Architecture Archives - Be Kind, Thrift and Rewind

I have been to Philadelphia several times the last few months and each time I thoroughly enjoyed its lovely old architecture. The historical buildings such as City Hall, the Philadelphia Contributionship and the Union League of Philadelphia are all beautiful, as well as the old houses in Old City Philadelphia.

I don’t know much about these buildings – so far my visits have been focused on just exploring and shopping at vintage shops – but I wanted to share some of the pictures with you.

Philadelphia’s City Hall is one of the largest municipal buildings “in the United States and one of the largest in the world.” (1) It has 700 rooms and was designed by the architect John McArthur, Jr. It was built between 1871 and 1901 with a construction cost of $24 million. It is a truly beautiful building, built in the Second Empire Style. I have walked by and through the exterior a few times and even that is an awesome experience to see how lovely it is. One particularly hot, humid day mothers had brought their children and small toddlers out so that they could run back and forth in joy where the spurting shoots of water spout out. The children were giggling and thoroughly amused. Musicians were playing under the archway where you walk from one side of the building through to the other.

During the 1950’s, a few of the major city officials briefly thought about tearing down City Hall and replacing it. They discovered through estimates that to demolish the structure would bankrupt the city due to the extensive masonry construction involved in building it. I, for one, am very glad they kept it. In 1976 City Hall was named a National Historic Landmark.

The Philadelphia Contributionship was built in 1835-36 for the purpose of housing a fire-insurance company for homes. It is the oldest property-insurance company in the United States. It was built in the Greek Revival style.

Along the side streets and alley walkways you often see small signs stating that some houses were built around 1794. One thing I did not see such an abundance of in the Old City area was flowers along the streets and fronts of houses. The architecture is beautiful though and it is great to see such old history, along with simple elegant structures alive and well today.

That is all in this post about the architecture. If I get a chance to go again and have a trip where that is my main focus then I perhaps can do another post with more history about more of the various structures in Old City Philadelphia.

On South Street, the creative and artistic area of town, there is a large piece of “public artwork” by Isaiah Zagar. It is now called the Philadelphia Magic Gardens . It is a very large mosaic piece made from all kinds of recycled materials. Zagar began this piece in 1994, near his studio at 1020 South Street. He had been busy in the entire area since the late 60’s with various projects and adding his mosaics to walls on either private or public land. The area was in need of renovations and had many abandoned lots. “The Zagars (Isaiah and Julia, his wife), along with other locals revitalized the South Street area into an ‘artistic haven.’” (2) In 2002 the owner of the vacant lots Isaiah had transformed wanted to sell the land his artwork was installed upon. The community assisted Zagar in a legal battle, which they won in 2004. Once they were able to keep the land, Isaiah’s work was named Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, and the space became a nonprofit with its aim to preserve this particular site as well as the rest of the South Street neighborhoods’ mosaics that Isaiah had worked on. Once this was under way, Zagar continued his work by “excavating tunnels and grottos” and proceeding to add his mosaics all around the structure.

In 2008 the Philadelphia Magic Gardens opened to the public and began to host various activities and tours. Concerts, exhibitions and private rentals for special occasions are now available. Zagar has mural workshops available and many other creative programs. He has created over 200 murals in either Philadelphia or other places in the world. I have attached a link to a youtube video if you would like to find out more about his work.

My daughter was the one who first told me about the South Street area. The first couple of times I went to Philadelphia I hadn’t headed over behind the old historical structures. When I ventured there I absolutely loved the area. It reminds me of the way the West Village was before 9/11 and before so many corporations leased the retail properties in the area. There are corporate stores on South Street, yet also a large amount of small privately run businesses. The artistic vein of creativity is very much alive in this area of Philadelphia. I am looking forward to going back there this fall at some point once my foot heals from my recent surgery.

I hope you are enjoying the last days of summer. I will have another upcycled links post ready for you very soon!

contribution building

Old houses built about 1796. Some have plaques stating when built.

