[RP TownTalk] Pete Buildings

Sat Feb 10 06:25:31 UTC 2007

Emily writes: 
"SINCE WE HAVE TO EAT THE 5 STORY PART-
I think these building fronts should say something
unique about our Riverdale - 

Thank heavens our town still has visionaries who understand that people are attracted to a community for other things besides schools, roads, businesses, and a healthy tax base. Not that these things are not desired and vital to everyone, but what about the environment? What would Riverdale or Riverdale Park be without trees, parkland, a river, an old bridge, a historic mansion, a variety of small and large homes with front yards, porches, gardens, detached garages, and dog houses? What would it be without trains and whistles, and small family businesses, a commuter stop and tiny (Victorian replica) train station? What would it be without second and third generation families, a variety of races, ethnicities and new emigrants? And what makes so many citizens stay and volunteer to enhance and beautify the community? 
What does Emily mean by "THIS IS OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT COMPLIMENTS OUR MANSION - OUR PRIDE & J0Y? 
Will any and all additions or changes in the Riverdale we cherish "compliment our mansion", reflect our historic traditions, or make our town more inviting to stay and settle in? Or will pragmatists, hucksters and opportunists belittle, devalue and crush our dreams and desires for a homogeneous community that values life and life style more than balancing the books and expanding the tax base? Will the mantle of "cost" be used to thwart any attempt to require new structures to reflect the rich heritage of Riverdale? Was "cost" what prompted Salimi Fereydoun to build a trellis in front of The Calvert House Restaurant? Or was it his desire to create an unique and inviting atmosphere for his customers-- A bit of the "Old World" visionary not unlike those Steirs that built Riversdale. Compare that to the steel shanty down the block called Franklin's. 
It is not costs that inhibit the designing of a facade that is compatible to with an older neighborhood. The problem is more the limitations of today's architects and the vision and tenacity of the buyer and contractor. You don't get what you pay for, you get what you allow. If Riverdaliens allow the cost effective incompatible minimalist structures to be built in the community, it will slowly lose its charm and togetherness. 
Gerald King    

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: OurDollMom at aol.com 
  To: towntalk at riverdale-park.org 
  Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 8:46 AM
  Subject: [RP TownTalk] Pete Buildings

  Pete's buildings look very nice from the perspective
  that he is using better materials.  BUT these bldgs
  do not say anything about Riverdale.

  THIS IS OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT COMPLI
  MENTS OUR MANSION - OUR PRIDE & J0Y.

  SINCE WE HAVE TO EAT THE 5 STORY PART-
  I think these building fronts should say something
  unique about our Riverdale - 

  Visitors should come & go and say Wow about
  Riverdale - with FIRST GLANCE.  So I suggest:

  If I understand correctly - where the boarding 
  house stands - we will have 2 sides to view. On
  Dumms Corner side we will have 3 sides to view -
  total of 5 bldg sides.

  If we could get creative with the architects - Riverdale
  began in 1810 with mansion, 1870-80 whatever the
  land was divided into parcels bldg. vacation houses
  for the rich of D.C. - then came roaring 20s, 30s, 40s
  50s 60s etc with houses to match & history of our
  town to match.

  If each one of these 5 sides could match a specific
  historic architecture like 1 side early 1800s, then side
  2 victorian era, side 3 roaring 20s-30s, side 4 in 1940s
  -50s era, side 5 something like they have now.....then
  placed in the tree/flower bed part we could put our 
  historic markers telling something about our history
  for each period......if we did not do anything to be 
  noteworthy in one period - we could place pics on the
  markers showing that boy/and his horse bathing in
  the river & neat stuff tid bits about our town. 

  THEN WHEN THE TOURISTS COME FROM D.C.
  IN THE TOUR BUSES, THEY would visit the mansion
  & grounds, walk on down to our historic district & see
  our neat architecture bldgs & our historic markers, taking
  the visitors all around our store fronts - and they would
  automatically browse our shops & eating places.& sit
  in Munch park & our other little sitting areas.

  Our Historic District is very important to support our
  mansion and our architecture/and historic markers 
  should tie/pull it all together.   

  I am not saying the 5 diff. sides of 5 diff architecture
  should be absolutely politically correct but enough
  so to learn/see the differences in the time periods
  and MAKE RIVERDALE SPECIAL & UNIQUE
  rememberance for tourists

  What do you all think?    Emily

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