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Celebrating 25 Years of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places

Posted on: May 7th, 2012 by National Trust for Historic Preservation 28 Comments

 

Wide open space: that's something North Dakota has a lot of. However, if you’ve ever explored this part of Big Sky Country, you know that the prairie – which seems to stretch and roll endlessly – is often punctuated by simple, yet remarkable church houses.

Built by first-generation settlers from Germany, Poland, Iceland, Russia, and Scandinavia, these structures served as the glue for rural life. By the early 2000s, though, many had seen better days – it was estimated that as many as 400 of the churches were vacant and directly threatened with demolition. Something had to be done.

In 2001, the prairie churches of North Dakota were added to the National Trust's list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. What ensued was a grassroots effort led by Preservation North Dakota that, to this day, works community by community to save these amazing treasures.

The rebirth of these prairie icons is one of hundreds of success stories born out of our annual endangered list. In fact, since its inception in 1988, the list has become one of the most effective tools for saving our country's architectural, cultural, and natural heritage. Of the 234 places that have been listed over the years, only a few have been lost. That's a track record worth celebrating, and this is the year to do it.

2012 marks the 25th anniversary of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. As we prepare for this year's announcement (save the date: Wednesday, June 6), we invite you to follow along online as we spotlight a quarter-century of people saving amazing places. Here's where you can find us:

  • Pinterest: Each Thursday, we'll create a board dedicated to a former listing that is back from the brink. Follow throughout the day as we curate tons of amazing photography, all snapped by people who are passionate about that place.
  • Twitter: Put your preservation knowledge to the test with trivia tweets about former listings. Keep an eye on hashtag #SavingPlaces for all the action.
  • Our Blog: Check back here each Tuesday for a special post on an 11 Most success story. We'll offer insight into how former listings were saved, and of course, some really awesome photos.
  • Facebook: Who doesn't like to be in the know? On Tuesday, June 5, we'll offer our fans an exclusive sneak peek at a place to be included on this year's endangered list.

Also, be sure to check out our website, which we've updated with one amazing story per year of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.

Which of these places inspires you?

National Trust for Historic Preservation

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded non-profit organization, works to save America's historic places.

[Slideshow] Inside the New LivingSocial HQ

Posted on: May 2nd, 2012 by David Garber

 

LivingSocial, the popular online deals company headquartered in DC, has a particular office style. And fortunately for us preservationists, that style is typically this: a restored old building with a fashionably raw + modern interior.

Their newest DC office -- located at the corner of 7th Street and New York Avenue, NW -- fits that mold, and brings new life to a prominent corner that has sat empty for over thirty years.

As you'll see below, this new office is a combination of three different buildings. Built at the same time in 1872 for Mr. William H. Dunkhurst for a commercial cigar business with residences above, the corner has also served as the locations for a peanut and candy company, a wine and liquor store, and a stove company -- a fittingly diverse past for a building whose new tenant pretty much does it all.

And lastly, here’s a view into the future elevator vault, which will use existing window openings as doors leading into a new elevator lobby.

 
For more great LivingSocial preservation and reuse, check out our post from earlier this year on the company's new Live Events Center located in downtown DC.

David Garber

David Garber

David Garber is the blog editor at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He is a native of Washington, DC, and loves the intersection of preservation, innovation, and sustainability.

[Slideshow] Behind the Scenes at the Earthquake-Damaged National Cathedral

Posted on: April 27th, 2012 by David Garber

 

When Washington, DC, and much of the East Coast was rattled by a 5.8 magnitude earthquake last August, one of the biggest local stories was about the spires of the Washington National Cathedral toppling to the ground. Questions immediately arose about the structural soundness of the landmark church building -- formally called the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul -- and whether more stone would fall.

Last week I had the incredible opportunity to go behind the scenes at the cathedral and see the earthquake damage first hand. Leading the tour was head stone mason Joe Alonso, who noted that with "2-3 more seconds of earthquake, we would have lost 50% more stone." Keeping in mind damage to other important structures like the Washington Monument, we're glad the quake stopped when it did.

The bell tower from below.

 

David Garber

David Garber

David Garber is the blog editor at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He is a native of Washington, DC, and loves the intersection of preservation, innovation, and sustainability.

“Adaptive Reuse” Brings Old Warehouses and Garages to Life … In Which City?

