An abandoned building in Edinburgh’s famous ‘Wild West’ street has been beautifully transformed, creating a cozy space for young professionals and families.
Edinburgh: An old building in a popular area has finally been given a new life. This place had been sitting empty for over ten years. It’s located in Morningside, off Springvalley Gardens.
Once a part of the city’s quirky ‘Wild West’, it’s now a compact flat ideal for young professionals. The street became famous in the ’90s with its Western-style facades, thanks to a furniture store that once thrived there.
Sadly, that store went under when Ikea came to town, and the area fell into disrepair. The row of buildings includes a jail, a ticket office, and a general store, all designed with great detail by a former Disneyland Paris designer.
Now, Shepha Properties has stepped in to revamp one of these abandoned spots. Niyi Oludipe, one of the co-founders, shared that they had a lot of work to do. Tourists were still curious about the building next door while they were working!
They had to handle plumbing, electrical work, and even build new rooms and a staircase. The front of the building needed a complete rebuild too. But the end result? A lovely, compact space that’s perfect for young families or professionals.
Shepha’s goal is to help with the UK housing shortage by turning old, empty buildings into quality homes. The street, known as El Paso, was inspired by the furniture store owner, Michael Faulkner, who had a love for the Wild West.
Michael’s story is quite interesting. He was a cowboy in North America before moving to Scotland after an accident. Sadly, a local business owner mentioned that the street has become quite run-down over the years.
Tom Frankish, who has run a lawnmower service there since 1974, reminisced about the good old days when the street was lively. He said it’s sad to see how things have changed.