Philadelphia photos

Philadelphia old city

The Union League of Philadelphia founded in 1862.

near Liberty Bell

old historical building in philly

Philadelphia

City Hall

Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens

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Magic Gardens Philly

Magic Garden Philadelphia

(1) ” Philadelphia City hall, Philadelphia”2011. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
(2) (https://www.phillymagicgardens.org/

The Beauty That Is Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn

February 11, 2016

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Ever since the early 1990’s I have considered Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn to be a beautiful neighborhood. Even when it was still filled with gangs and constant violence I could see the potential in the few occasions when I took walks there. My artistic eye saw its promise. One of the gifts that a person who is capable of designing has is the ability to visually rehab or upcycle things in their mind. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen dresses or outfits and ripped them to shreds in my mind, then carefully rearranged them into something entirely different. I have always been able to view architecture the same way. If the structure looks stable enough on the outside I can see the possibilities. I believed in Bedford Stuyvesant and I held tight to the dream of what it could be.

When I moved back to Brooklyn in 2008 I aimed to be as close as possible to Bedford Stuyvesant. Gentrification in the area was happening at a slow but steady rate. A few years later the diversity skyrocketed and the remodels, rehabs, and rents all increased as well. My dream was to be a part of the Bedford Stuyvesant community during this time and to live in a brownstone. I managed to live in two brownstones during the years that I lived there. Each time they were flawed situations with having to share some common areas and not a total complete apartment of my own. The first actually was a rented room by the week in a run-down brownstone. After about eight months there I found a smaller space that had more privacy and a lease. It still had its flaws, not a total complete apartment but I wanted to remain in Bedford Stuyvesant longer so I signed the lease and rented some storage for my furniture, clothing, china, and art work that could not fit into my tiny studio. My place was on the border of Clinton Hill and Bedford Stuyvesant. That meant when the music that sang out from the mosque sounded a few times a day a sea of families from India, the Middle East, and Africa walked several blocks to attend the service. In the summer this is a truly beautiful sight since they have on their ethnic garments. The colors and variety of attire are a sight to see. In this community people live together as neighbors and often treat each other as brothers and sisters. This is another thing that makes Bedford Stuyvesant beautiful. There are a variety of establishments for dining and dancing, and the latest arrivals have been wine shops. Back when I first arrived there in 2008 there were very few shops to buy alcohol. With gentrification came wine shops where your salesman may be wearing a suit. Gluten-free crepes and cupcakes are now a block or two from the Nostrand Avenue stop. Another wonder of the neighborhood is a diverse variety of places to eat out on a budget that can vary from low-budget to higher-priced. The tenants in the area vary from very poor to wealthy, so there is something for everyone. I have been to the halal restaurants regularly for years and they are very low priced. If I want a more elegant experience I can head over to Alice’s Arbor on the border of Clinton Hill and Bedford Stuyvesant or down to Peaches for some down-home, good old Southern-style cooking. Either way I am always happy to be in the area.

The brownstones are old and well known in the city as being some of the most beautiful in the New York City area. In the fall an annual event is held where you can sign up to go see approximately a dozen open houses on a certain day. I went on this walk myself one year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Next time I am stopping for a sit-down lunch. My legs were just plain worn out from all the stairs I climbed to see the various floors of the brownstones. Some people buy the brownstones and modernize them, while others restore everything in the most antique way possible. One home even had a very antique mailbox. The handrails, interior wood, old glass on light fixtures and often statues in the hallways are just downright lovely. The outdoor stonework is unique and often very intricate. Many rooms had old fireplaces with beautiful carved wood or stonework around the mantel. I saw one house where the owner downstairs has created a garden that was fit for a palace. His bushes were rounded, trimmed and breathtaking. He had bought his home with other people or families, which is rather common today, and the various owners had all agreed to install a kitchen on every floor. I saw homes where the people living downstairs loved antiques, but on the second floor the interior decorations were ultra-modern. Either way in general the homes I saw and visited were beautiful. It also speaks loudly of this area that people can join forces and buy homes this way. Bedford Stuyvesant is a true melting pot and this something to be celebrated and enjoyed. It is no longer a “Bed Stuy do or die” neighborhood. When I moved in people slowed their cars and smiled saying “Welcome to the neighborhood!” Some owners resist remodeling and but even their brownstones can have some lovely old woodwork in them. The picture of the woman carrying a rosary is in an old brownstone that hasn’t been renovated in a very long time. Despite the shape of the interior the building even made “building of the day” back in 2011 for its previous renovation of the front entrance area, which sets it apart from the other houses on the block.

