A DEEP SENSE OF PLACE...

HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES ...in Huff Post

"Just as we are what we eat, I believe we are what we are surrounded by. The art of place-making was all but dead, as was the skill of creating genuine communities rather than rather soulless housing estates, until I determined to revive these timeless skills over 25 years ago. Although it seems misunderstood, my concern for design is part of a much wider concern about the impact places have on the people who live or work in or around them. My concern is for the built environment as a whole and how that environment affects the way people feel and live.

My ultimate concern in all my initiatives is for the well-being of the individual within community, so the big question is whether an urban environment enables a sense of community to flourish, or does it end up destroying that all-important bond because of the way it is designed? If the urban environment makes people feel isolated or unwelcome or even fearful, then it is hardly likely to engender positive, supportive and prosperous communities. We also have to face the fact that in the future we may not be able to afford to be so dependent upon the car, so it would be wise to design our towns and cities so they are user-friendly when everything is forced by economics to become more local again. These big issues are what drove me to set up what became my Foundation for Building Community. It is currently involved in over 30 developments throughout the UK, from redesigning children's hospitals and building satellite towns, to teaching architecture and urban planning. It is doing the same internationally, from Rosetown in Jamaica to Gabon in West Africa.

This film visits the Foundation's Summer School held in the grounds of Dumfries House, in Ayrshire, to explain how it works, and also the housing development nearby on the outskirts of Cumnock called Knockroon. The aim here is to regenerate the area by creating a vibrant, sustainable community with houses, offices, shops and a school. All the buildings are the result of an exercise in public engagement devised by my Foundation and are built out of local materials with designs reflecting the traditions and identity of the local area. The intention, as in places like Coed Darcy in Wales or Poundbury in Dorset, is also to create an environmentally efficient, walkable town.

This film then explains the work of my Regeneration Trust, a charity I set up nearly 20 years ago to try to tackle the rescue and re-use of many historic sites that are considered redundant. Naval dockyards, Army barracks, mill buildings or courtrooms, you name it, when I came across them they were all considered to be local eyesores, ripe for demolition and yet, to my mind and to many other local people too, they were actually perfectly sound structures that were rich in the heritage of their area. What they needed was to be given a new lease of life. The Trust has since renovated a million square feet of historic floor space, enriching the communities they serve and regenerating the area, all with a deep sense of place."

Richmond Virginia, June, 1929

Broad-Grace Arcade

3^rd and Grace Streets

John Eberson, architect

Indiana Limestone, metal, brick

The Broad-Grace Arcade was the indoor shopping mall of its day.  It was built to complement the massive Art Deco CNB building behind it on Broad Street.  It had entryways facing Broad Street, next to the front door of the CNB building, facing Third and Grace Streets. 

Architect, John Eberson, a native of Vienna, was noted for his flamboyant and ostentatious theatre designs which delighted many, but the restraint of this building has none of his usual exuberance.  The restrained nature of the structure make it easy to miss; but upon closer inspection one can revel in a bit of Richmond’s version of 1920’s modern.

There is a bronze trim around the windows of grape vines and Classical urns, and the front is faced with smooth sandstone cut with laser sharp lines.  Although, they are not shown in Charles Smith’s illustration shown above, and may have been a later addition, handsome glass and metal Art Deco light fixtures grace each side of the arched entrances on three sides of the building.

Smith’s Richmond magazine cover illustration is centered around the best part of the building’s design, both in form and function.  He shows us the function of the hallway lined with shops that can easily access Broad Street from Grace.  The tagline under the illustration tells us that we are looking from Grace Street towards Broad.  The entrance, with its grand two- story arch, and the wonderful details of the faced limestone and bronze details are the epicenter of the illustration.

In the June, 1929 issue of Richmond Magazine, an article by Hal Norton, stated that the Arcade “will be more than an allure to Richmond’s shopping element.  It marks a new step in the development of that type of building featuring the recent growth of Broad and Grace Streets”.  The article went on to exclaim “when fully linked up and completed, will create a picture of architectural beauty and harmony”.  Norton described the lobby as “splendid” and where two “high-speed elevators” are housed.

The completion of the magnificent CNB skyscraper and the Broad-Grace Arcade were important in the development of Richmond’s westward expansion, and in marking Richmond as an urban force.

We certainly see the influence of the Art Deco in this illustration.  The entire composition is vertical in nature; including the elegant people on the sidewalk and in the Arcade.   Its style is not unlike the mid-1920’s fashion illustrations in Europe and America more , with a more conservative edge.

