Kerry Traynor, Founder and Principal of kta, has recently published an article on preservation issues surrounding low-income housing. A continually relevant subject in Buffalo and beyond.
“This past January, in Buffalo, New York, the second phase of demolition for a low-income housing complex called Shoreline Apartments commenced.
The property owner had long wanted to replace the crumbling buildings. Residents also sought a safer and more welcoming living space that better blended in with the rest of the neighborhood. It sounds like a win-win for all parties. But Shoreline, designed by famed architect Paul Rudolph, had been considered an exemplar of modern architecture in the Western New York area. For this reason, local preservationists wanted to landmark the complex – and save it from the wrecking ball.
As historic preservation scholars, we were drawn to this controversy because it highlights one of the key tensions of preserving modern architecture: how to balance the needs of occupants with historically significant designs.”
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