Sunday, February 19, 2012

What Should a Rendering Show?

Back when the alterations to General Worth's birthplace were being approved by the Historic Preservation Commission, then chair Tom Swope suggested that the missing historic marker be added to the rendering so that the rendering would document exactly what the HPC had approved. That didn't happen, but when the cellar windows of the house were sealed up, the HPC used the rendering as evidence that they had not approved this action, and the cellar windows were reinstated.

The rendering for the new buildings on the corner of Union and First streets seems never to have had the same documentary force. When it was pointed out that the buildings were in reality significantly taller than they appeared in the rendering, some members of the HPC explained that the rendering didn't have to be accurate because there were elevations that indicated the height of the new buildings. 

     
Now the buildings are nearly finished, and some rather ornate cast iron--some say cast aluminum--railings have been installed on the porticos.


The rendering and the elevations submitted to the HBC show very simple railings, presumably of wood, in keeping with the stark and uncomplicated faux Greek Revival design of the buildings. The railings that have been installed are ornate and quite fanciful. Their palmettes make them reminiscent of the fence around 345 Allen Street

Although fancy ironwork was used on real Greek Revival houses, often on fences, balconies, and roof-top ornaments, one wonders if the HPC would have approved these railings for 102-104 Union Street had they known this is what was planned.       

5 comments:

  1. Doris Duke a la Home Depot = our new and "improved" hysterical historical

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  2. What a great description, Vince.

    -- jock Spivy

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  3. I have some questions
    One is, why would someone become a vet if they hated animals?
    Why is there a white veined black marble curb on 1st and Union?
    What IS that stoop and the stair.... grey painted cinder block?
    Are they going to brick face that?
    Why did HPC approve a stoop out of brick face , in the first place?
    Why does Galloway have no sense of responsibility or stewardship;
    care or understanding of Hudson's history,
    it's founders,who they were,their backgrounds and philosophies ,that informed all their architecture?
    Does he know anything about that block from a historical perspective? Does he care?
    Why is he doing this.?Why is HPC letting him?
    Why aren't the stairs and the railings made of wood,
    which were one of the few more historically correct elements that was approved by HPC?
    What are those ridiculous ostentatious cast aluminum hand rails and and Juliet balcony railings doing there?
    Why are the cast aluminum newel posts suspended in the air?
    Why are the first steps missing?
    What's going there?
    Are they going to put the same wider step with the extended curved end ,like they did at the Worth House?
    Neither of those steps are in the rendering for the Worth House or these two houses.
    Do they extend more than 4',the furthest legal intrusion onto public side walk?
    What are the sidewalks going to be made of ?
    Would someone please lock HPC and Galloway& personnel ,in GalVan's newly acquired ,library's History Room
    and fly Byrne Fone over here from France to school the whole lot of them ,before they do any more damage?
    C'mon Enough.

    § 93-9. Grounds for revocation; stop orders.(2) If*he finds a false statement or misrepresentation as to a material fact
    in the application, plans or specifications on which the building permit was based.
    § 169-12. Enforcement.
    All work performed pursuant to a certificate of appropriateness issued under this chapter shall conform to any requirements included therein.
    It shall be the duty of the *Building Code Enforcement Officer to inspect periodically any such work to assure compliance.
    In the event work is found that is not being performed in accordance with the certificate of appropriateness,
    or upon notification of such fact by the Historic Preservation Commission,
    the Building Code Enforcement Officer shall issue a stop-work order and all work shall immediately cease.
    No further work shall be undertaken on the project as long as a stop-work order is in effect.
    .....................................................
    " Money doesn't talk ,it swears "
    GalVan and Assoc. know damn well it they tried to pull this stunt in a Historically Land Marked District ,especially residential,in NYC or Nantucket or Newport,that crap would be knocked down by Tuesday,because today is a holiday, or that job would be shut down and fined until it was rectified. They wouldn't even venture to try this there, but Hudson? piece of cake. What are the odds that HPC and the Bldg. Dept. will make them take down the railings , redo the steps and remove that black marble curb?
    Oh,this sounds petty? Well ,if money or the promise of it, lets Galloway be above the law, Holcim has astronomically more money than Galloway.So, theoretically,if Galloway is allowed to destroy architectural heritage of Hudson unchecked ,then Holcim can destroy South Bay and it's water front. Who's going to stop them?

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  4. Good points all, Prison Alley. I especially like the idea of putting them all in a room with Byrne Fone.

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