Scoopers

Newsletter of the
Preservation Coalition of Erie County (Home Page)

October 1995

Buffalo Scoopers

Gas station canopies fought in Toronto

Markham, Ontario, an exploding suburb northwest of Metro Toronto, has successfully fought the Esso oil company's new gas station canopies. The city has established four ‘heritage areas’ in the last 15 years and refused to grant permits for the large, flat canopies, which, particularly while brightly lighted at night, have been compared to alien starships. Markham got Esso to install smaller retro canopies similar to those of 40-50 years ago. The lighting is also less intense and more tightly focused on the canopy area itself. ‘Light wash’ from new-style canopies has been found to be a blight and a nuisance.

Old Town Alexandria edges out Georgetown

Two preservation districts continue to duke it out as the preferred place to live in the Washington area. The Wall Street Journal reports that Georgetown, in the District of Columbia, saw only three houses sell for over $1,000,000 in the past year. The Old Town historic district of Alexandria, across the Potomac, on the other hand, saw six such transactions. Some people blame Georgetown's party atmosphere for turning off longtime residents, as well as events such as the Gross National Parade, which features the Synchronized Briefcase Marching Band (not to be confused with the lawn chair drill team that marched in the last Inaugural Parade). A shoeshine man blames it on the Clinton Administration.

High-tech firm leaves burb for historic city

The Prodigy Services Company, one of the country's leading on-line computer services is moving its headquarters into historic-districts lower Manhattan—to TriBeCa, the Flat Iron District, or SoHo (exact location to be determined)—from suburban White Plains.

Why would a company that lives and dies by the supposedly geographically liberating forces of E-mail, the Internet, fax, and modem?According to CEO Ed Bennett, having “a group of employees living and working in the creative community of New York—which has become the Silicon Alley in this multimedia world—is very important to our future.”

In other words, the resource is still people, and the people Prodigy needs to be among are those attracted to the urban/architectural qualities of downtown.

Natchez loses gamble

The Summer issue of Historic Preservation Forum included report by Mimi Miller, the preservation director of the Historic Natchez Foundation. It wasn't good. The Lady Luck Casino opened in February 1993. “Within a month, downtown retailers and night spots were reporting on declining sales and business.” 71% of retail businesses reported a decrease in sales. The Pilgrimage, a month-long open house which constitutes the peak tourist season, had a 20% drop in house tour and entertainment revenue in 1993, 1994, and 1995. Miller ascribes this to visitors shunning existing attractions in favor of gambling. Yet, she feels Natchez is more fortunate than other gambling towns.

Detroiters move to restore vintage ferry

Until 1991 Detroit had two ferries, the Columbia (1902) and the Ste. Claire (1911), which transported people down the Detroit River from the city to an island amusement park. The Michigan Historical Preservation Network, is working to “bring back happy childhood memories for virtually every native Detroiter,” according to chairman Bill Worden. To do so, Worden is looking to sell the Ste. Claire to a preservation-minded buyer to finance the Columbia's $3,000,000 restoration in time for its centennial in 2002.

Join the Army. Respect cultural monuments

Armies of all ages and nations have a mixed record vis-à-vis historic preservation. Witness the Plain of Jars, the shelling of the , the shooting off of the Sphinxes nose, the wholesale destruction of Russian museums, but the sparing of Kyoto, the insubordination which prevented the destruction of Parisian bridges etc.

The tide may be turning. A recent Army exercise had, according to the Wall Street Journal, “ troops shelled by a mortar hidden in ‘the oldest castle in the Balkans,’ an important cultural monument.’ And an ethical dilemma. The brigade's fire-support officer asks the staff lawyer (are we well-briefed for international conflicts or what?) whether they can strike back. Yes, but five shells only. After most hit home, the lawyer reflects that next time he would recommend only two, “‘the minimum force necessary,’” thereby minimizing collateral damage.