My 1937 house - and why they want it down

[carter]

My dream house

The above mentioned site here on the Observation Bar is of interest. It appears that at least one historic property may be saved. This is a very cool Mid-Century Modern house.

Benny, Good luck with the struggle down under.

We used to live in a 1938 Cape Cod in University Park where the trend is to tear down great older homes and build larger homes that are gradually overshadowing the remaining original homes. In many cases, the new homes are blocking almost all the sunlight to the original homes. This is showing no sign of diminishing.
Hopefully, the money grubbers won't start moving east anytime soon.

All the homes where I live in Old Lake Highlands are mid-50's construction and so far we've managed to avoid a lot of teardowns. However, many of the original homeowners are elderly and property is changing hands. At this point, people are buying these older homes and renovating them. Younger folks are moving in and the local elementary school is very highly rated which is a real plus in Dallas. I hope the trend continues.

 

[panamag8or]

My neighborhood is mid-50's thru mid-60's, and as the older residents move out, more and more houses are being bought as student rentals, since we are less than 2 miles from campus.

Luckily, Gainesville is a good place for preservation. it took the loss of several magnificent buildings back in the 60's and 70's to knock some sense into people. Now, we have one of the largest residential historic districts in Florida, and have 4 other historic districts in town. The university is restoring older buildings, and new construction follows the old collegiate gothic design.

I have applied to be on the county's Historical Commission, and my focus would be on preserving deco era and MCM buildings.

 

[reetpleat]

As a real estate agent, I think about these issues a lot. I am no a big fan of the townhouses they build here because I think they are tacky. And fortunately, the nicer homes are still valuable, so they are not being torn down, just the run down ones that are not nice classics.

But I am realistic, and will all the people moving to the area, it is very important that we increase density. Otherwise, costs would be so high, and people would be commuting for hours, destroying wilderness, polluting and clogging the freeways.

Not so defensible, I suppose, are the people who insist on in huge houses on large lots. But I am not going to villify anyone who expresses the need to broaden roads and not spend hours in traffic.

I sure hope you can preserve the home, and think we do need to try to respects people's homes, and preserve landmarks and historic homes. That has value. But let's face it. Back in the tens and twenties, driving was considered a joy ride. In the thirties and forties, and fifties, people were living further out and zipping around town with great freedom. but these days, traffic is terrible in many areas. And I don't consider in out of line to want to not sit in traffic through three changes of lights at an intersection. I hope that doesn't make me a yuppie scum. I sure wish things were like they used to be. But Seattle has gotten so crowded and clogged up that it drives me crazy.

Perhaps there is some solution that would route traffic through a different area or somethign like that.

good luck.

 

[reetpleat]

Have you been to St. Augustine? I heard about it and imagined it to b some ancient city like in Mexico or Europe.

My siste went recently and said it was awful. Only a small part of any old buildings left, and flooded with tourist businesses.

Is that your impression.

sounds dissapointing.

I guess it was silly of me to expect much.

 

[panamag8or]

Have you been to St. Augustine? I heard about it and imagined it to b some ancient city like in Mexico or Europe.

My siste went recently and said it was awful. Only a small part of any old buildings left, and flooded with tourist businesses.

Is that your impression.

sounds dissapointing.

I guess it was silly of me to expect much.

Sorry to go off topic, but...

For nearly 400 years, St Augustine was a rather small town. Only in the last 50 years or so, has it experienced real growth. That is probably what your sister noticed... a smaller core of older buildings, with a lot of newer development surrounding it, with most of the new stuff to the south of town. The beaches area was mostly undeveloped until the last 30 or so years. Not to mention, the geography of the area lends itself to a linear, north-south development, rather than inland growth, if that makes any sense.

