On 6/18/98, Dan Becker writes;

>And rightly so, that's all you can legally do in a situation like this.  I
>always find it regrettable to lose what I call "ripening landmarks" this
>way.

------------------------------------------------------

Dan-

As irony (Fortuna?) would only have it, I was outraged last night during
our historic zoning commision meeting by a proposal given by one of our
more notable preservation architects, on the behalf of a client, to
demolish a 1967 contemporary home in one of the historic disticts of
Chattanooga.  But this isn't an ordinary house. Garrison Siskin (Siskin
Steel) built the house and most of the framing was, you guessed it, built
out of Siskin steel.  Though the house lacks another twenty or so years
before it qualifies as  "historic" by the state of Tennessee, it could
qualify as a Historical Landmark because of the Siskin's prominence and
philanthropic contributions to the region. The house was designed in the
American International style and is unique to the particular district which
consists of Queen Annes, Colonial Revival, and Tudors.  (I am finding out
now the achitect's name)

The architect, making the demo proposal, is no slouch. His portfolio is
very impressive.  But his proposal lacked substance as though he wasn't
convinced himself of his mission. A few of his more glossed -overarguements
in favor of the demolition were--and I paraphrase:

1. "The house is atrocious looking, it has steel floor joists hanging in
the basement.  It has a flat roof and there aren't many houses with flat
roofs."

2.  "It has no architectual significance, and does not fit in to the styles
of the neighborhood.  It is encroaches on the setbacks

3.  " It needs alot of work."

4.  "The owner (his client) would like the commissioneers to know that he
will build his new house to look like the one next door (a colonial rival
in which he has a contract on as well)."


He reiterated several times that his client, "an esteemed gentle and
successful entreprenuer", has the resources to do whatever it takes to
appease the commission.

I walked away feeling betrayed by one of our very own.  This architect has
been instrumental in the preservation of Chattanooga structures as well as
structures in Chicago, New York and Boston. He is lifelong resident of our
city and knows first hand of the destruction of entire neighborhoods that
would been on the National Register today.  Chattanooga is keenly aware of
the price it paid in the sixties for its downtown urban developement.  More
than one of our "would be" landmarks lays buried in the Summit landfill
because it was ugly at the wrong time.



-Jenks "You bet I'm pissed" Parker, Jr.