On Mon, 23 Nov 1998, Met History wrote:

> In a message dated 11/23/98 3:25:03 AM EST, [log in to unmask] writes:
>
> > I thought that the original interior of the Jewish Museum was destroyed
> >  long before the addition was built.
>
> Beg to differ:  many of the interiors were intact (down to floors and
> mouldings), but carefully painted out in flat black, and covered with
> exhibition mounting board.   It was clear to me in early visits, and in 1991
> when I toured the building while demolition was underway.

Again, it has been years since the one time I saw the building, but it
seemed to me at the time like the historic interior was a total loss.  I
would have thought I'd have noticed the type of treatment you describe
(which I have noted in other museum-in-historic-space contexts), but maybe
I wasn't looking hard enough, or my memory is faulty.

If they gutted the original house as part of the addition project, that's
a real shame.  However, the finding of the Landmarks Commission (which you
quoted in another posting) can only speak to the exterior.

How many times have I, as chair of a similar commission here in Ann Arbor,
heard people ask: "How can you approve that facade?  They *ruined* the
interior!" -- and had to explain once again that the historic district
ordinance applies only to exteriors.

(Yes, I realize that New York does have the power to designate and control
historic interior spaces in certain limited circumstances.)

                             Larry Kestenbaum