Behind this row of 9 live oak trees along Leeland St., one block north of the Gulf Fwy. (and the southern edge of East Downtown), Talia Homes is planning a development of 75 gated homes called Talia Village — on the site of what was, until last summer, the Spencer Company’s Florabunda wholesale nursery at 1609 Ennis St. South of the development is the Metro Auto Storage tow lot; to the east lies what a reader describes as “uh, a large pasture next to the bike trail which is used by somebody’s horses fairly often.”
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The oak trees, writes the reader, “shade the entire street and touch in the middle. I don’t know the exact age of them, but based on early 1950s aerial photographs, these live oaks were there at that time and some already had a canopy spread of 40 feet or more. So maybe they were planted in the 1930s? Or even earlier? Some are close to two feet in diameter. . . . These trees are really an asset in a part of East Downtown that doesn’t have many assets.”
- Talia Village — 75 Homes in EaDo [Talia Homes]
Photos: Swamplot inbox
Agree with the reader. I would add the East Downtown Management district has begun a promenade extending several blocks south from Dynamo stadium. Hopefully in time, the trees recently planted along the pathways there will one day resemble the canopy on Leeland.
Nothing screams “gentrification” more than gated communities.
Hope the builder isn’t associated with any Burger King franchises! If so, these trees may disappear in the dark of the night and become sawdust filler for a Whooper!
ive seen the horse(s) a few times! i think the downtown horse and carriage people have a stable nearby