An exhausted Berkeley city council gave conditional approval to a revised, compromise landmarks preservation statute. Final vote is July 11 after more public debate plus commentary from state agencies. Stakeholder mudslinging and vitriol aside, the central problem seems to be the undefined length of time required to issue permits and approvals.
The BAHA Preservation Awards for 2006 are online. Good stuff for those of us who can never have enough shingles. At left, the Menefee House, at 2131 Prince Street, with the junk heaps next door carefully cropped out (photo credit, Carrie Olson, 2006.)
And in not entirely unrelated preservation news from 3K miles away, The NY Times on the sad decrepitude of the Henry Varnum Poor house and studio. Arts & Crafts meets Modernism, plus Lotte Lenye and a great slide show.
· Landmark Plan gets initial support [SF Gate]
· Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association
· Arts & Crafts Haven, Intact but In Peril [NYTimes, via The Gutter]