Comments on: Walking Observations http://mylifeinbrooklyn.com/2006/09/25/walking-observations/ A Perspective Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:56:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Llewellyn Lafford http://mylifeinbrooklyn.com/2006/09/25/walking-observations/#comment-160 Thu, 21 Dec 2006 23:15:28 +0000 http://mylifeinbrooklyn.com/2006/09/25/walking-observations/#comment-160 I agree totally, though, pragmatically speaking, we are fighting an uphill battle. Developers and most owners hate "rigid rules and regulations". It is much easier to tear down and build from scratch using all new (but cheap) materials than it is to restore anything, especially if you want it restored to its former glory. That is why we ooh and aah whenever we do get to see a complete restoration, with architectural details painstakingly recreated, gilt and painted. I remember the pre-war buildings on UWS Columbus in the 80s and 90s about 20 years ago. Properly restored, they could have been wonderful condos, elegant and atmospheric, and made a lot of money for the developers. But they were all bulldozed and replaced with standard boring tinyterrace sheetrock specials. Maybe the market was too different then. I suspect the pressure to restore properly will come more from individual owners than from developers. I agree totally, though, pragmatically speaking, we are fighting an uphill battle. Developers and most owners hate “rigid rules and regulations”. It is much easier to tear down and build from scratch using all new (but cheap) materials than it is to restore anything, especially if you want it restored to its former glory. That is why we ooh and aah whenever we do get to see a complete restoration, with architectural details painstakingly recreated, gilt and painted.
I remember the pre-war buildings on UWS Columbus in the 80s and 90s about 20 years ago. Properly restored, they could have been wonderful condos, elegant and atmospheric, and made a lot of money for the developers. But they were all bulldozed and replaced with standard boring tinyterrace sheetrock specials. Maybe the market was too different then.
I suspect the pressure to restore properly will come more from individual owners than from developers.

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