In its second article in a series about the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the NY Times examines the "legal loophole" that developers take advantage of: Once they learn their building might be up for landmark status, developers often "[rush] to obtain a demolition or stripping permit from the... Department of Buildings so that notable qualities can be removed, rendering the structure unworthy of protection." This is what happened in 2006, when the cornices of the 19th century Dakota Stables were removed; the LPC didn't landmark it since it was "irreparably changed"-- now you have luxury condo The Harrison. There are proposed...
In 2005, the city approved new upzoning laws for the Greenpoint waterfront, allowing up to 30 stories (pictured: the city's rendering of what the waterfront could look like). Now the Brooklyn Paper reports that developer Dean Palin (the man behind this monstrosity) wants to build a 40-story, 422-unit rental tower as part of a 620-unit development at his 155 West Street property. Brownstoner points out that he "paid a whopping $84,750,000 for the site a couple years back and has just recently filed for demolition permits." He'll have to fight to get those extra 10 stories, which he claims to...
The demolition of Long Mill Dye House in Roanoke, Virginia brought down two smokestacks but one didn't fall as planned. photo from WSLS.com Watch this AP video and listen for one of the operators warn: "Be advised: one stack apparently did not fall in the right direction." There were no reports of injury to persons or property. Long Mill demolition video A local TV station WSLS reporter wrote: Many of the people who came out to watch the building crumble worked in the mill for years, but for some it wasn’t such a sad sight to see their former employer...
The man is really trying to get Don Fisher down this time. Latest development: The Board of Supervisors is set to vote on a measure tomorrow that would make it official city policy to oppose Don Fisher's uber-controversial Contemporary Art Museum of the Presidio. (Wonder how The Mayor Newsom feels about this one!) The Supes say the project would ruin the Presidio's "cultural and historic integrity," plus violate demolition laws. Once again, however: the city has zero jurisdiction over CAMP's building and Don Fisher's taste (or lackthereof) -- but it remains to be seen if they can sway the...
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While it remains to be seen if "Top Gear USA" (the show) will be any good or not, or even if we’ll be getting it, we are getting TopGear USA (the website) and, so far, that looks pretty good. Just launching today, it’s still a little light on original content, but what there is — particularly the school bus demolition story — is refreshingly high quality and weaves together text, photography and video in a way the online presences of print publications often fail to do. We’re relieved by the absence of Eric Stromer from any of the editorial, but...
While it remains to be seen if "Top Gear USA" (the show) will be any good or not, or even if we’ll be getting it, we are getting TopGear USA (the website) and, so far, that looks pretty good. Just launching today, it’s still a little light on original content, but what there is — particularly the school bus demolition story — is refreshingly high quality and weaves together text, photography and video in a way the online presences of print publications often fail to do. We’re relieved by the absence of Eric Stromer from any of the editorial, but...
Besides being a terrific actor, Diane Keaton is a former board member of the Los Angeles Conservancy and is currently a trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She bemoans the loss of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. "We've treated old buildings like we once treated plastic shopping bags -- we haven't reused them, and when we've finished with them, we've tossed them out. This has to stop. Preservation must stand alongside conservation as an equal force in the sustainability game. More older and historic buildings have to be protected from demolition, not only because it affects...
You've got a couple hours to hustle over to Governors Island with a bag of popcorn and a Big Gulp to check out today's demolition of Liberty Village, a housing complex built in 1988. The ten three-story buildings are being razed as part of the planned $500 million transformation of Governors Island into a premiere destination for nature lovers, large-scale concerts and even rock climbing. Oh don't laugh, it could still happen! And one official tells the Times that the Liberty Village area "will not sit vacant waiting for future park funding" after being demolished. Next summer it'll be a...
Click the image above to view the full photogallery. San Francisco's march towards municipal literacy continues. We've seen the renderings of the new Potrero Branch Library with a sexy bonus pic of the view, but now we've got more even more demolition and city-view porn, compliments of the library's blog. (How progressive!) · The old building is gone, but the view remains! [Potrero Branch] · Potrero Hill Library: Renderings Revealed and Floor Plan Porn [Curbed SF]...
Photo: fixbuffalo [Flickr] The "Red Mark of Death" is left Government inspectors on condemned buildings slated for demolition in Buffalo, New York. Flick user fixbuffalo has an interesting Flickr photoset of these marks, which often include notes to warn of the dangers present in the house. Link - via Growabrain...
Emma Orbach founded the self-sustaining Brithdir Mawr community in Wales. “It’s a milestone in a free society that a minority of people who wish to live simply on the Earth are now being given this opportunity. The villagers are pioneering a new lifestyle.” Down the road, Tony Wrench has been pioneering "permaculture" for decades. There was only one problem: They were doing it secretly, on public land in a national park. In 1998 a pilot doing an aerial survey caught a reflection off a plexiglass skylight and the jig was up. ......
Just because Merrill Lynch reneged on leasing office space in a tower planned for where the down-at-heel Hotel Pennsylvania still stands, don't think the property owner won't demolish the 89-year-old hotel anyway. Vornado Realty Trust still hasn't publicly settled on plans for the property, but the Observer reports the company recently applied for a Certification of No Harassment from the city, a prerequisite for demolition. Vornado is debating whether to construct a giant office tower on the site, or a smaller office tower with retail, or just renovate the hotel. That third option would certainly cheer the dogs who stay...
