Yes gutting is absurd here in D.C. - - DC has the ugliest facadimies
around and they keep doing it - to the developers it's good economics
and they're participating in "preservation" - preservation of bad taste
more like it.... LARA

Michael Davidson wrote:
>
> Heidi  wrote > what does it matter as long as the building remains standing<
> two examples come to mind...one was the restoration of Warsaw Polands old
> town...well first there was no restoration; as Warsaw was leveled in WW 2 the
> old town was entirely rebuilt from photograph and living memory; as a resident
> there 6 months It was a great result; and even though it was communist times;
> the resulting restoration was impressive.(even though they did not have good
> mortar) The 2nd example  that comes to mind is where whole historic blocks  of
> stone buildings are gutted (Glasgow is famous for this ) leaving the ghostly
> facade; then the new building is fitted from behind...and Viola ( as they say
> in Hoboken) ....Historic Preservation....I guess the beauty is in the eye of
> the beholder..regards M>D