06-28-2021, 01:00 PM
(06-28-2021, 12:49 PM)tomh009 Wrote:As someone who is going into politics and also loves history I politely disagree. The merit of the value of heritage items is not based on what is more easily seen by the public eye and what isnt. Its about preserving our history which I believe is incredibly important.(06-28-2021, 12:15 PM)ac3r Wrote: I think it should be based on the architectural merit of the interior in addition to the exterior. So yes, I think that buildings with significance should have their value assessed and developers ought to get permission before making extensive changes first. If I bought up a city block somewhere with a beautiful ancient cathedral, I should not get the freedom to demolish the entire thing as I see fit just because I own it. The value of the building in all regards should supersede my ownership because it has value to everyone. This building, for example, has some beautiful architecture inside but in addition to that, there is a historical significance. As the article mentions "the woodworking was done by Berlin Interior Hardwood Company and the plaster and stone work by Berlin general contractor Casper Braun". To me, that's an interesting part of our local history and should be protected as much as it possibly can be.
Arguably interior design is less "valuable" for preservation because generally only the owner of the building is able view and enjoy it. I can see the other side of the argument, too, but then it's a big change to the heritage preservation policies, and would require the heritage committee to view the interiors of all the heritage properties in order to determine which ones should be preserved inside as well.
Heritage gives us a glimpse into the past and reminds us of where we came from. It also allows us to better understand generations, styles building and art techniques and so on. Obviously not all buildings are worth saving but not everything should be razed to the ground. This is clearly a timeless building and one of the nicest in the core. 200 years from now if it remains as is it will be a total standout, even more so than now. That's why I think some buildings like this, are absolutely worth saving.