Archive for Modernism + Recent Past
The Division of Historic Preservation Needs Your Help!
Posted by: | CommentsThe Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office’s counterpart in Arkansas has launched a search for circular houses like the one pictured above. Designed by Gilbert Spindel, the Guyte D. Gunnels House in Magnolia, Ark. dates to 1959 – 1960. The Arkansas SHPO has uncovered a rumor that a similar house was built in Louisiana.
If a circular house like this one exists, (or once existed) in our state, the Louisiana SHPO would like to know about it! If you are aware of such a house, or have knowledge about Spindel, please contact Patricia Duncan, National Register Coordinator, at pduncan@crt.la.gov or 225.219.4595.
Still Endangered! 4914 Spain St: The Camarata House, designed by Leon Francis Dufrechou
Posted by: | Comments
Today the Neighborhood Conservation District Committee denied the request to demolish the Camarata House at 4914 
Spain. Sadly, we must report that the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority intends to appeal this decision to the City Council.
TAKE ACTION! Let the City Council know how your feel about the demolition of this house. Click HERE to email City Councilmembers.
We received a touching email from Kim Camarata, the granddaughter of Dominic Paul and Joyce Camarata, asking the NCDC to deny the demolision request. With Ms. Camarata’s permission, here is her email:
I am writing to oppose the pending demolition of the Camarata House located at 4914 Spain Street.
This is the house where my grandparents raised their three boys. They had the house built as a young couple, planning to raise their family there and live out their golden years. Even when faced with the threat of Hurricane Katrina, my grandparents did not want to leave their home. They stayed in the house until the water began rising inside. Then, they finally had to part with their beloved home.
This house fostered decades of life full of wonderful memories for my grandparents: children growing up, themselves growing older, and grandchildren starting the cycle again. My whole family converged for Sunday dinner there every week for as long as I can remember. My grandmother had an unrivaled zest for life and my grandfather was an avid gardener whose greenhouse still stands in the backyard today.
The structure and layout of the house itself represents a simpler time when postwar life was centered on family. This family-oriented focus is something this city desperately need right now. The Gentilly Terrace and Gardens Improvement Association agrees and they would also love to see the Camarata House brought back to life as a single family residence.
With new leadership, the GTG Assoc. is actively perusing options for rebuilding this house. I have just recently learned about the impending fate of my grandparents’ old home and I personally commit to helping the GTG Assoc. president seek out other alternatives. There are many better options for this house other than demolition.
I ask that the demolition of 4914 Spain Street be deferred to give some time for us to secure an alternative fate for the house.
Sincerely,
Kim Camarata
Please see the attached photos of my grandmother, Joyce Camarata, in the dining room of the Camarata House with her youngest son and the exterior of the house during the winter of 1973.
To recap our first post on the house HERE, 4914 Spain Street, located in Gentilly Terrace, also known as the Camarata 
House, is a post war, ranch style house. According to the Regional Modernism blog, the house was designed around 1950 by Leon Francis Dufrechou (1923-2001), who was the President of the Tulane Architectural Society in 1946 and 1947. Dufrechou also designed an office/residential building at1310 Esplanade Avenue, and three houses in Lake Vista in 1950: The Larry Gilbert House at 26 Swan Street, the Joseph Connoly House at 33 Swan Street, and his own personal residence at 6 Stilt Street.
The Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation has determined that the Camarata House is individually eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Further, the Gentilly Terrace and Gardens Improvement Association is opposed to the demolition of this house.
TAKE ACTION! Let the City Council know how your feel about the demolition of this house. Click HERE to email City Councilmembers.
Learn more about Modernism + Recent Past HERE.
4914 Spain St: The Camarata House, designed by Leon Francis Dufrechou, is Endangered
Posted by: | Comments
4914 Spain Street, located in Gentilly Terrace, also known as the Camarata House, is a post war, ranch style house. According to the 
Regional Modernism blog, the house was designed around 1950 by Leon Francis Dufrechou (1923-2001), who was the President of the Tulane Architectural Society in 1946 and 1947. Dufrechou also designed an office/residential building at 1310 Esplanade Avenue, and three houses in Lake Vista in 1950: The Larry Gilbert House at 26 Swan Street (right), the Joseph Connoly House at 33 Swan Street, and his own personal residence at 6 Stilt Street.
The Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation has determined that the Camarata House is individually eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Further, the Gentilly Terrace and Gardens Improvement Association is opposed to the demolition of this house.
The the Louisiana Land Trust’s proposal to demolish this house will be considered by the Neighborhood Conservation District Committee on Monday, June 18, 2012 at 2pm. If you have an opinion on the demolition of this house, the NCDC committee would like to hear from you! CLICK HERE to email the committee and share your opinion.
To read more about Modernism + Recent Past, click HERE.