CNB bought the arcade from the Broad-Grace Arcade Corp in 1973, and toyed with the idea of tearing it down.  The site remained unharmed, but remains empty and has been condemned by the City of Richmond.

Notes:

1.  Iain Zaczek, Art Deco, p.89, p.75

2.  Edwin Slipek, Jr., “An Urban Tragedy”, The Richmond Mercury, date unknown

3.  Hal Norton, Richmond Magazine, June 1929, p.33

4.  Robert P. Winthrop, Architecture of Downtown Richmond, p.115

Over the River

-Kathryn S. Cumming

The Belt Line Railroad bridge that spans the James River was built by one of the most renowned civil engineers in the U.S.  John Edwin Grenier of Delaware founded the J.E. Grenier Engineering Co of Baltimore, Maryland.  Grenier designed and inspected hundreds of bridges all over Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and West Virginia throughout his impressive career.  He is included in the 2000 book Engineering Legends:  Great American Civil Engineers ,and won a gold medal from the American Society of Civil Engineers.  The small one-man shop in Baltimore of the early 1900’s grew to become what is today the URS Corporation which in 2000 employed over 15,000 people worldwide.

The events leading up to the construction of the Belt Line Bridge were so tragic as to be almost comical.  A wooden railroad bridge was constructed across the James River in downtown Richmond in 1838 by the Richmond -Petersburg Rail Line. It was intended to transport much-needed building materials, coal and goods for sale from Richmond to the southern parts of the state.  The bridge burned once from the sparks of a passing locomotive; was rebuilt and destroyed, again in 1865, when Confederate troops destroyed the bridge during an evacuation of the city.

In 1883, another bridge, this time made of steel, was constructed by the Atlantic Coast Line and ran from the Ninth Street warehouse south to the ACL yards across the river. At the same time, another trestle was run by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway between Fifth and Seventh Street at the foot of what was known as Gamble’s Hill.  This important line brought coal from the southwestern part of the state into Richmond.  

Problems and confusion arose from the running of so many rail lines across the James River, and many different companies vying for their use.  At one time, the Mayo Bridge was the main road crossing and rail traffic could only cross with the permission of the Mayo Bridge owners.  

Through the cooperation of the RF&P Railroad Co and the ASL Line, the artistic concrete structure seen in this cover illustration was completed in 1917.  The City of Richmond contributed to its construction and held stock in its ownership owing to the importance of this large, permanent double-track line. It cost $1,000,000 to build in 1917.  

The bridge design employs ancient Roman arch design where wedge-shaped concrete voussoirs are carefully cut to fit precisely together and abutments to strengthen the arch.  The bridge and road building accomplishments of ancient Rome were central to the rapid expansion and great success of the Roman Empire.  Arch bridges have been the favored design to carry heavy traffic for over 2000 years.


Notes:
1. “A Brief History of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad”.  
John B. Mordecai, traffic engineer,1940, (For the 106th Anniversary of the RF & P Railroad)
2. “Old Trestle on James is Yielding to Progress”, Richmond News Leader, August 18, 1970
3.  “Then-and-Now“, Richmond News Leader, December 22, 1934,  photos by G. F. Benson and Dementi Studios, Valentine History Center
4. Engineering Legends: Great American Civil Engineers, Weingardt, Richard, publisher… 2000
5.  “John Edwin Grenier”, Quisenberry, Erika, Port Deposit Online Maryland Village, Port Deposit, MD, 2004
6.  “Making of the Modern World”, online source, The Science Museum, funded by the ISB fund of the Treasury and Cabinet Office, 2004

Orchard House School: An Adaptive Reuse Project

  

This essay will outline the story of the renovation and adaptive reuse of the building located at 500 N. Allen Avenue in Richmond’s Historic Fan District.   Originally constructed in 1908 as a private, Jewish men’s club, the site had seen many incarnations before the principles of  Orchard House School, a private single-sex middle school for girls, purchased the property in 2004. Orchard House had outgrown its original, leased space in Ginter Park, and needed to find a more permanent home.  We will take a look at the parameters of the project and the costs.  We will also take a brief look at another highly-publicized adaptive reuse project for a school in New York City.  Finally, we will discuss the successes and challenges of the Orchard House project.

