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You may recall that Frank Faris, owner of Genny's Diner on Frankfort Avenue in Clifton, bought the dilapidated 19th century home next to the property for $100,000 in 2001 with a view to level it for parking. The problem is, the house wasn't dilapidated at the time—in fact, it was rather attractive.
In the ensuing decade or so, more damage happened on Faris' watch than the previous century possibly could have inflicted: two fires (the diner remained unscathed), falling windows, and severe eye pain to anyone who happened to gaze upon it. Faris, who years ago ran a bunch of notorious commercial spots featuring a diaper-clad adult dwarf, was ordered to fix up or sell the Local Landmark District house, but refused.
Earlier this year a judge demanded Faris give away the property, but interested parties reported that he didn't return their phone calls. In April, Faris was sentenced to 365 days home incarceration, with release 80 hours per week to work at Genny's. Too bad the "home incarceration" wasn't at the house in question, which continues to deteriorate.
View photos of this house at Broken Sidewalk.
He bought the "house" to
He bought the "house" to demolish and create a parking lot for his growing business next to it. No one took an interest in this "house" until then. The neighbors had it renamed a "landmark" to keep him from tearing it down, but none of them stepped up to save it. They could have purchased it for next to nothing when he was forced to sell, but didn't. The City, then gets involved and literally steals the property out from under this man. It's resold to it's current own with all kinds of tax "incentives" for repairs, that were't offered to Mr. Faris. The way this business owner was treated by the City and his "neighbors" was abominable. Mr Faris is not the "Worst of Louisville"...the city officials and "neighbors behind the way this man was treated, take that title!!