New York's Strand bookstore fights back over landmark status
theguardian.com
New York's Strand bookstore fights back over landmark status
1–10 of 79 posts
Re: New York's Strand bookstore fights back over landmark status
#2Is it weird that my first thought reading this article was the episode of Freakanomics where they talked about how putting animals on the endangered species list caused the price for their hides/mounted heads to go through the roof, and indirectly increase the demand and likelihood of poaching?
It's very sad that so many ways we go about trying to preserve history end up promoting it's destruction.
Re: New York's Strand bookstore fights back over landmark status
#3Is it weird that my first thought reading this article was the episode of Freakanomics where they talked about how putting animals on the endangered species list caused the price for their hides/mounted heads to go through the roof, and indirectly increase the demand and likelihood of poaching? It's very sad that so many ways we go about trying to preserve history end up promoting it's destruction.
The requisite posting of the Cobra effect whenever something like this comes up
Re: New York's Strand bookstore fights back over landmark status
#4Always interesting to see how alleged progressives seem to care more about buildings than about people. If the Strand loses their case I guess I can look forward to visiting the "historic" Chipotle, Starbucks, Walgreens, or bank that takes its place.
Re: New York's Strand bookstore fights back over landmark status
#5Every year around a certain date, the meaning of which is opaque to me, I receive a package sent from the Strand bookstore containing a very nice expensive book. First couple years I called to ask who the sender was, they read back my name to me. I asked them to describe the purchaser, it took a bit of doing but indeed someone remember them and described what I look like. I've never been to New York or the Strand, but thanks whoever you are, who is impersonating me to send me expensive gifts, all of which were really cool books that I enjoyed.
Re: New York's Strand bookstore fights back over landmark status
#6The problem with this sort of thing is that it, in theory, adds value to "the commons." (We preserve historically interesting architecture which is, presumably, mostly good.) But we impose costs on owners/sellers who have less flexibility to change things. Which may make continued use of the property non-viable.
Penn Station gets a lot of attention in this regard. But, at the time, no one was volunteering to step in and pay for renovating Penn Station and operating it given a bankrupt Penn Central railroad.
Re: New York's Strand bookstore fights back over landmark status
#7The Strand used to be fantastic when it was just a gigantic used book store, but ever since it started focusing more on new books its become a shadow of its former self. So I can't say I'd miss it nearly as much now as I would have 20 years ago.
That said, it's a sad day when any bookstore goes out of business, especially one with a rich history like The Strand (despite most of that history being behind it now).
Re: New York's Strand bookstore fights back over landmark status
#8> He will argue that the city’s actions are unconstitutional under the fifth amendment, which states “nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation”, and the 14th amendment, which says “nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws”.
I have a strong suspicion that's been tried unsuccessfully before.
Re: New York's Strand bookstore fights back over landmark status
#9Always interesting to see how alleged progressives seem to care more about buildings than about people. If the Strand loses their case I guess I can look forward to visiting the "historic" Chipotle, Starbucks, Walgreens, or bank that takes its place.
The only mentioned cost is that they can't change the sign without review.
If a business is going to go bust because they couldn't change their sign on a dime, the business probably wasn't viable in the first place.
This reads like a conservative business owner being annoyed that a government body is existing and doing its job well, which I suppose is a common sentiment.
Also, the LPC has nothing to do with 'progressives'. Its been around since the 60s.
Re: New York's Strand bookstore fights back over landmark status
#10Always interesting to see how alleged progressives seem to care more about buildings than about people. If the Strand loses their case I guess I can look forward to visiting the "historic" Chipotle, Starbucks, Walgreens, or bank that takes its place.
The only mentioned cost is that they can't change the sign without review. If a business is going to go bust because they couldn't change their sign on a dime, the business probably wasn't viable in the first place. This reads like a conservative business owner being annoyed that a government body is existing and doing its job well, which I suppose is a common sentiment. Also, the LPC has nothing to do with 'progress…
> Also, the LPC has nothing to do with 'progressives'. Its been around since the 60s.
In fairness, so have progressives. (Longer, even.)
Deeming buildings to be landmarks seems like a bit of a mix between progressive and conservative thought.