Preserving Chicago Landmarks
I was disheartened when i read the following excerpt from a Chicago Tribune article entitled Chicago landmark lawsuit heats up; designation of landmark districts slows down.
“…watch out: From graystones to bungalows, Queen Annes to two flats, the neighborhood fabric of Chicago will again be vulnerable to destruction.”
Using our current real estate recession as an example, if we don’t pay attention to our past we are condemned to repeating it. Its time in Chicago, and in the United States, to start paying attention to our history. Yes, I mean architectural as well as financial history to create new options and possibilities for old buildings, we must create public and private uses for these gems of history and draw knowledge, awareness and self respect even courage for the future from the lessons those that built them can share with us.
As a building inspector and court approved expert for new and historic building technologies “New buildings aren’t better than the old, often times they are worse”
Take the Chicago Bungalow (originally an Indian word), where are buildings built better than this? Yes there are some drawbacks in fire codes and design that we have managed to improve but the quality in the workmanship exhibited back then is just not found in the new “artificial stucco and split faced block homes”. The older buildings can be retrofitted with new technology that makes them a better buy than our new homes that leak and create mold.
Yesterdays tradesmen held true to their craft and their guild; they understood workmanship and took pride in what they did. They measured their pace and the resulting homes and commercial spaces prove it. Older homes are cheaper to renovate than building new homes and the quality of a rehabbed home is better than a new home. It is also Greener. 60% of a home’s energy consumption takes place during its construction. Lets renovate, not build new buildings with untried or questionable products like “artificial stucco and split faced block”. Think of all the $ we will be helping new home buyers save on mold abatement, or anti-fungal medication used to treat lung infected new home buyers. We will continue to develop and build new. What’s the rush?