Just another pretty face

As I continue to mine my cache of decades-old issues of ACO's ACORN magazine, I find myself back amid a heated debate about "facadism," which appeared to arrive on the heritage conservation scene in the 1980's. I do recall that being a time of burgeoning development - the first wave of gentrification in my home county seemed to begin then. Facadism is a conservation approach whereby the historic front of a building is retained, while the interior and back (and stories above it) are reconstructed with modern methods and creature comforts foremost.

The judgement of Solomon in these cases is - "well, we'll keep the front, or nothing at all." Faced with a choice like this, I can see where a compromise gets reached between heritage committees and development-inclined city councils.

photo from ACORN Spring 1989

Some utterly ridiculous situations arise.
This photo of the former Wood-Gundy building grafted onto a modern structure would be silly if it weren't so sad.

And from the 'Wish I'd Said That' department:
Torontoist, a clever Toronto blog, dubs the practice facadomy. Their posts from September 17, 2007 and August 30, 2007 provide lots more material on this set design approach to cityscapes.

photo from ACORN Spring 1989

A few good solutions have been reached over time. The refined Smith Block in Port Hope (right) has been described by no less a personage than Tom Cruikshank as "a viable solution to a serious problem." In this case, the facade was so important to the context, the famed historic district of downtown Port Hope, that facadism was the only answer after a fire destroyed the structure behind. The website of HeritagePortHope provides the full happy story.

The sad fact remains that although irreplaceable and wonderfully detailed architecture is retained, we lose the experience of walking into an historic entry, seeing out through historic windows, rubbing our hands along old woodwork, absorbing the ambiance of another era.

This issue confronts us today, perhaps more than ever, as we seem to be in another growth spurt, especially in areas closer(and in)  to our large cities.

Earlier this month I recalled the controversy about the former 'Cablevue building'. The original design for the development of that site was an example of facadism. Looking back, we would have been happy with that!

There's a good recent example in Trenton. This building which anchors downtown Front Street was recently refurbished. The facade with its unique moulded concrete lintels and quoins was retained. Storefronts are tasteful modern glass and dark surrounds. The back is functional new construction.

Personally, I like it. It's part of some great downtown revitalization going on in that town. Riverfront walk, downtown marina, large park, great library...getting to be a pretty good town.

And these days as we contemplate the burned out shell of part (and the least interesting part) of our old Hotel Quinte, this approach to building conservation has to be on our minds.

Hopeful

While I'm lingering in Port Hope, I want to share this lovely link which I just encountered on an image search. For anyone who might be feeling a bit homesick for this lovely town, this tour of the 200+ heritage-designated structures may be a balm to the soul.

Townies

If I had to live downtown anywhere, it would be downtown Port Hope.  This is a place that "gets it" about the commercial and tourism value of built heritage conservation. Although most people come here for the shops, restaurants, B&;B's and spas, most of them, unwittingly or no, are drawn to the historic character of the place. They respond to the charm, whether or not they notice a single eaves return or cast iron window surround. And always, a core group of enthusiasts continues to pilgrimage to this outstanding c.19 town.

Captain J. Wallace house, c. 1822

This c.1822 frame Georgian structure sits across from the town's sandy beach. In an earlier life, it would have been front and centre for the early days as a lakeport. It has been much altered, but the doorcase which welcomed the sea-captain home is original. You have to channel the bustling and roudy lakeport life for yourself.

I learned from Jane Ashenburg's 'Going to Town' that this frame house was a character in Jane Urquhart's evocative novel Away. It "played" the Seaman's Inn, which symbolized home for two Irish immigrants.  'Away' is one of my absolute favourite novels, conjuring. most marvellously, starving Ireland, Upper Canada lakeport settlement, settlement road tragedies and rebellious Montreal of the mid-1800's.

A little Italian palazzo- home to the Bank of Upper Canada 1857

Of course, Port Hope doesn't have masses of heritage charm because developers just missed finding it on the way out of Toronto. The town is associated with pioneers and champions of conservation: ACO powerhouses Alice King Sculthorpe, Joan and Don Rumgay and Friends.

Tom Cruikshank and Peter Stokes write often about the town's valuable built heritage...must find out if they were townies too.