Saving Modernism: A Struggle the World Over
Posted by: | CommentsPreservation in Print deputy editor Danielle Del Sol interviewed DOCOMOMO Louisiana president Francine Stock in June 2011 about Modernist architecture and the incredible amount of resistance preservationists trying to save it often face. The interview was done in light of the demolition of the Charles Colbert-designed Philiss Wheatley Elementary School — which was put on the World Monuments Fund Watch List in 2010 and razed in June 2011 — but shares similar themes and ideas as those found in the Summer 2012 Preservation in Print story “Saving San Juan’s Tropical Modernism.” Her role in DOCOMOMO and as visual resources curator at the Tulane University School of Architecture in a city that has torn down the majority of its iconic Modernist architecture (and lost much more in the lakefront suburbs that flooded after Hurricane Katrina) gives Stock a deep insight into the struggles, and heartaches, that fans of Modernism regularly face. What follows are some “sound bites” of why Stock thinks justifying the preservation of Modernist architecture is often such a challenge.
“ I think, first and foremost, people have a hard time thinking of themselves as historic. There’s a reaction — ‘“that building’s just a few years older than I am, I’m just a few years older than that. I’m not historic — what are you saying, that I’m a relic?’
We think of history as being generations away. How can a modern building be historic? We think that ‘historic’ and ‘modernity’ as antithetical, but they’re not. Modernity is a mindset. The Gothic architects thought they were modern. So it’s really just getting people to think differently about modernism — that’s the first challenge.
But “modern” isn’t just the new, so what is it? How do you define it?
There are buildings of all times, periods, styles that are more successful than others. But what I think is interesting is this Regional Modernism, Modernism that is responding in different ways using native materials, processes, techniques and devices, and incorporating them in a new way.
Wheatley has been the biggest [loss] recently, but we also lost two really significant schools, George Washington Carver and Thomy LaFon Elementary. Basically an entire genre of regional architecture — the mid-century modern public school — has been wiped out. That’s basically what happened. And at the same time we see Mahalia Jackson Elementary (formerly McDonough 36), which was revitalized. So it keeps showing you what could happen, what could be possible.
The Auto Life Building on Canal is a Curtis & Davis structure, and the HDLC just put up a really good fight for it, and the result was that it was landmarked. The owner fought the landmarking in court, but it stuck. Another interesting recent success is the former Whitney Bank on Canal and Broad. It has a great canopy across the front. After the storm it flooded and Whitney Bank sold it to Family Dollar, who wanted to strip it back completely, getting rid of the whole canopy across the front, and then French Quarter-ize the structure with shutters and iron railings — because that’s what they thought people wanted. Thankfully the HDLC had landmarked it, so there were some teeth then because the designers trying to strip the building had to go before the HDLC for approval. Basically, the developers were able to get a little education about it, and now it’s beautiful — it’s the best looking Family Dollar on the planet. And has the possibility of another future — maybe even as a bank. ”
Visit Stock’s blog, Regional Modernism: http://www.regional-modernism.com/
Download the New Orleans Regional Modernism iPhone App she developed with Keli Rylance of the Southeastern Architectural Archives and the support of Tulane University for a guide to the best Modernist architecture left in New Orleans (it’s free!) by clicking here.
Read “Saving San Juan’s Tropical Modernism” in the Summer issue of Preservation in Print magazine by clicking here, and see more photos of San Juan’s Modernist treasures in the Preservation in Print Gallery here.
To see our previous blog posts about Modernism and the recent past, click here.
Interior Restoration of Lakefront Airport Soon to be Underway
Posted by: | Comments
The photo above shows the Lakefront Airport building during renovation.
A major restoration of the 1934 Art Deco airport is underway and expected to be completed in mid 2012.
The structure was encased in cement and converted to a fall-out shelter in the 1960s, and post-Katrina historic preservation funds for historic preservation have made possible a restoration to its 1934 condition. The exterior work is largely completed, which included the reconstruction of sculptures and relief panels, and the interior renovation is set to begin in August. The central atrium, its height cut in half with a low ceiling in the 60s, will be returned to its original condition. Many of the original details, such as doors, murals, and handrails, were protected and will be returned to the building. Also restored will be the once regal Walnut Room, an entertainment venue and dining room.
CLICK HERE to read the Times-Picayune article on the restoration, and HERE to see architect Alton Ochsner Davis give a tour of the interior. Click HERE to see our 2008 photos of the airport.
Demolition Permit Issued for Carver School
Posted by: | CommentsOne of New Orleans’ three modern schools eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, the fate of Carver School has finally been sealed with the issuance of the demolition permit by the City office of Safety and Permits.
Check out our previous post about Carver school here.
Thanks to our friends at DOCOMOMO_LA for alerting us of this recent development.