Posted on: April 25th, 2012 by Guest Writer 8 Comments

 

Written by David Alpert

I recently visited an American city with many downtown buildings from a long-departed industry. The city's downtown is now experiencing new life, and many of the historic buildings are finding new uses after sitting vacant for many years.

Another view of the warehouses, some of which have become home to corporate offices.

 
This is a complex of old warehouses which have now become retail and offices. The developer added a really amazing water feature, a long river which cascades down waterfalls at various intervals. There are small footbridges across the river and even stepping stones to cross in one place.

The old chutes for the products remain and now serve as decorative flourishes. In the center is an old railcar, like those that once transported goods to and from the facility.

Similarly, this old railcar serves as a reminder of the buildings’ old industrial uses.

 
At another location nearby, people have turned several old garages into bars and music halls. They've also become a popular spot for food trucks, and two were sitting outside as we passed by on a Saturday.

The garages are also home to bars and music venues.

 
Both of these [examples] demonstrate the preservation concept of "adaptive reuse." Old, historic buildings can become a valued part of a changing community by taking on different functions that residents need today. The distinct architecture of the structures and the small details that nobody would build today adds character and interest.

Can you guess the city?

[Cross-posted at Greater Greater Washington]

David Alpert is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Greater Greater Washington. He has had a lifelong interest in great cities and great communities.

Guest Writer

Although we're always on the lookout for blog content, we encourage readers to submit story ideas or let us know if you've seen something that might be interesting and engaging for a national audience. Email us at editorial@nthp.org.

Preservation Round-Up: The Barn from Charlotte’s Web Edition

Posted on: April 23rd, 2012 by David Garber 2 Comments

 


A classic red New England barn. (Photo: Lost-In-Maylene on Flickr)

Celebrating 60 Years of ‘Charlotte’s Web’ - The New York Times

"The barn was very large. It was very old. For more than a century before E. B. White and his wife, Katharine, purchased the farm in 1933, the barn had stood on a rise above Allen Cove, Me., near the village of North Brooklin. For White, the barn was the center of their 40 acres, even more so than the big white house that was attached to it by an aromatic woodshed. The building united White’s two great writerly loves -- barnyard animals and Maine."

America’s Oldest Net-Zero Home - Natural Home & Garden

"Turning a century-old Victorian house into a net-zero home might sound like an ambitious goal for a young couple in their first home, but Kelly and Matt Grocoff, a self-described “average couple” from Ann Arbor, Michigan, did just that, and now own the oldest home in America to achieve net-zero energy."

Preserving history, or the 1 percent? - Salon

"Restricting development in pricey neighborhoods, the new thinking goes, not only cements a city’s best sections as enclaves for the rich, it has wider anti-urban reverberations. It promotes suburbanization by pricing out the middle class. It prevents densification, the greenest, most efficient use of space and the defining characteristic of cities. And less density makes walkable, retail- and transit-oriented neighborhoods harder to sustain."

On Block in Harlem, Neighbors’ Push for Restoration Will End in Demolition - The New York Times

"Gentrification, or at the very least prettification, has reshaped block after block in Harlem, but it has not fully arrived at East 126th Street between Madison and Park Avenues. There, handsome rows of century-and-a-half-old brownstones line the north and south sides of the street, just as they do one block west, on a pristine tree-lined stretch where homeowners keep polished doorknobs and spotless front stoops. But along East 126th Street, vacant buildings are interspersed among the inhabited ones."

The Distinctive City - Urban Land

"If I have learned anything from my career in urban planning, it is this: a community’s appeal drives economic prosperity. I have also learned that, while change is inevitable, the destruction of a community’s unique character and identity is not. Progress does not demand degraded surroundings. Communities can grow without destroying the things that people love."

Cleveland's past and present merge in repurposed, grand old buildings - Cleveland.com

"Every day I come to work and I'm inspired to put as much care into my food as they put in this building," says Schimoler, chef and owner of Crop. "This place cost $1.5 million to build in 1925, and these days it would cost $30 million. Who could ever build something like this these days, especially to house a restaurant?"

Taking Guardianship of a Historic Home - The Wall Street Journal

"More than anything, owners of historic homes buy for love. Love of the artisanship, architectural details and even the quirks. Still, it’s a smart investment. A landmark plaque on a residence increases property value. It assures buyers the qualities that attracted them to the home in the first place will endure over time."

David Garber

David Garber

David Garber is the blog editor at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He is a native of Washington, DC, and loves the intersection of preservation, innovation, and sustainability.