Kimm, earlier last evening you wrote:
In a message dated 11/12/07 9:44:34 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
<>
So I'm not sure why my lament about our lack of historic districts changed
your strategy into attack mode:
In a message dated 11/12/07 11:54:42 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
<<...You valued buildings, I valued people. But now – I don’t know what the
f*** you value. It looks to me like the answer is nothing. I assumed that
of course Melani Lamond and the UCHS, who I am usually opposed to, would of
course oppose this. To see you, of all people, line up to support it . . .
.Melani, we have had our differences, but I’ve always liked you, and I’ve tried
to
respect you, and I’ve tried to understand you...You have utterly lost my
respect and understanding.>>
Kimm, I know you've written in the past that you don't always have time to
read the listserv, so I guess you missed my earlier posts explaining that I
support the project because it will restore the Italianate building. It seems
to
me that if you were indeed fact-gathering rather than judging, you could have
written to me off list and simply asked me what I value! And then, as you
stated so reasonably at 9:44 p.m., we could have debated the merits and not the
personalities.
Your summary of events at Calvary suggests that we will probably not find
common ground, however. The UCHS-inspired Friends of Calvary committee, of
which I was a member, but certainly not leader, worked with Calvary members who
did NOT want to close down the building - members of your church who felt that
its longtime home at 48th & Baltimore was an important factor in its spiritual
life. Your congregation was not all of one mind on a possible move.
In addition to concerns for the preservation of the historic building, many
Friends also felt that having a vacant and cannibalized (once the decision was
made to sell the leaded glass domes) building of Calvary's prominence at that
location would have a terrible effect on Baltimore Avenue, our "main street."
We were looking at the bigger picture as well as the building itself. The
effect on the community. Same as folks are for this hotel project. So it
seems to me that if you are categorizing my involvement as "hypocrisy" I might
ask: why do you find fault with me for supporting a new use which would
preserve an historic building at 40th & Pine, same as I supported bringing new
uses to preserve the building housing Calvary United Methodist Church? And
why
isn't it hypocrisy when you say I shouldn't have been involved in the efforts
to preserve the church, but neighbors should be involved in what goes on at
40th & Pine?
The Friends of Calvary didn't just sit around and say "no," though, as folks
seem to be doing today for 40th St.! We worked to help solve the
difficulties! I haven't seen anyone who is saying "no" to the hotel project
coming up
with reasonable ways to get the Italianate building at 400 S. 40th St.
restored. It seems that it's okay with the opponents to let it sit and rot, as
long
as nothing tall is built next to it. Well, I don't think it's okay to see it
sit and rot. I'm in favor of a project which will restore it. If somebody
comes along with a better project, then I would be happy to hear the details
and reconsider what I'll support. I hope this gives you a better
understanding of my position.
The Friends group was made up of neighbors on the block, other local
Methodist ministers, local architects, UCHS members, and Bob Jaeger, a UC
neighbor and
the director of a Partners for Sacred Places, a national organization based
here in Philadelphia to help churches like Calvary regain their footing and
find ways to survive and thrive in old buildings. I'd say that every single
one
of the other members had more talent and expertise than I did in bringing
resources to Calvary.
Partners' experience and advice was extremely helpful, and their ability to
generate funding for repairs was invaluable. It was Bob - certainly not me,
as you accuse - who made the contact with the dome buyer and found that he had
been misled. The architectural antiques "middleman" had told him that the
building was being demolished and his purchase was the only thing that would
"save" the domes. When he found out that the building would remain standing,
he
canceled his purchase - AND proceeded to donate $60,000 to your congregation,
with no strings attached! I believe that Calvary used that donation to
replace the dying heater.
That was only the start of the renovation money that came in as a result of
the building's historic significance. Friends had urged you to use its
historic significance as a resource to bring you money on an ongoing basis,
rather
than sell off your stained glass and run out of physical resources. And it's
worked! Today, with additional fundraising and grants, the building's
leaning walls have be
