I probably should have put this up sooner, but here we are. On Tuesday, noon Greenwich Time, I’ll be delivering a virtual lecture – in UK-speak, a masterclass – for the Scottish Center for Conservation. The title is Conservation of “Unimportant” Buildings, and I’ll be discussing the intersection of historic preservation philosophy and ordinary buildings. I’m using New York’s Old Law Tenements as my example, which are not only ordinary but widely disliked, for good reason. Despite the local example, I believe that the issues involved have broad application. Registration: here.
The picture above shows the rear yards of a group of Old Law tenements in East Harlem around 1900. I worry that it’s too picturesque, that it makes living in a tenement seem more romantic than it was.