I blame Jacksonville.:rage:

 

[ohairas]

Wandering fftopic: here, but I wish they would have the prisoners refurbish old homes. There are SO many beautiful, vacant, dilapidated, boarded up homes in St. Louis, St. Joeseph, and many other cities. Why are prisoners allowed luxurious cells when they could be out working and learning a good trade for when they get out!
All this gorgeous old architecture dwindling away while they build cookie cutter homes all over. UGH.
Besides, it's hard to find someone who even knows how to do the old school stuff like plaster work and such.
Nikki

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

What's worse is that if they do succeed in taking your house, they only have to give you "reasonable value" which may be less than market value. Or that's my understanding anyway.

 

[panamag8or]

What's worse is that if they do succeed in taking your house, they only have to give you "reasonable value" which may be less than market value. Or that's my understanding anyway.

The eight families to be displaced will each recieve less than $100,000 for their homes.

 

[Paisley]

Ms. Kelo, of Kelo v. New London fame, used the Institute for Justice in her defense of keeping her property. New London wanted to tear down her (and other) houses to build properties that would generate more taxes.

The case went to the Supreme court, where Ms. Kelo lost.

However, condemning property to build public works (e.g., prisons, roads, airports, hospitals) is a long-standing practice in eminent domain. I'm not familiar with the intersection at Fletch's home, nor have I heard the other side's opinion, so I won't say yea or nay. I'll just say, Fletch, that I'm sorry you are going through this.

 

[Midnight Palace]

Fletch,

If you do decide to start a petition, I'd be more than happy to sign it. I hate to hear things like this. Destroy history and build something forgettable? Yeah, makes perfect sense :rage:

 

[Ben]

A Few Ideas

It sounds like the situation is tough, but I don't think these homes should be written off yet.

The people in the homes need or organize and as much as possible speak the same message from as many mouths and pens as possible. But having a formal group strucutre will help.

Also, it would pay to enlist as many local friends and family to join the group and also write and speak out. The earlier posters on this thread are right, if it looks like the next election could be at stake, the politicians will listen.

On top of enlisting friends and neighbors, the homeowners and locals should try to enlist the support of state and federal representatives. Sometimes a little pressure from above (assuming it is sympathetic) will help. The money for the road has to come from somewhere, and likely some of it would come from the state and federal governments.

Also, if you could post here who the relevant city council members are and anything more on the homes, then loungers could write their own letters arguing from the historical preservation perspective on why the homes should be saved. We can help. We can flood the mailboxes.

My final thought, and this is a long shot, is to try to propose some alternative that might help alleviate the problems that prompted the project. Politicians like to be seen as doing something. Give them something to do and as much as possible make it a win for both sides. Then city council can brag about alleviating the traffic problems and preserving historical homes and your friends and family get to keep their homes.

 

[Tango Yankee]

Ms. Kelo, of Kelo v. New London fame, used the Institute for Justice in her defense of keeping her property. New London wanted to tear down her (and other) houses to build properties that would generate more taxes.

The case went to the Supreme court, where Ms. Kelo lost.

True, but on the plus side in response to that Supreme Court ruling many states passed their own laws to limit what eminent domain can be used for. Unfortunately, as you observed, Fletch's case is a more traditional use of eminent domain. As such public pressure on the politicians will be the most effective means to get the plans canceled.

What I don't get is that the city said they wouldn't be able to tell whether or not the changes would actually give the expected relief until several years after the changes were made yet they dismiss other, less disruptive and less costly suggestions such as modifying the lights as not being effective. How can they know without several years of data as they say they need with the proposed changes?

Seems to me that they could at least modify the lights and give that a test before moving on with the big construction project.

Hang in there, Fletch. It's going to be a long, emotionally draining battle. I hope you win out in the end!

Regards,
Tom

 

[Cobden]

A terrible situation; it truly makes me very angry that this sort of (for want of a better, non-swear word) rubbish is permitted to go on. I'd suggest that you try and have your house whatever the US equivalent of "listed status" is (if there is one), organise the residents, and go to the press - suggest the politicians behind it are corrupt (which is almost definately the case in the UK, and even if it isn't in your part of the world the suggestion will certainly make the buggers jump). Suggesting alternatives is also a good plan, but often these will be dismissed out of hand, probably because they'll be ashamed they didn't think of it and too proud to admit it.

