Category: Historic Perservation

In Memoriam... the first of my Lost American Architecture Series It's hard to fathom that this beautifully crafted Italian Renaissance Revival masterpiece that was built in the Victorian era and took ten years to construct, is now lost forever. Built to last in Amherst sandstone, the Detroit City Hall, in the state of Michigan, was the center of life in Detroit for almost 100 years. In fact I am currently putting the finishing touching on a painting that tells this very story. Paintings of other tragic architectural losses will follow, but this will be the first in my In Memoriam: Lost American Architecture series. The fate of this building that hosted eight presidents (Cleveland, McKinley, Taft, Wilson, Hoover, both Roosevelts and Truman) was sealed in 1961, when it became yet…

 My defining moment. Why did they tear it down? Every building with history has its own story and precious memories. Those of you who have witnessed the sudden disappearance of a home or building very dear to you, will understand the emotional impact and loss I felt that day. It was a defining moment I will always remember. It was the moment when I realized I had to tell the stories of beautiful historic structures through my art …. before it was too late.  The day started out well. I had traveled back home to New Zealand to see family and also take a nostalgic journey, re-tracing my artistic roots in Auckland, the city I grew up in and where I created my very first paintings of architectural subjects. My…

Road trip from Florida to Michigan Leaving Florida a few days ago, we continued our road trip heading north, through Kentucky and into South Carolina. This state is one of my favorites, with it’s diverse natural landscapes -- from Table Rock Mountain to the Chattanooga River to vast rolling farmland. Its architecture is equally varied due to early colonial influences, with roots to England. The architecture also reflects the impact that the African Slaves and other immigrants, such as the French Calvanist Huguenots, had on the state. History tells us that before the Civil War, the structures in South Carolina were mostly utilitarian and ornamentation was mostly absent. As towns and cities grew after the war the style trends widened and significant changes were seen in the architecture. Sadly, as…

How do historic homes become abandoned? When circumstances unexpectedly changed last month, my husband Bruce and I had no choice but to leave our beloved home in the delightful historic East Hills neighborhood of Grand Rapids MI.  Rather than face the drudgery of finding a new home right away, we put our belongings in storage (once again) and hit the road.  We headed south for warmer weather, only barely escaping the frigid cold of Michigan that was beginning to creep in. On our road trips we always make it our mission to take off-the-main-road excursions from time to time and we are never disappointed.  Driving down Michigan and then into Ohio, besides enjoying the lovely countryside and the beauty of summer turning into fall, I could not help but notice the ever-growing…

With so many beautiful historic homes being demolished today, last week I received some wonderful news from one of my clients who lives in Rockville, MD.  Jennifer excitedly told me that after overcoming many obstacles, her and her husband, Lee, had just purchased a 137 year old Victorian mansion . . . but, she added, it needed a LOT of work. That was indeed an understatement!  I found out that Jennifer and Lee had just purchased the Winderbourne, an amazing Queen Anne-style mansion that sits on nine acres and overlooks Little Seneca Lake in Boyds, MD. The home sat empty for many years and the wooden boards, beams and shingles became a canvas for vandals. [caption id="attachment_26967" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Lee Levin stands in front of the 1884 Winderbourne House, his…

1886 Georgian Beauty Becomes New Target of the Wrecking Ball! On this day, 150 years ago, Chicago residents were recovering from the Great Chicago Fire. It raged from Oct 8 - 10, 1871, leaving a mass of molding rubble and destruction. The deadly fire killed 300 people and destroyed roughly 3.3 square miles of the inner city. A total of 17,500 buildings were lost and more than 100,000 residents were left homeless.  In true Chicago style, the city rallied its forces and rebuilt. . . this time mainly in brick and stone and other sturdy structures. The buildings were unique, well designed and meant to last. Who would have thought that a century and a half later, these beautiful old buildings would be facing a new threat of extinction. .…

This is how this historic Tudor looked when they tore it down! This story makes my blood boil.  A truly magnificent 1927 architectural showplace designed by architects Henry Knauer & Clarence Smale, was one of the original design showcase homes of the prominent Hancock Park neighborhood in Los Angeles CA.  Built of superior quality materials and close to a century old, this unique home was well loved and maintained and likely to last another 100 years or more.  The new owners spent 2.3 million to buy the house and property and agreed at the time they would not tear it down. In 2020, they cold-heartedly oversaw the demise of this stunning architectural art form. [caption id="attachment_26557" align="aligncenter" width="1020"] Built 1927, this historic Tudor style home has occupied a corner lot…

Community flocks to weekend event in East Hills, Grand Rapids MI Rainy weather did not dampen the enthusiasm for our community event and pop-up art show last weekend on the premises of what will become a vibrant art center at 1009 Hermitage St SE in the East Hills neighborhood of Grand Rapids. [caption id="attachment_25539" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Project Manager Carol Moore and Chair of the Hermitage at Diamond non-profit, Maureen Kirkwood, brief the attendees[/caption] Two hundred and fifty members of the community attended to find out more about the plans to transform this beautiful church constructed in 1875. They also witnessed me “unveiling” of my original painting  of the church, depicting how it will look as an art center when fully restored. I was honored to present the painting to Maureen…