November 30, 2012

This Week

A weekly round-up of my favorite preservation related stories from around the web and in the news. Click on the title of each story to jump through to the original article/blog post.

Abandoned Communist Monument in Bulgaria -Timothy Allen

Buzludzha, Bulgaria image via Timothy Allen

“Buzludha is Bulgaria’s largest ideological monument to Communism. Designed by architect Guéorguy Stoilov, more than 6000 workers were involved in its 7 year construction including 20 leading Bulgarian artists who worked for 18 months on the interior decoration. A small, universally expected donation from every citizen in the country formed a large portion of the funds required to build this impressive structure that was finally unveiled in 1981 on what was the 1300^th anniversary of the foundation of the Bulgarian state.” It now sits abandoned and in a state of disrepair.

Adopt a Spire -Architizer

Duomo di Milano. Image via Architizer Blog

“One of the most breathtaking structures in the world, the Duomo di Milano is the symbol of this great city and its history. It took six centuries (!) to build this amazing cathedral, the fourth-largest world-wide, all clad in intricate decorations carved in white Candoglia marble. Its grandeur is surpassed by few other structures, with some even comparing it to the Pyramids. Now, you can have your name engraved under its 135 spires if you support its restoration!”

Pomander Walk -Scouting New York

Pomander Walk in New York City. Image via Scouting New York

Scouting New York has done it again! Welcome to Pomander Walk, an otherworldly block of Tudor style homes tucked into New York’s Upper West Side between W 94th and W 95th. Built in 1922 as a speculative venture, the block of 8 2-story homes has somehow survived the wrecking balls of hungry developers in of the US’s fastest paced and most populated cities. The immaculately kept houses were Landmarked in the 1980s and remain in private residential use. I just can’t believe this exists in the middle of New York City! Anyone wanna pool some cash to buy into this amazing little neighborhood with me? Only $700k!

John Holder Trail -Backroad Vagabond

View from the new John Holder Trail. Image via Backroad Vagabond

This year the Kentucky Nature Commission opened 3-mile loop named the John Holder Trail in a Kentucky Nature Preserve near Lexington. It is home to running buffalo clover and water stitchwort which are both endangered plant species; and several historic houses and cemeteries.

AT&T Market Research May Reveal Increased Interest in Historic Homes -Preservation in Mississippi

Still from AT&T commercial with the “fireplace face.” Image via Preservation in Mississippi

Most have you have probably seen AT&T’s latest ad – you know, the one with the fire place face. When Thomas Rosell, a Mississippi preservationist, saw the commercial he picked up on something interesting. AT&T spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on market research every year. Nothing in their commercials is there arbitrarily. As Rosell states, “the Realtor in the ad was highlighting the fact the apartment has the original windows! The ad inferred (to me at least) that the person AT&T is feels is a valuable market demographic to capture with this ad would be interested in an apartment in which the original windows are a marketable feature. Additionally the market demographic would be adverse to bizarre remodeling/remuddling.” From this, can we infer that preservation values and understanding are creeping into the mainstream? What do you guys think?