I realised I've probably defamed the character of several American public officials, and quite a few British one's by implication, but to be honest I couldn't care less. In my home town in the UK the developement is sohorrendously stupid (admittedly, a very different situation - basically, they are building more houses on the outskirts of my town without providing the infrastructure, especially enough reservoirs - we often have hosepipe bans and the bright sparks in the council hasn't quite figured out that maybe the stupidly rapid increase in demand might have something to do with it - and fail to take account that people want to live in the area because they can commute to London by train, but the lines' capacity is full, the carriages are full, the stations don't have large enough car parks, and the new houses are miles away from the stations) that I'm seriously considering standing for council in the next local election.

 

[Fletch]

Update: Our place - anyway - is safe for now.

Sorry it's been so long since I posted on this. Thank all of you for your moral support and strong feelings. I'll convey them to the neighborhood when I'm back out there next month.

Thanks to tons of public outcry and second thoughts about threatening a possibly historic house, the Ames City Council last night held a public information meeting. Here they presented a slightly revised street widening plan that would not take our house - but still claim several others. So it's a bit of a relief to us, but the threat remains for some of our neighbors.

A local historian, one of several historians and architects who have chimed in so far, wrote a very fine op-ed in last Sunday's Tribune. He raised some of the same points before the open mic at last night's meeting.

There is some light in the distance now. The neighborhood folks say the petition against the street plan got over 1,100 signatures; they were hoping for 750. At least one councilmember - who started out supporting the plan - has written us saying they think the plan is more trouble and expense than it's worth. Nothing is promised of course, but this is no longer going to be the slamdunk the City had in mind. It is now a local cause célèbre, and one where popular opinion (for once) is heavily on the right side!

Even if 1229 Harding is no longer to be taken, we are following thru with the landmark application process (I'm taking a break from working on it as I write this), and we're going to continue to fight for all these homes to be saved.

 

[goldwyn girl]

Fletch, this is good news. It would be nice if all the properties could be saved and pehaps with the community behind you they will be.

 

[carter]

Fletch, Excellent op-ed piece. Is this local architect enlisted in support of your landmark application process? The more high-profile support you folks can garner, the better you will do. I know you have many supporters at the FL. Best wishes and please keep us posted.

 

[ohairas]

Hurray Fletch! Let's hope for even better news the next time you hear more! :eusa_clap
Nikki

 

[Fletch]

FWIH now, the new plan spares all the threatened houses except a little crackerbox duplex right at the corner, half occupied by a 90-year-old man and his paralyzed 80something wife. They've been renting there for 33 years - renting! - and their chances of finding an affordable new place of any kind are about zip.

So it ain't over. We need to save ALL the houses, ie: kiil the plan outright.

More when I learn it.

 

[jamespowers]

FWIH now, the new plan spares all the threatened houses except a little crackerbox duplex right at the corner, half occupied by a 90-year-old man and his paralyzed 80something wife. They've been renting there for 33 years - renting! - and their chances of finding an affordable new place of any kind are about zip.

So it ain't over. We need to save ALL the houses, ie: kiil the plan outright.

More when I learn it.

Geez, you would think they could at least wait until they pass on. :eusa_doh:
What kind of local Christmas Story types do you have running that place!?:rage:

Regards,

J

 

[Fletch]

Ames is not Bedford Falls (tho golly, it seems that way sometimes). There's no misanthropic old tyrannosaurus of a banker scooting around in a black town car. The perpetrators here are smooth, unassuming, blow-dried, polo-shirted, upper middle class guys next door - that is, "next door" if you live in developmentville, where anybody not like you (old, poor, boho, libby, arty, likes big trees or walking downtown) is an abstraction.