Slow slow renovation

When I looked back at my 2005 January and February entries I noticed I have been complaining about the house across the alley from me for about a year. Which means the house has been under reconstruction for over a year or two. I can tell you why it has taken so long. The fat man who took over after the crew that tore off the whole rear of the house (and rebuilt it with cinder block), has been doing work off and on. A dedicated crew would have finished the darned thing months ago.
I noticed around this neighborhood that some houses are forever under construction. As long as I can remember I don’t think anyone has lived at the house on the corner of 5th and P. It has been worked on FOREVER. There have been other houses rehabbed and sold in the time that this house has been under construction. There is a house on NJ Ave, same thing. As far as I know, no one has lived there and the only folks I’ve seen coming out are workmen.
Some buildings and rehabbed houses seem to get done overnight while others just sit. And sit. They are sort of like a vacant houses, but prettier. But still vacant, and still not bringing a new face to the neighborhood. And there is nothing anyone can do about it.