Today’s walk was through an earlier post-war neighborhood. This is tract housing to be sure, but there seems to be some character, perhaps some different housing styles, or just character from its age. It was possible to imagine this kind of neighborhood in the 50’s and 60’s, with tanned crew-cut boys playing in the yards, and it probably really doesn’t look too much different today. The Rookwood neighborhood seems to be the southern part of this area, dominated by duplexes and somewhat newer (and introduced by a pair of pillars at its entrance.) So Kenawood presumably makes up the rest of it, which (in these blocks at least) consists of construction from the mid-1960’s. There were some notable aspects. First, the lack of street trees is amazing, and makes a big difference in the feel of the neighborhood. Second, it feels somewhat as if infrastructure presented some unusual difficulties. Powerlines run through the middle of the neighborhood creating a gap-tooth appearance along some streets.
Meanwhile, a storm water ditch runs above ground in places, then runs under streets, including one cul-de-sac. Another oddity; the end of Hisle is a very long way from the nearest arterial (a full 1.8 miles from Eastland and New Circle Road), yet is virtually next to property along New Circle Road.
It doesn’t seem out of the question that roads could eventually connect and shorten that distance considerably; from Hisle and Kilkenny, one can look right down industrial Sunshine Lane and into the Green’s Toyota property. Currently, the way is blocked with barbed wire; the short walk presumably requires trespassing.
