Your city's greatest architectural loss

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by BigKidD

If no one cared, then photos of those buildings would not be in this thread. Also, I respect your opinion of the WTC, but to bash this whole thread with such a remark is just plain ignorance on your part in order to support your position of the WTC tragic demise. Lastly, I'm quite sure a few New Yorkers remember Pennsylvania Station and its tragic loss.

What!? Oh no, dont blame this one on me, I just posted my opinion then Exodus starts a fight with me. Like I really wanted to "bash" the thread. And yes I remember the Pennsylvania Station, thats something to be remembered, especially due to what it got replaced by.

But aah forget it lets get back on topic. My opinion for NYC was the Twin Towers, although the Pennsylvania Station, Singer Building, and City Investing Building should also be mentioned.

[architect1]

wow there where some amazing old building tore down for some useless buildings.

The federal reserve wasn't that much of a loss cause its an amazing building.

[Exodus]

Originally Posted by Patrick

What!? Oh no, dont blame this one on me, I just posted my opinion then Exodus starts a fight with me. Like I really wanted to "bash" the thread. And yes I remember the Pennsylvania Station, thats something to be remembered, especially due to what it got replaced by.

But aah forget it lets get back on topic. My opinion for NYC was the Twin Towers, although the Pennsylvania Station, Singer Building, and City Investing Building should also be mentioned.

I stated an opinion, albeit a strong one, but that doesn't constitute an argument. Besides, you said what you said, noone else made you say that.

[Patrick]

You didnt need to say anything at all. How bout that.

[Patrick]

The Richfield Tower in LA. 1928 - 1968:

"Formerly on this site was the Art Deco Richfield Building, designed by Morgan-Walls and Clemens in the 1920's. Its black masonry and gold terracotta trim was representative of the "Black Gold" of the oil industry. Above the entrance were gold figures representing Aviation, Postal Service, Industry, and Commerce. Including a tall metal tower, this building reached 371 feet, far above the 150-foot height limit that was in effect. PHOTO: Kaplan, S. H. (1987) Los Angeles, Lost and Found New York: Crown."







Flickr: rsebastian


Check out the Arch! Under Demolition in 1969:


Today.

[DecoJim]

Originally Posted by Patrick

The Richfield Tower in LA. 1928 - 1968

That was a major loss. What a waste. Couldn't the developers have found another block on which to erect those boxes that replaced it?

[Stephenapolis]

^ I was just thinking the same thing. Itis too bad developers are sometimes in too much of a hurry and do not find alternative sites for their projects. Many of these beauts could and should have been saved.

[Patrick]

Yeah the Richfield Tower was a real loss, LA dosnt have too many pre-war buildings like that.

Wow, looking at these shots of the Penn Station is really amazing, wow.


Ugh, gross.

[Exodus]

Originally Posted by Patrick

You didnt need to say anything at all. How bout that.

Of course I didn't, it's only a discussion board so people can reply. Silly me

[JanneClaude]

Here is Toronto's:

Most were destroyed in the Great Fire of 1904 or were mindlessly demolished to make way for mundane "modern" buildings or unfortunately, parking lots. =(

The Customs House (Yonge/Front Street): c.1876




The American Hotel (Yonge/Front) c.1844



The Board of Trade Building (2-8 Front Street East) c.1891



The Queen's Hotel (100 Front Street West @ York Street) c. 1886



The Second Union Station c. 1875



The Royal Canadian Yacht Club c.1900 (Toronto islands)