US Department of Veteran Affairs Might Dispose of CBD Hospital Site
Posted by: | Comments
Notice of INTENT
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center Disposition
Site-Specific Environmental Assessment Scoping
———–
VA is currently considering three potential alternatives with respect to future disposition of the existing VAMC property and facilities:
- No Action Alternative: VA retains control of the existing facilities and continues to secure and ventilate in accordance with the stipulations in the PA
- Transfer to the City of New Orleans: Transfer ownership (possession and title) in direct exchange for the Tulane/Gravier site a. VA would continue to operate the Outpatient Clinic on-site until completion of the replacement VAMC
- Enhanced-Use Lease (EUL): VA would retain ownership of the site while allowing a third party to re-use the site in exchange for consideration to VA. (VA would continue to operate the Outpatient Clinic on-site until completion of the replacement VAMC)
This action is being undertaken in conjunction with the ongoing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance efforts surrounding the development of the replacement Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hereby announces initiation of the Site-Specific Environmental Assessment process (SEA) for disposition of all VA properties and facilities located at 1601 Perdido Street.
This announcement marks the beginning of a 30-day comment period on project scoping for the Disposition Site-Specific Environmental Assessment. A public meeting will be held upon publication of the draft SEA. Information regarding the project background and proposed alternatives is available on the project website at http://valsumedcenters.com. In addition, copies of the scoping information are also available by contacting AECOM Environmental at public.comments@aecom.com.
Public participation is an important part of the NEPA compliance process. VA is providing veterans, general public, local businesses, associations, stakeholders, affected governmental agencies and other interested parties the opportunity to participate in public scoping regarding the proposed disposition actions. After the conclusion of the public comment period, VA will consider all comments received and incorporate relevant, significant comments during the SEA development process. Upon completion, a draft SEA will be released for public comment; a public meeting would be held at that time.
All public comments regarding the scoping process are due no later than October 11, 2010 . Scoping comments need to be submitted in writing, by e-mail, or transmitted verbally via regular mail, email, phone, or in person at:
AECOM Environmental — Attn: Carol Freeman — 1555 Poydras St., Suite 1860 — New Orleans, LA 70112 — 504-343-8037 – public.comments@aecom.com
Carver School To Be Demolished
Posted by: | Comments
Of New Orleans’ three Modern schools eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, only George Washington Carver Junior-Senior High in the Ninth Ward will be demolished without the benefit of the standard federally mandated historic preservation consultation process (Section 106 review). Unlike Lafon and Wheatley schools, decisions concerning Carver’s fate were streamlined through a Secondary Programmatic Agreement between FEMA and the Recovery School District (RSD). Under this, the district recommended demolition and FEMA and the SHPO agreed with minimal feedback from outside parties. While it is neither reasonable nor feasible to put every historic structure through the full consultation process, it is sad indeed that buildings as important as those on the Carver campus will be lost with so little public input.
Designed by Curtis & Davis and completed in 1958, Carver was part of the $30 million building program which gave New Orleans its outstanding collection of modern schools. The program, headed by a progressive Orleans Parish School Board and Tulane School of Architecture’s Charles Colbert, had been launched five years earlier in response to antiquated conditions found throughout the district after World War II.
Curtis & Davis had recently completed their award-winning Thomy Lafon Elementary when they won the commission for the $3 million Carver complex. Their cruciform design consisted of a central raised classroom building flanked by wings to the east and west, connected by walkways to a gymnasium and cafeteria to the north and auditorium to the south. The auditorium was the campus’ stylistic jewel, with dramatic hinged concrete buttresses anchoring its vaulted roof. Carver received Progressive Architecture’s highest honor, the First Design Award, in 1957, and was hailed one of the most forward-thinking school designs in the nation.
While most of Carver’s buildings have been seriously altered over the years, both the auditorium and butterfly-roofed cafeteria retain their architectural integrity despite flooding after Hurricane Katrina. The auditorium in particular is in excellent condition, and could easily be incorporated into designs for the new school intended for the thirty-three acre site.
As the story goes though, the RSD has no interest in retaining either building. Its representatives blame bat and rat infestations on the auditorium’s design – which could instead have something to do with the fact that the building is open to the elements – and state that both structures are functionally obsolete. Citing similarities between the buttresses Curtis & Davis used at Carver and those they used for the Louisiana State Penitentiary cafeteria, the RSD believes that children would relate their school to a prison if the auditorium were preserved. This argument is somewhat hard to swallow, since buildings of similar eras tend to share similar elements; it is a little like insisting that schools featuring Classical Revival or Art Deco elements should be razed because of their similarities to the Criminal Courts Building in front of Orleans Parish Prison.
