Comments on: May is National Preservation Month http://blog.designpublic.com/2007/05/02/may-is-national-preservation-month/ Fresh New Design Featured Often Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:47:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Becky http://blog.designpublic.com/2007/05/02/may-is-national-preservation-month/#comment-52329 Becky Wed, 09 May 2007 15:21:22 +0000 http://blog.designpublic.com/2007/05/02/may-is-national-preservation-month/#comment-52329 Hi Veronika! It is so hard to see so many places disappear - I feel like the charm that brings these McMansion lovers to our neighborhoods is being destroyed by them. McMansions may have their place, but not on 1/10th acre lots! The other thing that cracks me up is when blogs are razed to make room for "loft" dwellings. I think it's funny to call new apartments/condos "lofts," when lofts were originally built in existing buildings as an adaptive reuse. If you haven't already, you might have fun checking out "Making it Lovely" - it's a blog by flickr contributer Pink Loves Brown, and they are redoing a bungalow in the Chicago area. The Making it Lovely blog tracks their projects, progress, and ideas. Becky Hi Veronika! It is so hard to see so many places disappear - I feel like the charm that brings these McMansion lovers to our neighborhoods is being destroyed by them. McMansions may have their place, but not on 1/10th acre lots!

The other thing that cracks me up is when blogs are razed to make room for “loft” dwellings. I think it’s funny to call new apartments/condos “lofts,” when lofts were originally built in existing buildings as an adaptive reuse.

If you haven’t already, you might have fun checking out “Making it Lovely” - it’s a blog by flickr contributer Pink Loves Brown, and they are redoing a bungalow in the Chicago area. The Making it Lovely blog tracks their projects, progress, and ideas.

Becky

]]> By: Veronika http://blog.designpublic.com/2007/05/02/may-is-national-preservation-month/#comment-52324 Veronika Tue, 08 May 2007 20:21:55 +0000 http://blog.designpublic.com/2007/05/02/may-is-national-preservation-month/#comment-52324 As a Chicago native, I've seen many beautiful old buildings and smaller humble homes demolished, only to be replaced by cookie cutter "luxury condos". Upon seeing an empty lot, myself and many others I've heard have a tendency to say "Gee, I wonder what they'll build? Maybe more luxury condos!" In the years since I lived there, the various owners of the Victorian graystone I grew up in (in Lakeview) built a huge garage in the back, later added a giant 2 story deck and replaced the front stairs and railing with a very modern (and ugly) one. But at least it's still standing! The Bucktown area has gorgeous little brick workman's cottages that are in serious danger of disappearing altogether, and the remaining ones sit between 4 story storklike skinny condo buildings. I have to admit we live in a new, modern condo in a "one of a kind" building that replaced a seriously dilapidated triangular building, and it's definitely not cookie cutter (ever live in an isoceles triangle?), but as fans of beautiful, original details, my boyfriend and I are excited to be putting in an offer on a 1947 Cape Cod in Sauganash that is completely original (save for the kitchen that was redone with modern amenities in period style). But we see the McMansions there too... As a Chicago native, I’ve seen many beautiful old buildings and smaller humble homes demolished, only to be replaced by cookie cutter “luxury condos”. Upon seeing an empty lot, myself and many others I’ve heard have a tendency to say “Gee, I wonder what they’ll build? Maybe more luxury condos!”

In the years since I lived there, the various owners of the Victorian graystone I grew up in (in Lakeview) built a huge garage in the back, later added a giant 2 story deck and replaced the front stairs and railing with a very modern (and ugly) one. But at least it’s still standing! The Bucktown area has gorgeous little brick workman’s cottages that are in serious danger of disappearing altogether, and the remaining ones sit between 4 story storklike skinny condo buildings.

I have to admit we live in a new, modern condo in a “one of a kind” building that replaced a seriously dilapidated triangular building, and it’s definitely not cookie cutter (ever live in an isoceles triangle?), but as fans of beautiful, original details, my boyfriend and I are excited to be putting in an offer on a 1947 Cape Cod in Sauganash that is completely original (save for the kitchen that was redone with modern amenities in period style). But we see the McMansions there too…

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