The Bluestone, 1834, home of 'Century Home' for many years

a stunning Greek Revival terrace, 1852/3

Walton Street, the historic downtown was saved by the intelligent and assertive conservation advocacy of people like Alice King Sculthorpe. Although she died in 2002, her legacy lives on at the annual ACO awards.

FHF furthermore

c.1819 Georgian/Neoclassical Ham House house in Bath

Ron Tasker, he who is not easily deterred

While I'm on the Frontenac Heritage Foundation website, I am reminded of the house tour which took place in Kingston just before Christmas. Which I missed.

The owner and host was the same Ron Tasker whom we met last July, when he opened the doors of the venerable Ham House in Bath. Ron is clearly not afraid of a challenge. He is rescuing the Ham House from the historic wallpaper right out to the disintegrating cladding.

I had worried about the house and its future way back in 2010 and celebrated its rescue-in-progress last July.

Anyway, I was very pleased to find that Ron Tasker and his family have a substantial, elegant and historic stone home in Kingston, the Vosper House, to which to retreat when the plaster dust gets overpowering in Bath. If you want to follow the tour of Vosper House, visit the excellent Frontenac Heritage Foundation website. Almost as good as a walking tour of Kingston on a warm day.

More from Mallorytown

 Some time ago, I heard from Will Mallory, who politely corrected my August post about Mallorytown - a town with which he has some obvious connection. Will politely suggested that it was Nathaniel, not Samuel, who arrived from Vermont with his six sons, and created the town - a nice legacy. Nation-builders.

Discovering this message, and cringing slightly at the ill manners of such a tardy response, I am reminded of another Mallorytown story I heard from Dave Bull of the Frontenac Heritage Foundation, on the occasion of an 1812 conference in Kingston last fall. I visited the FHF booth, became a member, and viewed the group's fine website with Dave. He showed me photos of the group's  Amherst Island tour last September.

Sincere thanks to David Bull of FHF for the use of this photo

Readers of old house stories will be interested in the Mallorytown connection.

In October 2012 long-time active (and that's an understatement) Kingston FHF member Marc Raymond was awarded the prestigious Margaret Angus award (no under achiever, she) for his work on the two-storey log house shown above. This was the Mallory home of 1797/1808 which was facing demolition in Mallorytown in 1988. Marc purchased the home, dismantled it, removed it to Amherst Island and rebuilt it into his summer home over the next six years. Marc was also active in the conservation of the Neilson Store on that lovely island - not the kind of summer visitor to put his feet up!

A visit is warranted - waiting til spring.

Flashback: happier days at Hotel Quinte

 In the early days of the Hotel Quinte, the south entrance facing the Armouries was the grand main entrance. A massive portico led into the lobby where patrons were greeted by hotel's luxury appointments. The impressive marble mosaic floors displayed the hotel name, proudly emblazoned in mosaic at the entry. Stories say that both the marble, and the mosaic craftsman, were imported from Italy by Henry Corby, one of the entrepreneurs who built the hotel.

location of 1907 entrance visible behind white sign, centre

The entrance, a massive Romanesque Revival inspired portico,was removed and the entrance blocked over in the mid c.20. Until very recently (sniffle) the scar was visible, a large patch of pink modern brick on the southwest corner.

At the same time, the west entrance was changed and modernized.









During the summer of 2011, dedicated hotel staff painstakingly removed carpet that had been glued onto the mosaic floors and revealed this wonderful marble welcome mat.

Hotel Quinte, RIP

Visitation, Monday and Tuesday

The police officer said "it's been like this all day. Yesterday it was non-stop people coming to look, take pictures."

He and Denis chatted about his unhappy Christmas day duty shift, while I wandered around this hotel I know so well, taking farewell shots.

 The day was dull, and although I had wished for sun to accent some of the loveliness that still remained, perhaps the day fit the mood.


People came and went, smiling to each other in silence. Supportive silence. Each of us paying our respects. Remembering our memories. Thinking how her presence will impact us all, our downtown, our history. A wake if you like.

 Tomorrow heavy equipment removes this damaged south wall. Four walls support each other...three walls, no roof? Inherently unstable.

A wake is a community goodbye.


Because we all kind-of know.

She's not going to survive this tactical demolition. This is goodbye.