John,

Why not come all the way out to the real West?   We could sure use you here
to talk sense into the City administration.   They own a charming old cigar
factory, I mean (for the literati) the old building where cigars were made
in the 1890's, and have recently turned it into administrative offices.
They just "restored" it by hiring some energetic young men to chip off the
stucco coat added in the 1940's and well adhered to the brick.   These keen
young powerhouses not only got rid of the stucco but also about a quarter of
the thickness of the brick that stuck to it.   Now they are up on the
scaffold with Dryvit complaining that the old mortar is pretty rotten and
causing them a lot more work, while a "mason" replaces parts of the cornice
and wall cap with new modern brick.   They are all so proud of how historic
the building now looks.   Yea, it looks like Dresden after an historic
bombing.   When asked how they are going to deal with rainwater on the wall,
they said, energetically, "Oh, we will just get some kind of sealer, like
plastic or sometin'."

Within the unionized environment of the City administration, I am officially
recognized as the "museum curator" and not a "heritage building restoration
consultant", (just as in this unionized environment I have the right to
build "exhibits" but not "walls", that is, as a skilled carpenter but with
the job description of curator, I can officially build anything that touches
only a floor or a ceiling but not both at the same time.  The City carpentry
crew builds "walls" which, I was told by their Foreman hoping to avoid a
grievance, are any structures that touch both the floor and ceiling.)   Not
management", I have no access to the official decision making.   Outside of
the official City administration, I get calls from the Regional District
(county) and private building owners for advice and consultations.

For mental self preservation when driving daily past the dear little brick
building, I have decided it is better to smile with pleasure at its overall
form and laugh a little at the tragic/comedic surface instead of crying.
If you make it out here to the real cowboy and Indian country, where the
Indians were and are the cowboys, I would love to share the beautiful
remnant of the building with you and offer a workshop at the museum about
the Art of heritage building restoration.   Someone might actually attend
and learn something.

If you have a box of slides and are from more than 25 miles away, you are
considered an expert.   With two boxes and a thousand miles, you would be an
Expert, and the novelty here in itself should draw an audience.

cp in bc
(bc = brick crazy)

PS:   When I first came to work here and began to appreciate what a strict
unionized environment this is, I asked for a computer and printer so I could
make signs for the museum exhibits.   I was told that I had to get any signs
from the "City Sign Shop" and that meant placing an order several weeks
ahead of when I hoped to see them.   The fact that I just wanted little
labels for exhibits made no difference.   I then asked how I could get an
adjustment made to the system so I could make my own little exhibit text
signs and labels, and asked if I should file a "grievance" to get the job
description changed.   The reply from the head administrator, "Oh no, you
can never grieve for more work, only for less!"





----- Original Message -----
From: "John Leeke, Preservation Consultant"
<[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, August 05, 2005 7:36 AM
Subject: [BP] Westward, HO!


> I'm now gearing up for travels across the northern prairies, where the
> roads are straight, the buildings few and far between, and the folks
> friendly as ever.
>

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