500 N. Allen Avenue: A Brief History

500 N. Allen Avenue was constructed in 1908.  It was built as a Jewish Men’s club and literary society, called The Jefferson Club. The Department of Historic Resources considers this building to be of historical significance as it represents the social activities, such as cards, dances, and various other social function, of a wealthy, Jewish population that built the early blocks of Monument Avenue.  Many of the early houses in the area were built by successful Jewish merchants and professionals.  The building was designed by Dimmock and Lee, specifically by Marion Dimmock.    The local chapter of the Elks Club moved into 500 N. Allen from the 1920’s to the 1970’s, and the building saw a very active life for many years.  As the club’s membership dwindled, parts of the building were closed off and fell into disrepair.  When David Martin, principle of The Martin Agency, purchased the building in the 1980’s the building had stood empty for many years and had fallen into terrible disrepair.  The Martin Agency gave the building a sensitive renovation putting up temporary divisions for office space, and updating electrical and heating systems. When the Martin Agency moved to its Shockoe Bottom location, they rented parts of the building to the Vineyard Christian Fellowship church for a couple of years.  Again, parts of the building were shut up and suffered from neglect. 

The building has three stories and is faced in red brick with Classical Revival details.  There are two facades which face both Grace Street and Allen Avenue and are composed of a central block with two corner pavilions.  The windows are varied in size and shape.  The main block on Allen Avenue contains large French doors on the first floor.  The center block has a simple parapet.  The Grace Street entrance has a distinguished, covered portico.  One of the most distinguishing features of the building is a third floor auditorium with a stage at one end and large columns framing the north end.  The room is filled with light from the grand arched windows that rise from floor almost to ceiling height. 

One of the greatest challenges of the project, as with many adaptive reuse projects, lay in its central location within an urban neighborhood and the surrounding Historic Districts.  The building is bounded by the Fan Historic District, The West Grace Street Historic District and the Monument Avenue Historic District.  David Johannas at Johannas Design Group has been credited with successfully navigating these potentially precarious relationships. One of the jobs was to reassure the neighbors and the historic districts that the renovation would not drastically alter the outside appearance of the historic building, and that the activities of the school would in no way negatively impact the neighborhood.  Concerns that were raised by surrounding neighbors included noise, parking, congestion from carpool lines, the lack of athletic facilities potential problems of evening events.

The renovation at Orchard House only took four months to complete as the school wanted to be open and ready for the start of the school year in 2005.  The renovation was done in two phases: 1st, 2nd and 3rd stories and then the basement renovation.  (Funding for the second phase of the project were secured through the Mary Morton Parsons Foundation) 

The delineated spaces of the former Jewish Men’s Club of 1914 were kept mainly intact.  Additions made to the interior included a new main staircase in the front hall, fireproofing in the walls and bringing all the systems up to code.  Structurally, the corners of the front section of the building required additional joists below grade level to prop up the sagging corners of the building.  This was the only major structural problem which had to be addressed by a structural engineer.   No further sagging has been detected.

The administrators of the school proudly point to the re-use of a “huge” beam that came from an upper floor, which was cut down to fill in missing floorboards on the first floor.  They are, also,proud of the extensive re-use of many doors in new places throughout the building. 

A certain amount of creativity had to be employed in order to make a former club suitable for use as a school.  The absence of athletic facilities has been rectified through cooperation with nearby athletic facilities.  The former ballroom on the third floor has magnificent, arched windows on two sides with commanding views of the historic neighborhood.  This space serves as the school auditorium, dance and theatre space, indoor athletic activities, social events and general meeting space for students, parents and teachers.  Everyone agrees that this beautiful, historic light-filled space truly enhances the experience at Orchard House. 

There are two original staircases, which were kept completely intact.  These wide and heavily ornamented spaces serve as impromptu meeting space and study areas for the girls. The principal, staff and board members are very pleased with life at Orchard House and they cherish the role of stewards of this historic building.  Many of the students have expressed the sentiment that the beautiful building was one of the first things that first attracted them to Orchard House School.  Orchard House has become a valued asset to its neighborhood and the community at large. 

Avenues:  The World School Project

One of the most well-known and highly publicized adaptive reuse projects of recent years was the transformation of New York City’s High Line Railroad system into a public park.  The High Line was a series of freight  lines that ran through lower Manhattan built for the purpose of facilitating the delivery of produce and other goods to the city.  The rail lines mostly ran right through the crowded streets of New York, but the High Line was raised 30 feet in the air for safety reasons.  Long-abandoned, dirty and dangerous the High Line was an eyesore and a blight on the city.  Through a combination of public/private efforts, 1.5 miles of the original 15 mile track was transformed into a public park with restaurants and art galleries.  The project was completed in 2011 and attracted a very interesting sister project in its wake…the creation of The Avenues: The World School. 

