The Derby's in big trouble!

[jitterbugdoll]

All I have to say is--must they tear down *everything*?

I went to the Derby once a few years back and thought it was a neat place. It would be a shame for it to go too!

I would think that people in California would be somewhat more *into* preservation, but I guess not. I can sort of understand the attitude here (even though it makes me ill) because Arizona is a relatively new state, and everyone is from someplace else. So, I don't think most people care when buildings are torn down because they have no real attachments to them. Why, I once spoke with a man who moved to California to continue his restoration work because he got so sick of the rigmarole in Phoenix. He said to me "I think Arizonans would be more impressed if you tore down a historic building and put up something 'retro' in its place--because then it would be 'retro', and that's cool!"

When I was a teenager, I worked for a movie theater chain (Harkins) that owned the last big screen theater in Arizona--the Cine Capri. It was torn down to make way for a parking lot, despite quite a bit of protesting from local residents. How depressing!

Good luck with saving the Derby! I'd be at that hearing if I could!

 

[MK]

.

I hate hearing stuff like this. Why not sell it to someone who will restore it to a Brown Derby again? They will probably make it a stip mall. :rage:

 

[ClintonHammond]

"must they tear down *everything*?"

All things pass....

 

[Zach R.]

Would you also say it is reasonable to tear down the Colosseum to build Luxury Condos in the heart of Rome?

 

[MK]

.

......or the Acropolis?

 

[Brad Bowers]

And they'd be sure to build each patio and fireplace out of the stones, so the condo owner can have their own personal bit of history.

Brad

 

[jitterbugdoll]

And of course, give the place a catchy name that plays up the site's former occupant.

For example, Arabian horse farms were extremely big out here until the market went bust in the 1980s. Now, most of the former farms have been sold, and apartments and tract houses have been built in their place, with such names as "Arabian Trails", and so on. As if you can even ride horses there anymore, and as if the name makes up for the wonderful pollution and traffic that the 18 bazillion new residents brought with them…

 

[Angelicious]

This drives me mad. :rage:

Especially because I live in a country whose industrialised (and thus modern architectural) history only goes back 180 years. We have so little history to preserve; you'd think we could manage it!

Most recent local protests have been a nearby church selling their community house (a gorgeous 1924 brick & timber mock-tudor) to *shudder* developers; and the ongoing battle to save Hayes Paddock, one of, if not THE earliest and most original of the Depression/WWII State Housing projects left in the country, even in Australasia. :cry:

Our last Mayor, David "Fossilised" Braithwaite was very much in favour of redevelopment; anything that would commercialise. He smothered all attempts to save Hayes Paddock. Our new Mayor is the youngest ever to be elected, and has reopened negotiations for the area. Yay Mayor Redman!

I live on the edge of Hayes Paddock in one of the late State Houses (1952 I think, but unfortunately with some modifications). Even with some horrible modernisations, a few run-down spots, and some UGLY townhouse apartments built last year by greedy developers out to monopolise the river views, it's a beautiful place. The first time I stumbled onto it (literally, I was walking and had become lost) I felt like I'd gone back in time.

 

[PrettyBigGuy]

That's a real shame. I learned to swing dance there and I met my new wife there as well! I lived in Los Feliz for over 4 years and when I think of my 7 years in LA, it was my home the longest. Up to now the big condos were all on the other side of Los Feliz Blvd, but it looks like they are going to start their way down the hill toward Franklin.
Since one of the owners died a while back and they changed the back room from a place to dance into a cocktail lounge, the place has been in a downward spiral. The last time I was in there I hardly recognized the place. It's too bad they can't sell it to someone who wants to bring back the swing scene, but I understand that it is hard to operate a bar when the majority of your clientel are drinking water!

 

[ClintonHammond]

They pulled the best carved granite off the pyramids at Giza in order to build medieval Cairo...

ALL things pass... nothing lasts forever... that's one of the joys... there are always new things to experience, and enjoy....

The old always passes to make way for the new.. if it didn't it would be static and dull... and eventually dead.

 

[Angelicious]

That's true, but of 100% of anything built in one year, we can hypothesise that 60% will be mediocre, 20% will be built with the intention of becoming obsolete and being demolished, 10% will be interesting and yet not amazing, and 10% will be of architectural, civic, or eventually historical, importance. (I'm working from local knowledge of course; cities differ from place to place.)

The mediocre and the obsolete will disappear or be modified without comment. The interesting will partially disappear, mourned by no-one except those who grew up there, and will partially get lost in modification and renovation. Of the 10% that actually rates importance, maybe 3% will be treasured, and 7% will be fought over and probably lost.

So that's (theoretically of course) a rate of change between 94 and 97 per cent. And yet discordians, revisionists and property developers complain about the idealists, sentimentalists, and luddites who oppose their pre-fabricated executive apartments, their carparks, and their strip malls.

'Cause gawd knows, we all need more strip malls...

 

[ClintonHammond]

"oppose their pre-fabricated executive apartments, their carparks, and their strip malls."

And complain when they can't find affordable housings, anywhere to park, or have to drive across town to shop...

 

[Dr. Shocker]

So What has happened?

 

[Angelicious]

"oppose their pre-fabricated executive apartments, their carparks, and their strip malls."

And complain when they can't find affordable housings, anywhere to park, or have to drive across town to shop...

Well, I have affordable housing... that's 50 years old.

I have car parks... even if they are a few blocks away.

I don't drive across town to shop... I walk or bus.

Most of the above just sound like laziness to me. Laziness and apathy are horrible things. It means that the only people you hear about on an issue are the extremes at either end.

And for me, your points would hold more water if my part of the world weren't full of uninhabited, overpriced executive apartments, carparks that house only skaters, and malls full of empty shops and realtor's signs.

By the way, Clinton Hammond... You really do make quite the career out of trying picking holes in anything anyone says, don't you? (That's an observation, not a criticism.)

 

[ClintonHammond]

Naah... performing is my career... picking holes is more just a hobby...


Heh

 

[MissTayva]

Whoa, NOT good... this is the first I've heard of this!
A lot of rockabilly shows are held there, as well... with the loss of many other venues, this is going to make matters worse upon promoters!
That aside...
Los Feliz is a charming little neighborhood, and all of this disgusts me. I'm sure they'll probably end up tearing it down...

Sadly, they are doing similar things in Palm Springs. I was amazed at the great buildings they have already torn down... and I guess many more are threatened. They have a huge preservation society there, but sometimes even their voices are too little.

Ugh...

 

[Angelicious]

Naah... performing is my career... picking holes is more just a hobby...


Heh

Fair enough, someone's got to do it.