MANY RESIDENTS OF THE 2.5-SQUARE-MILE HISTORIC LANDMARK DISTRICT CAN CLAIM THE CITY'S VERDANT SQUARES AS THEIR FRONT YARDS. ALTHOUGH THE NORTH END OF THE DISTRICT IS COMMERCIAL IN CHARACTER, NUMEROUS BLOCKS OF THE AREA ARE SOLIDLY RESIDENTIAL. HISTORIC HOMES IN NEED OF RESTORATION ARE STILL AVAILABLE. NEWCOMERS WILL ALSO FIND A GOOD SELECTION OF RESTORED HOMES, THE RESULT OF 50 YEARS OF PRESERVATION EFFORTS, AND NEW CONSTRUCTION IN THE FORM OF TOWNHOUSE CONDOMINIUMS CRAFTED TO BLEND INTO THE HISTORIC ATMOSPHERE OF THE DISTRICT. A RECENT TREND IN DOWNTOWN HOUSING INVOLVES THE CONVERSION OF SPACE ABOVE RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS INTO APARTMENTS AND LOFTS, A SITUATION THAT'S DEVELOPED ALONG WITH THE CITY'S REVITALIZATION OF COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
