By JIM BUTLER

Over time neighborhoods, or portions of them, change.

For differing reasons blight sets in and cities are left with the condemnation-cleanup process.

Every once in a while there’s a hint of reversal, as there currently is in Pineville.

The street in play is Lakeview (the lake long since gone) and its older portion, a street that over the years has been home to at least two future mayors (Fred Baden, John Snyder) and any number of doctors, lawyers, bankers, educators, etc.

The City Council, scheduled to condemn structures at 206 and 208 Lakeview, was delighted to learn at its May meeting that both properties have a new lease on life.

Ken Roques, a contractor from Covington, buys damaged structures at auction and repairs them.

He told the council he had purchased the Lakeview properties as investments, unaware at the time of the condemnation proceedings.

Having begun the restoration process, he asked that the process be lifted so he could complete renovations to what will become two rental units.

Council members saw no downside to his request, commending his efforts to this point.

At the same meeting, Mayor Rich Dupree noted the city has received a $280,000 grant from the state CBDG Demolition Clearance Program to assist with blight removal.

Previously the city was a participant in the pilot program that produced positive results and resulted in the current funding.