Mary sez:

>Witold's comment hits squarely on the issues faced in a current project I am
>working on -- a new (and large) addition to a 19th C. Italianate villa in a
>semi-rural area. It is a program with great merit, but it is a substantial
>design challenge. Initial reactions from the local preservation advocates:
>"impossible."  Yet the building would be preserved (it is now suffering
>substantial deterioration having been vacant for a number of years), used as a
>focal point in the new program, and put to a worthy new use.  A creative
>design for the project would allow the building to move on in history, albeit
>with some compromise to site and historic fabric (accessibility a big issue).
>
>One can always speculate as to what kind of project might be more sensitive to
>the site.  The problem is that no one has come forward with ideas or money for
>ANY project in many years, and the house has suffered.  Preservationists are
>not in agreement on this issue here.  Any thoughts?

I wish we weren't sponsoring a statewide conference this weekend, y'all are
having some mighty meaty conversations about which I have lots of thoughts
but no time to convey them.

Mary, I can tell which way you are "leaning," and I believe you are
correct.  Folks will cut off their nose to spite their face waiting for
just the perfect thing to come along that will be just the perfect thing.
Sometimes it never comes; I prefer more realism in an imperfect life that
sometimes you have to go with a proposal that will secure the economic
viability of the resource.

My background is in design, and so I have enough of the designers' ego in
me to feel that "a creative design" of sensitivity will work, regardless.
Not every building can be "freeze-framed" in time.  Evolution indicates
vitality, and so it's ok for historic buildings sometimes to be vital and
not musty.  If nothing ever changed, if we preserved the world perfectly,
well...I think that would be pretty sad...and boring.  Life is a barbeque,
and I like vinegar on my barbeque.

____________________________________________
Dan Becker
Executive Director, Raleigh Historic Districts Commission

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