I am now downstairs snuggled with my laptop watching Desperately Seeking Susan. I love that movie...I love the pre-Kabbalah, pre-fake British accent, pre-children's book writing Madonna. I once heard some standup comedian say we all liked her better when she was just some broad from Detroit with a great rack.
But who am I kidding? I wasn't sleeping that well anyway. I went to high school here.
I just found out this weekend that this stunning 96-year old building is slated for demolition. This building with amazingly tall ceilings and windows to match and hard wood floors throughout. This building that is so picturesque that it was selected for the movie "Great Balls of Fire." Apparently, "the board" gave the alumni thirty days to raise $200k to save the building. Over a hundred thousand was raised before the deadline of one month expired and so one of the hometown papers is reporting that demolition will actually occur.
I am so pissed. Crazily, cross-eyed, ready-to-explode pissed. I didn't even know about it until it was too late. I'm sure there are hundreds of us in the same situation. How does this represent any kind of good faith effort on the part of "the board" when there was not time for the alumni to be notified? In the absence of having an updated alumni database, then get out the yearbook and start calling the parents. (They didn't even post it on the main website of the school or post a link to the preservation site either). I've moved away, but my parents haven't.
It could have been done...if there had been enough time. A local preservation society was trying to help. Why can't they file an injunction against conspiratorial, dumb-ass behavior? I am going to have to get Mr. Lipstick to check this out.
7 comments:
Never had SpiderMan on our roof, but the Tooth Fairy has been terrorising my son of late (isn't she supposed to bring money, not fear?)
That's so sad about the old building - things like that infuriate me as well, they are constantly knocking buildings that are hundreds of years old here, it's a horrible thing to see. On a lighter note, your pedicure rocks! Wish I could do my toes like that!
I hate that about the building! Let's protest!
Tell spidey... stay the F away from OK! I cannot handle those sleeping interuptions!
You have your very own spiderman??? COOL
Seriously...you should try to organize old alumni and I'm sure you can make a difference.
Raising $100K in a month is an amazing feat especially w/ it being a grassroots campaign that was not highly publicized.
Fight the power!
Hey Lipstick,
Just read ma blog and vote thumbs up for it :)
If U like it then publicize it too :)
Thanks for the compliments on my pedi! Also thank you Sally Hansen cuticle remover.
More sad news about the building...Mr. Lipstick says that if the building were on the historic register, it could be a financial albatross for the school, mainly because they would have the cost of maintaining it but would be virtually unable to repurpose the building. Also, apparently a building can still be demolished even if it's on the National Register of Hist Places. Is this why people hate lawyers?
I think it is still a travesty to destroy this piece of history, especially when so many are trying to save it (eg, donating money). I think demolishing the building makes sense for the short-sighted. For the long-term...one day those who want to tear it down will regret they let it go so easily.
I am hoping and praying that maybe the facade of the building can be saved as a monument and there can be a green space at the center of campus. Otherwise, I think they will be taking something beautiful and making it look like a strip mall. I will be going there soon to see it again. There will be much picture-taking and tear-drying. :( I keep you updated.
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