History

During the years before 2003 1816 Brentwood Avenue (the site of Brentwood Commons) was a dilapidated garage. However, the structure did not begin as a garage. It was built in the late 1800's and appropriately enough was a livery stable.

During the 20th century as horse transportation was replaced with trolley cars and then privately owned vehicles the stable transitioned into a garage which eventually was abandoned. Most of the immediately surrounding houses were also abandoned. 

In 2000 the non-profit organization People's Homesteading Group (PHG) acquired an abandoned house in the 400 block of E. North Avenue. It was the first of five houses in the block they eventually purchased and rehabbed into affordable homes for those with limited income. PHG also worked with the City to demolish the abandoned garage in 2003. 

However, once the building was demolished the space became a trash-strewn, open-air drug market. When new neighbors moved in they banded together and decided trees and grass were better than drugs and trash. In 2005 the slow process of transforming the space into an ornamental garden began with a community cleanup.

The image carousels below show the transformation from 2000 to the present. The first two carousels show early spring colors and the recent status of Brentwood Commons. The remaining carousels are in chronological order beginning in 2003.

(2008) Garden Maintenance by Neighbors