On our last section of Av. Rivadavia we left off in the 5400 block in front of the Mercado del Progreso. Picking up from there in barrio Caballito…

…as I look down the avenue, everything seems very commercial, often topped with apartment buildings, most of which run around 9-10 stories. And indeed, this next section of Rivadavia does tend that direction – but here and there are some architectural or historical gems.

Right off the bat, the end of a train line catches my eye as it comes up from the subterranean tracks. I’m not sure if at some point these tracks continued down the middle of the street, or if this is simply a little extension for, perhaps, turning the trains around. I lean towards the former, because otherwise, why bring it up to street level?

At 5652, the Colegio Marianista, a Catholic high school of the Marianist order, which last year celebrated its 75th year. I’ve got to assume that the building has been redone during that time, it’s a bit too modern looking, at least the paint job.

At 5764, I spot the Centro Burgales, a social club for people whose families came here from the northern Spanish province of Burgos. They appear to sponsor a good number of cultural activities, particularly those related to the dances of the region, a tennis club, and various trips.

The building at 5840 caught my eye. Turns out it’s the Fundación Gradiva, which is a drug treatment and psychiatric facility. It still caught my eye.

I may not have mentioned that the famed A train has extended its line by a couple more stops past Primera Junta (at the Mercado), the first stop being Puán. Here at that corner, I find the Edificio Femenil, a 1928 construct of architect Eustaquio Ballester for the property owner, Dr. Jaime Lavallol, and named after the primary tenant, Femenil magazine. In March of 2009 the building was designated a protected structure by the legislature.

While not all that interesting architecturally, this trio of buildings in the 6000 block houses the offices and cultural center for retired Federal Police officers. Somewhere around here we cross into barrio Flores (I admit with a slight twinge of trepidation, being my first time in the barrio since the armed robbery – but this part of the barrio is a long way from Villa Ilia).

At 6280, the Templo de Nuestra Señora de Lourdes, complete with a little mini-grotto in front. It’s quite beautiful inside, with some truly gorgeous stained glass, and a fascinating diorama behind the altar depicting a woman kneeling in a grotto and praying to the Virgin above.

While not one of the bigger markets around, the Gran Mercado Rivadavia is a good stopping point for the foodie tourist.

At the corner of Caracas is the Escuela Florencio Varela, originally founded in 1826 as a school for girls just down the block on Caracas, at #10. In 1911-12, this new building was built and the school moved. Architecturally, I gather, it is noted for the intricate brick-work that was a hallmark of both the era and the barrio.

At 6871, the Teatro Pueyrredón, a theater originally built in 1873 with a capacity for 2000 people. In 1911 the building was sold, partially demolished and rebuilt, and then again renovated in the early 1950s, when it was also turned into a movie theater. It closed in 1989 and has been empty ever since. It was declared a site of cultural interest by the legislature just last year.

And, for the moment, I’ll end the walk at Plaza Pueyrredón, without heading in – actually, I did, along with various other neighborhood sites of interest, but I’ll save that for the next continuation of this walk as this post is getting a bit long….