The Hotel Hanlan (Toronto Island) c. 1874



The Lakeside Home for Little Children (Toronto Island) c. 1891



Government House (Simcoe Street @ King Street) c. 1866



The Crystal Palace (Exhibition Place) c. 1878



The Dufferin Gate @ The CNE c. 1910



The Bank of Toronto (58 Wellington @ Church Street) c. 1863



The Toronto Exchange (34 Wellington Street East @ Leader Lane)
c. 1855



The Ontario Bank (24 Wellington East @ Scott) c. 1862



The Royal Canadian Bank (36-8 Front Street East) c. 1871



The Edinburgh Life Assurance Building (17-19 Wellington West)
c. 1858



Victoria Row (87-97 King Street East) c. 1842



The Golden Lion (33-7 King East) c. 1873






Toronto Street





The Masonic Hall (18-20 Toronto Street) c. 1857



The Toronto Union Block (32-40 Toronto Street) c. 1873



The Union Loan and Savings Company Building
(26-30 Toronto Street) c.1876





The General Post Office (36 Adelaide East) c.1873



The United Empire Club (110 King West) c. 1874



The Canadian Bank of Commerce (25 King West) c. 1890



The Bank of Nova Scotia (39 King West) c. 1902



The Bank of Toronto (King/Bay) c. 1913



The Grand Opera House (15 Adelaide West) c. 1873



The Temple Building (Richmond/Bay) c. 1895



The Mechanic's Institute (Church/Adelaide) c. 1854



Richmond Street methodist Church c. 1844




Metropolitan Methodist Church c. 1873




The Normal and Model Schools (Ryerson Campus) c. 1851



The House of Providence (Power Street/Queen Street East)
c. 1858




Trinity College (Queen Street West/Strachan) c. 1851




The Provincial Lunatic Asylum (Queen/Ossington)
c. 1858




University Avenue c. 1890




The Armouries (University/Armoury Street) c. 1893




Map of The Proposed Federal Avenue



Cambrai Avenue



Vimy Circle




The Registry office (Modern day New City Hall) c. 1910




The Toronto Arcade (Yonge between Richmond/Adelaide)
c. 1884






Yorkville Town Hall (856 Yonge Street) c. 1860




Long Garth (99 St.George) c. 1882




The Timothy Eaton House (Lowther/Spadina Road) c. 1889




Chorley Park (Roxborough Drive) c. 1915




Upper Canada College c. 1890



King Street

[JManc]

the world trade center was iconic but i wouldn't rank them as up there among rest of new york's best architecture. their allure was their sheer size and that they were twins but they were never really revered for being masterpieces of architecture.

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Exodus

Of course I didn't, it's only a discussion board so people can reply. Silly me

Ehh.

[Aulus Metelus]

Not so imponent as the buildings posted above, the great architectural loss in Rio de Janeiro, almost everybody here agrees, was the demolishion of the St. Peter's Church (built 1733) in 1944. The reason for this barbarious act was only that it stood in the way of a broad avenue planned by the federal governament (then a dictatorship) through the narrow streets of old downtown rio. To the avenue was given (and it still has) the name of the ruler.
Many people tried to save the church, they even planned a way to lift the church and move it to other site, what proved to be impossible (the church walls were made of small rocks glued with sand and whale's fat or oil).

It was a unique round brazillian barroque church, some guess inspired (nobody knows) by the Pantheon. These are told to be the only surviving photos:

[sfguy]

In San Francisco, I would say that the city's greatest architectural loss would be the M.H. deYoung Memorial Museum. The original building was demolished at the end of 2000, and then reconstructed. The new building opened in October of 2005.

Here's the old building:
http://golden-gate-park.visit-san-fr...ate-Park-2.jpg


And here's the new building:
http://www.herecomestheguide.com/ima...ungMuseum1.jpg

[CGII]

I didn't realize the old Young Museum was demolished. At least it was replaced by a really spectacular structure.

[sfguy]

Yeah, that's true. Sometimes I miss the old building, but I will admit that the new building is a very interesting structure as well.

[BUILDIT]

I like the new one better (been to both)

[j3shafer]

Deleted

[antinimby]

No lessons learned at all.

From the NY Post:

BROADWAY BONANZA

NEWSWEEK BUILDING GETS A MAJOR FACELIFT, NEW TENANTS



1775 Broadway now ................... and 1775 Broadway after its 2008 redesign.


December 27, 2007 -- THE Newsweek building at 1775 Broadway is in for a new look, new tenants, and even a new address.

A $60 million upgrading in 2008 will transform Joseph Moinian's beat-up-looking, pre-war brick office building that takes up the whole block bounded by Broadway and Eighth Avenue and West 57th and 58th streets.

Moinian bought the property for about $130 million eight years ago. His planned recladding will give it a gleaming glass skin designed by Gensler Architects. The 26-story, 625,000 square-foot address will also get a new lobby and elevators. A new address - 3 Columbus Circle - has been approved by city officials.

As my colleague Lois Weiss has reported, Newsweek, the largest tenant, won't renew its lease when it expires soon, and is looking downtown.

Newsweek's and other lease expirations will free up at least 400,000 square feet of space at 1775 Broadway. A Newmark Knight Frank team led by Jimmy Kuhn and including Michael Dreizen and Andrew Udis will handle marketing.

Kuhn said another current tenant, Comedy Central, will be gone soon and, "we'll deliver the new building by the first quarter of '09."

Kuhn said asking rents haven't been finalized but will likely be in the $100-$125 a square foot range. As for Newsweek, which moved in years ago when rents were below $50 a foot, "There was no indication they ever considered renewing."

Like other owners active in the area, Moinian aims to exploit 1775 Broadway's proximity to reborn Columbus Circle, anchored by Time Warner Center.

Last year, we reported that investment firm Gilder Gagnon How & Co. had re-upped for the top floor of 1775 Broadway at an average rent over 10 years of $100 a square foot. And Chase paid around $325 a square foot for a 10,000 square-foot retail branch. Both will remain after the redesign.

Copyright 2007 NYP Holdings, Inc.

[CGII]

Originally Posted by antinimby

No lessons learned at all.

From the NY Post:

What?!?! Are you kidding? NY's refacading rampage NEEDS TO STOP.