Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Sterling Community Center Annex - 2017 Update

Sterling Annex, 2017

[Update August 2023: This school has now been demolished. Check out Sterling Annex DEMO DAY 1]

We are back at the Sterling Community Center Annex in the year 2017!

Since we last spoke, no news has been announced for that end of the Befort Furniture property. There has been construction happening in other areas of the stretch. One showroom is currently being renovated/remodeled. A new parking lot is being constructed right next to it.

Currently under renovation showroom

New parking lot!

While these exciting projects are going on, Sterling Annex has deteriorated more. A lot more windows have been broken.

Windows broken by.. fire extinguishers?

This almost looks artistic

Ivy has started to take over the exterior again. (Or maybe it has continued to, my 2016 visit was in the middle of winter...)

Plants!

I noticed one window was wide open. The interior is not locked off from vandalism.

Easily-accessible open window

Interior shot through a window, featuring some vandalism

2016's fallen gutter has been removed from the front of the building, but now the gutter on the eastern side is falling down.

My favorite door is still the same as 2016. Also, see the
scattered roof shingles on the ground.

The stairs leading to the basement has flooded. I don't dare wonder how the actual basement is doing.

Flooded stairs to basement

If preventative steps are not taken soon, I fear there might not be anything salvageable from this school for the future.

As I am not a member of the Sterling community (and am fighting my own preservation battle right now), I feel my part in this story can only consist of chronicling the building's condition. That being said... My 2016 Sterling Update became this blog's 4th most-viewed post (the original 2012 post has remained in 5th place). There is clearly some interest in this building. I hope that interest can be organized to be used for some purpose.

Read all Sterling Annex Posts:
Sterling Community Center Annex (2012)
News on the Sterling Annex Building (2013)
Sterling Community Center Annex - 2016 Update
Sterling Community Center Annex - 2018 Update
Sterling Community Center Annex - 2019 Update

1 comment:

  1. I've only been in this building twice in my life: once when my parents were voting, and another time when there was a flea market there.

    Anyway, I had a few friends in elementary school who had after school care (CASA I think it was called) in the building and claimed it was haunted. That's primarily why I'm interested in the building: it gives me the creeps. They could probably make money in October doing a tour of the building.

    Any stories to share about ghosts or specters?

    Great history. I appreciate the blog.

    ReplyDelete