Another town but ...

From the Examiner:

Redwood City will join communities throughout the country in May as part of an annual National Historic Preservation Month. "Restore America: Communities at a Crossroads" is the theme of the monthlong celebration, which is sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and locally by the Redwood City Historic Resources Advisory Committee. During May, citizens nationwide will celebrate with alumni reunions, career days, cleanup days, rallies, re-enactments, pageants, workshops and home and garden tours.

A walking tour will be held May 7 at 10:30 a.m. in front of the Lathrop House at 627 Hamilton St. During the approximately one-hour tour, participants will see where Wyatt Earp came for a drink now and then, where President Herbert Hoover once slept, where a Wells Fargo Express office operated in 1875, the former homes of prominent pioneer citizens and many other spots. The Union Cemetery tour will be held May 14 at 1 p.m. at the site, located on Woodside Road near El Camino Real. Also visits will be made to the restored 1863 Lathrop House, the Old County Courthouse and the historic Fox Theater.

Redwood City has an Historic Resources Advisory Committee? No wonder it is such a fantastic town. My god, you can hardly use the p-word (preservation) in this town without being accused of being - here goes Bruce or is it Fred? - antigrowth.

- Written by Fiona

Comments

[Bruce]

Fantastic town huh? Why dont you move over there, join that committee and preserve whatever you want in that rundown town!

[gerald]

I wonder what, if any, affect global warming might have on Redwood City's claim "Climate Best By Government Test".
*****
Advice to Bruce: "Chill."
*****

[Angela]

WOW Bruce did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed??
Or are you always this pleasant?

[Brad]

Developers always get bad tempered if there is even an inkling that "old" buildings might be considered historic. Of course our ugly auto row was considered "historic" when it suited the BAP (Bullies against PIP). Remember Charles Howard, Seabiscuit and all that historic auto row stuff!

[Bruce]

Frankly, Im not against well-maintained old historical buildings, ex. Burlingame train depot, or any other worth preserving. But not for majority of residential dwelling that are in real bad shape, similar to Fiona.

[Jenn]

Bruce, you get the award for tacky. Do you speak to or about your wife that way. It's very unbecoming.

[blueskyventures]

Fred, Bruce, and John rub people the wrong way for many reasons.. one is just plain tacky comments as suggested by Jenn. Before you waste your time sparring with them, remember it is very hard to keep your gaurd and counter attack at the same time...unless you remain annonymous...that is their success rate, so why bother.

There is no way to know if they even exist, much less live or own/run a shop in Burlingame. That is one joy for annonymous serial bloggers. Oh, the joy of the internet, we all can choose our course.

I do hope that whatever happens at the May 2 meeting, that the identities and source of concern of proponents and opponents are confirmed. There have been some blogs with identities posted by Mr. Cordair on his blog that are difficult to confirm. They may be completely legit. They may not.

To continue to feed the venom of "Bruce/John" doesn't do any good. Just let it go. Continue to read their comments, just don't reply. The differing opinions are great fun and productive. But some items are just, tacky.

I tell my son the same thing when he's on AIM...you really have no idea who you're talking to.

[Fiona]

Wish we could borrow John Anagnostou, a passionate driving force for downtown Redwood City. He has beautifully restored the 1928 Fox Theatre and his Little Fox is a gem. Redwood City's Broadway had been lucky enough that none of the older buildings had been torn down. He is a key figure in Redwood City's Downtown Business Group and is working on the plaza in front of the courthouse.

He is a visionary who looks to the future while respecting the past. We need him!

[blueskyventures]

Yes! there was recently a great magazine spread about him. His efforts of bringing big name entertainers to the city as well...courting Hollywood ect.

[fred]

You know I've been the receipient of tacky comments here. But what tacky comment have I made BlueSky? I'll take it as a compliment though. Thank you.

By the by, do you really think Redwood City is the city Burlingame should emulate? Seems like a snub to all the good city councils Burlingame has had. Outisde of the last few years this city has been on a very good track - much better than Redwood City (in my grating opinion).

Didn't Redwood City tear down two or three blocks of downtown? Didn't they lose a lawsuit with a landowner over an eminent domain issue?

[Brad]

They have ugly places in Redwood city just like we have ugly places - auto row comes to mind. But Fred take a ride down to the Little Fox, the Fox, look at the plans for the plaza in front of the Courthouse, visit the Museum, have lunch at Alanas, look at the library evolved from the firehouse.

Redwood City has ugly Sequoia Station but we can learn from their mistakes and their successes.

As far as Redwood City council, hope they are more civilized to each other than our bunch.

[fred]

Bluesky, here's a tacky one fresh out of the oven - just minutes old:

[fred]

Rosaline - email (from Blooming Flowers)
Is anyone else getting sick of all these whining people. Sorry to be rude here, but, renter, they could put the cash register up your behind and you would still be moaning about not being educated!
Tue 26th April 2005 @ 16:58:13

It is really too bad. I don't believe tacky is necessary to get your point accross.

[Brad]

It does conjure up a pretty picture though. Where are the cartoonists when we want them!

[Rich Grogan]

Skyblueventure, sage words and nicely put. Kinda on point with your thought is what Friedrich Nietzche once said "It is not enough to have the courage of your convictions, you have the courage to have your convictions challenged." I think I will take your advice and let the buzz of the pesty mosquitos fade into obscurity.

[Jack]

Redwood City preservationists? I just watched the demolition of one of the Peninsula's most beautiful Art Deco buildings, the 1939 County Courthouse on Broadway across from the Fox Theater. The building was a classic example of "Federal Deco", featured beautiful deco styling two impressive relief sculptures.
Simply, it's exterior exuded class elegance, two qualities rare in Redwood City's architecture.

The Redwood City building was really quite a story. I believe you may be referring to the annexes on the Courthouse? An art group that involved in was interested in using those buildings for a new museum on the Peninsula, a first in the area. I guess the Plaza concept that restored the older structure, won out in the end. I hope at least they could salvage parts of the building for reuse, like doors and windows and hardware......I am looking forward to seeing the finished plaza, though do understand disappointment losing the '39 building.