale sign of fire department training, which is usually the last step before demolishing a house. I didn’t even know this house was in danger of demolition. I’ve always been fascinated by this place, the way it looks like it’s only half a house because of how the roof slopes all the way up to the back wall.

I don’t know anything about this house, and I doubt it’s very historic. It is located at 213 S. Nevada, on the east side of the street between Second and Third. A real estate listing from last year says it was built in 1947. So that puts it at 70 years old. It butts up against the Third and Curry parking lot, where the farmers market is held every Saturday during the summer. It’s the only house on the block; the rest is parking lot. There’s a detached garage next door to it that doesn’t show any signs that it’s going to be demolished also.

This house apparently sold last year for $150,000. The new owners obviously didn’t have any interest in keeping it. I wonder if there will be something new built on this lot? Or if it will end up staying a vacant lot, like the cottage that was torn down at Seventh and Division? Either way, the end is here for this house.

It’s always a loss when small, affordable places like this are torn down. At 700 square feet it’s not a big house, but it’s unique and it’s in a good neighborhood. I would have liked to see it renovated instead of torn down. But, we don’t know what it was like inside. There could have been structural problems that spelled its doom long ago.

All we can do now is hope that the replacement keeps some of the charm and fits the neighborhood. I’m going to miss seeing this weird little half-house when I drive by.