The Avenues is a state-of-the-art, private school with grades K-12.  It is the first of a network of schools to be built in major cities around the world with the purpose of teaching children how to live, work and excel within a global culture.  The curriculum and teaching styles reflect the global vision of the school, including three language requirements to graduate.

The building at 10^th Avenue and 25^th Street in West Chelsea was chosen for the flagship location of the school because of its proximity to the hugely successful High Line project.  A former wholesale grocery warehouse, the building was designed in 1928 by Cass Gilbert, the prominent American architect responsible for the Woolworth Building and the US Supreme Court Building.  (avenues.org) The structure is 215,000 square feet.  The school wanted to add 35 feet of height to allow for the construction of a basketball court and a gym, but had to acquire a height variance as this would be 34” taller than zoning would allow.  This variance took almost a year to be approved.  Some of the neighbors were dissatisfied with the height variance as it would obstruct views from many of the luxury high-rise apartment buildings in nearby Chelsea. (Arak, 2011)

According to the school’s website, third floor dining halls would have open access to the park-like setting of The High Line and it states:  “With the help of Perkins Eastman’s architectural design and Bonetti/Kozerski Studio’s interior design, Avenues has a unique opportunity to become an integrated part of a remarkable New York City park”.  The entire project is estimated to have cost $75 million.  The school opened in September 2012 and is filled to capacity with a long waiting list. (avenues.org) This is a remarkable example of the power of a successful adaptive reuse project.  This is also an example of the positive “domino effect” that one successful adaptive reuse project can have on its surrounding community.  

Just a Bit of Eye Candy...State Capitol Buildings

On this snowy Monday afternoon, I thought I would share some sweet State Capitol Building eye candy.  No info, no architects...not even construction dates.  What a lazy Architectural historian.  enjoy!

California

Massachusettes

South Carolina

Tennesse

Louisiana

Wisconsin

...and, of course, my favorite...

Virginia


 

New York, New York....and the Rise of the Luxury High-Rise

   The high-rise apartment building was a relatively new building type in the mid 1800's.  The need for such a type arose in cities across the U.S. where land was quickly becoming scarce and prices soared.  By 1860, the population in New York had reached one million, of which about 42% were new immigrants. 

     The cost of building and maintaining large urban townhouses was becoming untenable even for the upper classes.  But, developers had to change perceptions of "apartment living" in order to convince the gentry to consider such a move.


  Prior to the mid 19th century, the only apartment buildings in New York were tenements at the lower end of Manhattan, inhabited by poor immigrants.  According to author, Elizabeth Hawes "all respectable New Yorkers lived in private homes".  Developer Rutherford Stuyvesant is often credited with building the first luxury high-rise apartment building in New York. The Stuyvesant was located at 142 E. 18th Street in 1869, and was razed in the 1930's. 



The design was by William Morris Hunt after a chance meeting in Paris with Stuyvesant.  Hunt  had spent a decade living and traveling the great cities of Europe where apartment living had been around since ancient Roman cities were built.  Hunt and Stuyvesant knew that young America was ready for this building type.   

The first tenants at The Stuyvesant, nicknamed Hunt's Folley, had a lot to do with making apartment living cool.  Although, a very bohemian bunch, all had excellent social credentials.  There was General Custer's widow,  a great-niece of Thomas Jefferson, and Calvert Vaux, co-designer of Central Park. 

     The next great apartment building in New York was the now-legendary Dakota, still famous and still standing high above Central Park at 1 West 72nd Street.  When completed in 1884, The Dakota stood alone looming over the park on a street where cows and goats still grazed.  The Dakota, designed by Henry Hardenbergh, had a couryard plan much like the ancient Roman houses and insulae.  The courtyard plan was implemented in many New York buildings allowing for much-needed light and air. 

     Over the next thirty years, almost all upper and middle income resident of New York city would make the move to apartment living.  Other large and mid-sized cities followed suite as land became scarce and expensive.  Cities like Philadelphia; Washington, DC; and Boston all had luxury apartment buildings by the turn of the century.  Smaller cities like Richmond followed in their wake.   


The Chesterfiled Apartments, 900 W. Franklin Street, Richmond, VA

Welcome to ArchH101

Welcome to my blog.  I will be sharing articles, essays and images that celebrate the built environment.  I am passionate about the preservation of America's cultural heritage, not just from an artistic perspective but also from a sustainability viewpoint.  After all, THE "GREENEST" BUILDING IS THE ONE THAT'S ALREADY BUILT.