The hottest Historic Preservation Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top History Topics

What’s next for New York’s historic preservation movement?

Urben Field Notes • 54 implied HN points • 07 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Urbanism Historic Preservation Zoning Housing policy Landmarks
  1. New York has a strong historic preservation law that protects many buildings, but it can also make it hard to build new homes in desirable areas. This creates a tough balance between keeping history and making space for more people.
  2. Some new development plans, like the SoHo rezoning, try to add more housing while keeping important historic buildings safe, which could help both residents and the city's character.
  3. There are better ways to work with historic buildings so new structures can fit in without getting in the way of preserving important parts of the city's history. It's about finding a middle ground where old and new can coexist.

Not Just Another Abandoned Warehouse

Unseen St. Louis • 235 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
💾 History Architecture Historic Preservation
  1. Shapleigh Hardware Warehouse No. 3 in St. Louis was destroyed in a devastating fire, reflecting a trend of historic buildings facing neglect and destruction.
  2. Augustus Frederick Shapleigh, an important figure in St. Louis, founded the Shapleigh Hardware Company, contributing to the city's industrial and commercial growth in the 19th century.
  3. The Shapleigh Hardware Company's Warehouse No. 3, built in the early 20th century and a symbol of the company's success, faced destruction in the fire and is likely to be demolished.

Think the city is a museum? Wait until you hear about the suburbs

Urben Field Notes • 43 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Urbanism Architecture Housing Historic Preservation
  1. The housing crisis is not just in cities, but also in suburbs where banal cityscapes are treated as architectural gems.
  2. Historic preservation policies in expensive cities like New York often benefit elite areas while ignoring the suburbs and banal neighborhoods.
  3. Efforts to address housing shortages in major cities like New York require redeveloping existing structures and involving suburbs in housing solutions.
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