Photo Friday

One of the many spectacular faces in terracotta of the Brooklyn Historical Society, watching over Pierrepont Street since 1881. Architect: George B. Post, Sculptor, Olin Levi Warner.

PhotoFriday: Hamilton at Trinity Church

After watching most of the HBO John Adams series recently, I paid a visit to Alexander Hamilton’s monument in Trinity Church’s burial ground in Lower Manhattan as well as checked in at Hamilton Grange in Upper Manhattan. Hamilton is not my favorite founding father, but his life story is one I certainly have enjoyed knowing. (For those keeping score, I’ve always been partial to the gentlemen of Virginia – Jefferson and Madison – and Franklin.) He was a merchant accounting prince of the West Indies as a teen, Federalist Papers author, and husband to Gen. Philip Schuyler’s daughter Eliza. And of course, we know the familiar story of the foggy duel with Aaron Burr which ended Alexander’s life 50 years before Eliza’s.

As my FotoFriday installment, here’s Hamilton’s monument. It is inscribed thusly:

The Corporation of Trinity Church has erected this
MONUMENT
In Testimony of Their Respect
For
The PATRIOT of Incorruptible INTEGRITY
The SOLDIER of Approved VALOUR
The STATESMAN of Consummate WISDOM
Whose TALENTS and VIRTUE will be admitted
BY
Grateful Posterity
Long after this MARBLE shall have mouldered into
DUST
He died July 12, 1804 Aged 47

Broadway's New Agreement

Lou Kahn wrote, “The street is a room of agreement.” Today, New Yorkers can celebrate a new agreement for Broadway.

After a test period, and despite less impressive improved traffic-flow than initially hoped, New York City has wisely agreed to make the plazas around Times Square and Herald Square permanent. The plazas, in addition to better bike lanes and pedestrian improvements, have converted Broadway to a truly multi-functional street befitting the 21st century city.

This democratizing of Broadway represents the forward-thinking planning enabled by Mayor Bloomberg's administration - the progressive DOT commissioner Janette Sadik-Kahn - but also their willingness to involve truly thoughtful planners, such as Denmark's Jan Gehl. Bravo Broadway.

Manhattan Traffic Experiment Gets Permanent Run (NYTimes)

Photo credit: Sean Marshall / Creative Commons License

PhotoFriday

This week's winter storm on my block in Fort Greene.

International Responses to Haitian Earthquake

By now you have surely heard about the extraordinary devastation in Haiti. Beyond the people's immediate needs there are many questions about how a recovery and rebuilding effort will transpire. Among these choices about higher quality building techniques and creating functioning infrastructure will come difficult decisions about heritage. In order to respond to these issues, and provide necessary interim support, the leading international cultural heritage organizations are on the ground.

The World Monuments Fund has established an Earthquake Recovery Fund in an effort to help develop a response. On their donation page, select "Earthquake Recovery Fund in Haiti" in the Please Use My Donation menu.

While you're at WMF, look over the article about the Gingerbread Houses of Bois Verna. The dispatch provided by Conor Bohan there is striking. Many are badly damaged, while others remain. He says, "Luckily a few of these beautiful buildings seem to have escaped unscathed. If a preservation effort was important before January 12th, it is now essential, to conserve those precious few that are left standing."

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organziation is also on the scene, largely focusing on rebuilding the nation's educational infrastructure. UNESCO is also conducting a needs assessment related to damage to museums, archives and libraries. UNESCO's director general has appealed to the UN to call for a ban on trade of Haitian artifacts for fear of the country's movable cultural heritage being stripped and dispersed. To donate to their efforts, click here.

Week in Review

Scots laser scan World Monuments (NY Times)
Laser scanning team from Historic Scotland creates models of landmarks accurate to a fraction of a millimeter, heads to Mount Rushmore.

Dick Moe Retires from National Trust for Historic Preservation (Washington Post)
After 16 years at the helm it's time for younger blood to enliven the Trust as Moe retires.

Massachusetts SHPO says Nantucket Sound may be Eligible for Listing in National Register, Delays Cape Wind (Boston Globe)
Nantucket Sound is eligibile because of its significance to Wampanoag tribes. Ruling could provide (another) setback for wind farm project.

Georgia Trust Releases 2010 "10 Places in Peril" List (GeorgiaTrust.org)
From a jail and a recording studio to a folk art fantasy and several school buildings.

Stolen Summer: movies with a view

Back to Brooklyn Bridge Park for a moment: I'd forgotten that this year marks the 10th year of the free movie series on Thursday nights. This year's theme is "Stolen Summer," and the August lineup is full of adventure.

August 6: The Return Of The Pink Panther

August 13: Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid

August 20: Catch Me If You Can

August 27: Edward Scissorhands

The festivities begin at 6pm with DJs from Brooklyn Radio, food sold onsite is from RICE. No booze or pets, but ride your bike and park it using Transportation Alternatives' (a sponsor) free bike valet service.