I came across these buildings a few months ago. There are two older buildings, separated by a 3 – 4 foot gap. This gap has been built into the renovated buildings:

 

Both buildings were brick industrial structures, both have been partially reclad in shiny metal when renovated. The former alleyway, now a stairway, is shown in the centre. The stairs can be accessed from a small lobby at the foot of the stairs, directly from the street or from either adjacent building, giving maximum flexibility.

 

To further play with the odd space, the new stairs are partially see-through, with a slight gap on each side:

 

The car in the picture is rather ordinary. Two cars in front of it was a Fisker (not Justin Bieber’s) but the crowd was so dense I could not get a picture of it, not that it struck me as that extraordinary to look at anyway. It’s biggest claim to fame may be its price tag, government subsidy, and economic lack of success. But the buildings were a way nicer improvement to the urban environment.