I have been saying for years that I wanted to incorporate urban exploring into a school assignment sometime. I finally had that opportunity this past semester. I had to write a mock grant to improve the city for a peace studies class. My group and I proposed converting abandoned buildings into supportive housing for the homeless. Our city has an abundance of both.

Looking back, we spent more time exploring potential locations than actually writing the grant but we still got an A.

This location was a welding factory and has been abandoned for quite some time. We assumed the city would demo it with the new bus way being build next to it but it's been four months since these photos were taken and the building is still standing.

1.
Untitled by Alyssa Merrick, on Flickr

2.
Untitled by Alyssa Merrick, on Flickr

3.
Untitled by Alyssa Merrick, on Flickr

4.
Untitled by Alyssa Merrick, on Flickr

5.
Untitled by Alyssa Merrick, on Flickr

6.
Untitled by Alyssa Merrick, on Flickr

7.
Untitled by Alyssa Merrick, on Flickr

We assumed the city would demo it with the new bus way being build next to it but it's been four months since these photos were taken and the building is still standing.

I thought the same thing, I thought it was gone until I passed by a few weeks ago. Maybe they'll use it for the bus way or something.

Gorgeous photos. So much detail, yet they don't come off to me as cluttered. Love the blinds especially, that's a great shot. Thanks!

Really nice shots, particularly #2. I once used some of my interior shots of an abandoned house on a school project. Got a good grade but the professor made a note on the grade sheet telling me to "be careful."

Posted by KD20 Really nice shots, particularly #2. I once used some of my interior shots of an abandoned house on a school project. Got a good grade but the professor made a note on the grade sheet telling me to "be careful."

I think we ended up telling the professor that we had gotten permission from the town to enter the building (which wasn't true). What he doesn't know can' t hurt him!!!

Gorgeous photos. So much detail, yet they don't come off to me as cluttered. Love the blinds especially, that's a great shot. Thanks!

Thank you so much!!!

very nice set and sounds like a fun project!

Love those blinds. What are you shooting with?

I studied public health policy in grad school and have been trying to get the state to let me assess some of the hospitals as my academic work was on deinstitutionalization. So far, just a lot of red tape, but they certain sound somewhat flexible when I mention that it's for academic purposes. Maybe we'll cross paths on the road some time.

6 is very nice, and not an easy shot to execute well.

Posted by dwhogan Love those blinds. What are you shooting with? I studied public health policy in grad school and have been trying to get the state to let me assess some of the hospitals as my academic work was on deinstitutionalization. So far, just a lot of red tape, but they certain sound somewhat flexible when I mention that it's for academic purposes. Maybe we'll cross paths on the road some time.

Thanks!!!

I am shooting with a Canon rebel T1i.

I always hope that if I ever interned as a social worker with the state that I could find some way to gain access to some of abandoned hospitals. But you would probably have better luck if your main academic focus is deinstitutionalization!