Ralph

"See my responses in quote marks below"

-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 10 December 2000 3:22 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Interpretation of department stores

David,

Long ago I was involved in an ultimately aborted restoration of
Bloomingdale's flagship store in Manhattan.  It turned out to be a MOST
interesting complex of buildings (including 3 1860's brownstones, 1880's
Classically-inspired brick commercial buildings with cast iron trim, and a
late 20's Deco section) largely obscured by all manner of accretions inside
and out.

The biggest problem I foresaw related to windows: The store had originally
had huge plate glass show windows at street level,
"Same with these stores - except that the original windows and frames are
still typically there."

and jillions of operable double hung windows at upper levels.
"Ditto"

Current taste then (and probably still) in window dressing was for little
jewel box windows (often blocked up larger
windows), and the perimeter spaces at all levels were used for storage (and
the upper level windows all painted over).
"Ditto - we inspected all of the windows from inside and out - the two staff
doing the internal inspections nearly went crazy moving stock aside to check
whether the windows were operable or not!"

This would have put the existing layout and design concept used in the
building in direct conflict with restoration of its facade.  I got the
feeling that the window dressers (and
that sort) while theoretically artistic types who should have been sensitive
to Histo Presto were going to have a very hard time being told they had to
live with these big windows.

"In our situation, the ground floor shopfronts are going to remain as is,
and continue in their current role as display windows.  The majority of the
double hung windows on upper floors are going to be blocked off on the
inside by fitout (but without the stock reserve areas this time), but 3-5
bays on each store will be accessible from inside the store and act as real
windows should.  The challenge is to find a way for both sorts to be similar
in appearance."

The reason the project went down the drain was that it turned out that the
lease on the store (more accurately, its real estate) was about to expire
(this was c. 1983) for the first time since mid 1929, and Federated
Department Stores (our client who operated the business) had the bright idea
that if they restored the facade and got it landmarked, then the
Bloomingdale
family who owned the land would in effect be unable to squeeze  Federated's
financial balls by threatening to not renew the lease and selling the site
for development.  However, they all came to some sort of agreement and this
very interesting complex looks like hell in beige paint.

"As both stores are already on the heritage register, there is no option but
to conserve them.  The biggest tragedy is the loss of the original
escalators (diagonal moving staircases - don't know what you call them).
Trouble is that nobody can make the parts that are required, or make them
safe.  Nobody is prepared to take the risk, so goodbye to history."

Keep us posted.

"Hope this helps"

Ralph

"david"