There are still blocks being restored in Stuyvesant Heights, which is the more elegant area of the community. The other areas in the community have also been undergoing numerous remodels and new buildings are being built all the time. Habitat for Humanity restored a few buildings a couple of years ago. One was in Ocean Hill, an eastern section of the neighborhood. Condos are being built along Bedford Avenue down near the Bedford Stuyvesant YWCA. Organic markets have been a common addition to the area the last couple of years. With the growth, more cafes and night clubs have cropped up too. Buses are a necessary part of life in the area if one doesn’t own a car. You can get around fairly quickly from an A train stop to the side streets and the buses head to other surrounding areas as well, such as Williamsburg, Flatbush, Downtown (Borough Hall), and Bushwick. The commute to Tribeca is a brief fifteen or twenty minutes on an A train. The prices of the brownstones have skyrocketed since the Barclay Center opened up. I was not too happy about that being opened since I lived within a fifteen minute walk from where the Barclay Center was built. I had to move anyway to get a real apartment – you know, one with all the areas being my own – and I had to get all my belongings out of storage so I could continue my life and have room to create arts and crafts. Life is full of trade-offs. Now I have rent stabilization but I live an express bus ride from Bedford Stuyvesant. I will always treasure that I was able to be there at such a pivotal time when it was rapidly changing and becoming the beautiful place that it is today. It is a good thing to dream and even a more wonderful experience to see your dreams become a reality.

Stuyvesant Avenue

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Stuyvesant Avenue

MacDonough Street

Halsey Street

Herkimer Street

Nostrand and Halsey – Adult Education Center

MacDonough Street

Halsey Street

Bedford Stuyvesant

Halsey Street

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Rehab anyone? I think it’d make a great vintage shop.

A Glimpse into Denver Architecture

January 22, 2016

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During my recent trip to Denver I enjoyed the variety of architecture to be seen there. When I lived in Boulder, CO, years ago I often missed the brownstones and architecture in New York. Now of course I miss the lovely variety of architecture there is to be found in Colorado. There is a large amount of the Spanish Colonial Revival style in Denver. I don’t know all the various styles but I did find an e-book hat you can download if you are interested in finding out more. If you know the styles please feel free to comment.

During the 1920’s and 1930’s Spanish Colonial Revival was quite popular in the Denver area. One of the various elements is the elaborately carved decoration that often surrounds the windows. Another is that the stucco or chosen exterior is painted a light shade of color. There are also often heavy tiles on the roofs. I found these apartment buildings to be absolutely stunning.

Another type of architecture common in the area is Foursquare, which was popular in the “first three decades of the twentieth century.” (1). I remember that there are a huge amount of homes in this style in Boulder.

I am not sure what the style of the church is in this post. It may be Romanesque Revival. Some of this work dates back to 1838-1886. There was a well-known architect in the area by the name of Henry Hobson Richardson. I am not sure if he designed this church.

I wish I’d had been able to take pictures but there was only so much time. I am sure if I were to go back into my older photos I would find some pictures of homes in Boulder that I took through the years. Perhaps I will post some of those another time.

The capitol building is in the Classic Revival style with its dome and large columns. Between the area of the Colorado Mint and the Capitol are the beautiful archways that I photographed.

I hope you enjoyed this brief exploration into architecture in Denver. I certainly enjoyed seeing the structures and learning a bit more about Denver.