The Weeping Willow tree gets a bad rap. It's associated with sadness and grief because of its bent appearance and the way the water drips from the branches, like tears. It was once thought to be a harbinger of death, and is a standard feature in cemeteries. And there are tragic, romantic Romeo and Juliet-style myths around it, like the one that says the tree stood straight until it learned about the death of a pair of lovers, and then it got really sad, and drooped over, and never stood upright again. (It must have been a serious tearjerker, that story.) Then there's that song "Willow Weep for Me," recorded by one of jazz's most benighted figures, Lady Day herself, Billie Holiday. This tree might as well appear in ads for Paxil. The good news is that when it comes to real estate, a Weeping Willow on a property can be an incentive because it's so beautiful. Mike McGrath, host of WHYY's You Bet Your Garden and the man with the best regional accent in the world, told us via email, "Their roots can play games with underground pipes, but they are otherwise great trees that have a mighty, majestic appearance." He suggests the benefits outweigh any potential negatives.
Oh, and in this case the tree is on a 19' x 89' lot next to a property that has two art studios in it and a one-bedroom apartment for a total of 1,682 square feet. There's also a very large outdoor space surrounded by a 20-foot-tall brick wall. The owner could rent out the studios, or change the space up somehow, which is currently zoned commercial. The tree (and the building) are priced at $89,000 after last week's $10,000 price chop. And speaking of trees, look at those floors. Gorgeous.
¶ 1417-1419 Unity Street [Cityspace]