City Gardens: Trenton's Lost Punk Rock Mecca

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The building seemed to sag against the Trenton sky, its walls leaning in a way that looked both tired and dangerous. I was driving, searching for a lunch spot after a morning spent exploring the city's industrial skeletons, when I saw it. A questionable choice, maybe, but curiosity is a powerful guide. I pulled over. Getting inside was one of the sketchiest entrances I’ve ever attempted. But once my feet were on the dusty floor, the danger faded. An enormous space stretched before me. It was sparse, cleaned out. My footsteps echoed where a stage once stood, a fact I’d later confirm in a NNKH YouTube video about the building’s past life as an underground punk club. The video showed a vibrant scene, an electric place. But the ghosts of that life were mostly gone. The long, rounded bar, where thousands of hands must have slapped down crumpled bills, had vanished. The dust-coated wine and shot glasses that once lined its shelves were gone, too. The club’s glittering crown jewel, a l...
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Abandoned 705



From commerce to residential.

This commercial building will be no more within 30 days. Come spring the construction phase will have already begun. I investigated this building a good month back to poke around and see if I could get inside before the wrecking ball devoured its walls. On the day in question, due to the proximity of another towering residential complex, people were outside and I didn't want to be greeted by the cherries and berries because I was squeezing my backside through a back window.






So I settled myself with some exterior shots and machinery that would end this commercial property for good. According to its history, this building was purchased in 2013 by a developer for millions of dollars to become the group's new headquarters but upon inspection, revealed many numerous additions that were unsuitable for renovation purposes. Flipping the switch the developer then proposed to the city council to turn it into a residential property complex. After proposing new traffic changes, parking space, and a reduction in residential units the council approved the plan and now the city block where this property sits will feature a new nine-story apartment building.

Location: Underseal until demolition, demolished in 2018

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