Page 8, RAIN November 1976 (REBUILDING ) Things usually change so gradually that we have to keep our eyes open if we want to know when we're suddenly into. a new ballgame. Everyone who has been angered by the demolition _of beautiful historical buildings to make way for parking lots and fast food chains will be happy to know that we seem to have passed from conditions that encourage such waste to conditions that encourage restoration, renovation, preservation, caring and adapting. Even small buildings are now being disassembled rather than demolished, old neighbo'rhood buildings and homes are being fixed up and.upper_stories reoccupi~d. And suddenly a rash of new resources appears for renovation and reuse of old buildings. (TB) Economic Benefits ofPreserving Old Buildings, National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1976, $5.50 from: The Preservation Press 1729 H Street, N.W., Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 Escalating construction costs have made the rehabilitating of old buildings economically advantageous. The U.S. General Services Administration has testified to Congress that saving an old building employs five times as many people as building a new one of the same size-a figure verified by labor organizations. Preservation results in economic use of energy and materials, and many old buildings were designed qcpressly for natural daylighting, ventilatiO'n and thermal control that are again becoming desirable. These conference proceedings detail the experiences of many architects and developers spearheading rehabilitation practiceseconomics, financing problems, structural and architectural restoration, and adaptation to new uses. Their successes offer handsome evidence of the -value of preservation, though warning notes are sounded against the transitory value of chic "formula" antiquing and commercial/nostalgic restorations. Reusing Railroad Stations, by Educational Facilities Laboratories and the National Endowment for the Arts, 1974, $4 from: EFL 850 Third Ave. New York, NY 10022 Over 40,000 railroad stations have been built in this country since 1830. 20,000 still stand, but few will see another passenger-train unless massive increases in ridership and financial support for rail travel again develop. Many fine and useful buildings have already been lost to the wrecker's ball because of an inability to assemble new occupancy, financing and interest in rehabilitation.. This study documents the availability of fine and usable structures, the apathy and antagonism of JV.any railroad companies, and, more heartening, a wide range of successful conversions to other uses-art colleges, shopping centers, homes, offices, nursery schools and even a bank. . The Restoration Manual, by Orin Bullock, Jr., 1966, $12.95 from: Silvermine Publishers, Inc. Norwalk, CT 06850 The sleuthing involved in analyzing and restoring old buildings is almost as esoteric as collecting Nepalese snuff jars, but it is frequently necessary and .useful for restoring the beauty of fine old buildings buried under a patina of misuse, vandalism and destructive "modernization." A whole new world of beauty can open up·when you see a 17th century Persian garden pavilion emerge from beneath the French Rococo plaster· that had covered its exquisite poly- ' chrome and gold vaulting and faceted. mirrored domes for 200 years. This manual outlines the basic procedure for historical, archeological and architectural research, execution of a restoration, climate control in restored buildings, use of photogrammi~ng and other sneaky techniques. / The Old House journal 188 Berkeley Place Brooklyn, NY 11217 212/636-4514 $12/year (monthly). Subtitled "Renovation and Maintenance Ideas for the Antique House," here's the journal that will keep you up to date on how to do it. Preserving exterior woodwork, Gothic decoration in the American house, patching up your old piping, refinishing old floors, and more. There's also a yearly Buyer's Guide ($5.50) with sources for hard-to-find products and services. Encouraging to see that it's still possible to find handmade bricks, exterior cornices, Victorian door handles and gingerbread trim, and that people are putting loving care into preserving and enhancing the legacy given us by past generations. (wATER ) Water Conservation in California, Bulletin 198, May 1976, free from: State of California Dept. of Water Resources P.O. Box 388 Sacramento, CA 95802 Water may seem too plentiful to be concerned about, but it is getting scarce in many places as population density, industrial and irrigation demands increase. Massive shortages may be seen in the near future in some areas. It also costs a lot of money to drain, purify and distribute and to process again as sewage. We often feel hesitant to implement residential water use reduction because some people feel it just makes more available for wasteful industrial or agricultural practices. California has had an early taste of these conditions in the last few years and this report has some hard figures on how water is used, what savings can be obtained and what measures were possible to obtain them. 85% of all state water use is agricultural, 0.1% is for power plant cooling, 2% for fish and wildlife and 13% urban. 68% of the urban use is residential, 14% commercial and governmental anq 18% indus-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc4NTAz