Rebuilding Carver is slated for the first phase of the school district’s rebuilding program, and the January 2010 RSD Capital Update states that demolition will begin December of this year. The RSD will be required to document and memorialize the historic buildings on-site, but they will be demolished nonetheless. Breathtaking in its monumentality, the auditorium is one of the most important modern structures in New Orleans.
New Orleans’ Modern Heritage
Posted by: | Comments
New Orleans’ architectural community had largely embraced Modernism by the 1950s, generating highly-creative, forward-thinking works which received national attention from preeminent publications such as Progressive Architecture and Architectural Forum. Many local architects came out of Tulane’s School of Architecture either as students or educators, including Albert Ledner, Charles Colbert, and Nathaniel C. Curtis, Jr. and Arthur Q. Davis of Curtis & Davis. Other firms such as Goldstein, Parham & Labouisse had evolved from older, more traditional practices, and out of town firms such as Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill had an important presence as well.
Their buildings are increasingly reaching the standard fifty-year age mark typically necessary for consideration as “historic.” Yet modern structures are often deemed obsolete because of the assumption that they cannot be adapted to new uses, because their history is misunderstood, and because, without proper maintenance, materials such as concrete and steel tend to not weather well, making it difficult to imagine these buildings as they once were. Despite these misconceptions, appreciation for New Orleans’ modern heritage is quickly growing, though some unique challenges have come to characterize the local movement.
The history of DOCOMOMO US/Louisiana, New Orleans’ most prominent advocate for modern architecture, reflects these challenges. The group began with an August 2005 meeting to discuss the formation of a local chapter of DOCOMOMO US. Hurricane Katrina hit just one week later, and the ensuing chaos broadened the group’s course from one of increasing public awareness to the struggle to save modern landmarks from immediate demolition after the storm. The effects of flooding upon modern structures only aggravated the above arguments against their preservation, and many owners from the state to the Recovery School District have sought federal funds for their demolition and replacement. DOCOMOMO US/Louisiana became an official chapter of the national organization in February 2008, and since then, along with the PRC, has been an outspoken voice in FEMA Section 106 consultation meetings arguing for the preservation of National Register-eligible modern structures.
But while Hurricane Katrina has complicated the efforts to preserve modern buildings, public interest in their worth and potential is growing. Check back for our next post on Modernism to read more about what the PRC, DOCOMOMO US/Louisiana, and others are doing to increase support for modern preservation and, most importantly, how you can help.
Modern Movement Advocacy Growing Nationwide
Posted by: | CommentsSupport for the preservation of modern architecture has been steadily growing across the United States over the past few decades. While the term “modern” generally applies to a wide range of structures built between WWI and the 1970s, the vast majority of our nation’s existing modern buildings were constructed during the boom years following WWII. From monumental Expressionist works such as Eero Saarinen’s TWA Terminal in New York (1962) to modest Lustron Houses scattered through the country, the general mindset in the preservation community and beyond is shifting to acknowledge that these buildings hold an important, valid place in America’s architectural legacy.
Though postwar structures built using modern materials and mechanical systems present unique preservation and reuse challenges, architects, scholars, and advocates nationwide are actively working to expand the body of knowledge concerning their conservation while promoting their significance. The United States branch of the international group DOCOMOMO was established in 1995, followed by the foundation of the Recent Past Preservation Network in 2000. These national organizations are only in addition to the countless community-based groups working to save local modern landmarks throughout the country.
Last year the National Trust launched its own Modernism + The Recent Past initiative, aimed at lobbying for greater protection of modern architecture, supporting grassroots advocacy efforts nationwide, and establishing a system of best practices in this new preservation frontier. Regarding the latter, the Philip Johnson Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut, owned by the National Trust since 1986, will become a center for the study of modern architecture and materials conservation. The 2009 National Trust Conference in Nashville reflected the growing interest in this field and featured several sessions dealing with the topic. These ranged from talks disseminating proven advocacy strategies, to lectures dealing with the technical side of modern preservation, to discussions about how the unique circumstances of modern buildings call for a reevaluation of some long-accepted preservation practices.
As modern buildings approach the fifty-year age threshold for listing on the National Register they are increasingly eligible for federal and state historic tax credits, the importance of which cannot be overestimated when considering how these buildings might be successfully restored and adapted to current uses. Post-war structures, just like their pre-war counterparts, can and should be rehabilitated into viable homes, institutions, and businesses to aid revitalization and growth in communities nationwide. To ignore such a major part of our county’s architectural history, and the potential it holds for the future, would be a terrible, short-sighted waste.
Though primarily known for its 18th, 19th, and early 20th century architecture, New Orleans is blessed with an incredible stock of modern buildings for a city of its age. Many of these were still in use prior to Hurricane Katrina but have since been abandoned, though an increasing number of local advocates are arguing for their preservation and reuse. Check back for more posts on our city’s modern heritage and what can be done to preserve it for generations to come!
