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NYCFarmboy · Dec 15, 2004, 07:41 PM

Jobs gets green light to demolish historic house

December 15 - 20:10 EST__ Apple CEO Steve Jobs was given the go-ahead from local officials yesterday to demolish a historic house on his property in Woodside, CA. "Jobs, who owns an expansive Mission Revival home designed by the late, internationally known architect George Washington Smith, was battling with preservationists, who sought to keep the home intact," reports CNET News.com. "The building had fallen into severe disrepair over the years. The Woodside Town Council held a public hearing Tuesday night to consider the preservationists' appeal of an earlier decision by the town's planning commission in June. In that decision, the commission, noting there were no historic preservation ordinances on its books, approved the demolition, providing certain contingences were met."

http://www.macminute.com/

spacefreak · Dec 15, 2004, 07:48 PM

Yup. The elitists are all for preserving and honoring historic dwellings. That is, unless it interferes with their personal agenda. Then it's simply an old house in disrepair that needs to be knocked down.

itai195 · Dec 15, 2004, 07:49 PM

The elitists?

Around here any house that was built before 1950 seems to be on the list of preserved historic sites... Sometimes it gets a tad overboard.

CreepingDeth · Dec 15, 2004, 07:49 PM

tie · Dec 15, 2004, 08:18 PM

Originally posted by spacefreak:
Yup. The elitists are all for preserving and honoring historic dwellings. That is, unless it interferes with their personal agenda. Then it's simply an old house in disrepair that needs to be knocked down.

Who are the "elitists"? Do you mean Democrats or something? I'm trying to figure out why this is in the politics forum.

NYCFarmboy · Dec 15, 2004, 09:18 PM

Originally posted by tie:
Who are the "elitists"? Do you mean Democrats or something? I'm trying to figure out why this is in the politics forum.

To make a point.

Had a {insert: Christian, Republican, Conservative} decided to demolish a historic home in California they would have burned him/her at the stake.

The hypocricy continually demonstrated by the left is, as always, remarkable.

ThinkInsane · Dec 15, 2004, 09:28 PM

Originally posted by itai195:
The elitists?

Around here any house that was built before 1950 seems to be on the list of preserved historic sites... Sometimes it gets a tad overboard.

You've got that right. I have a building that I ran into considerable trouble with thanks to the Hysterical Society. Everything I wanted to do as far as renovation and development, they shot down because it didn't represent the "historical character of the building". Basically, they wanted it restored to as it was originally. The problem is, the building originally had another floor and a watchtower on it that were lost in a fire in 1898. I'm not building another goddamn floor on the thing, that's for sure. It was built as an armory; the walls are three feet of solid brick. I never even fathomed checking on what that would cost. It was also once a bordello. I did offer to start one, if it would get them off my ass. Who would have thought these people have no sense of humor.

As for Jobs, is this the same house he was trying to give away? If so, I think he at least made an effort to get the place restored, just not on his property. He could have done a Shania Twain and just burned it down to make room for a recording studio like she did in Lake Placid. And that place was gorgeous, in mint condition.

itai195 · Dec 16, 2004, 12:39 AM

Originally posted by NYCFarmboy:
Had a {insert: Christian, Republican, Conservative} decided to demolish a historic home in California they would have burned him/her at the stake.

And the persecution complex continues.

spacefreak · Dec 16, 2004, 02:04 AM

Originally posted by itai195:
Around here any house that was built before 1950 seems to be on the list of preserved historic sites... Sometimes it gets a tad overboard.

Were all those houses you speak of designed by an internationally reknown architect such as George Washington Smith?

Around my area, liberals have been forming "historical societies" in nearly every town. It's ridiculous in the sense that now residents have to get approval to do something as simple as replace their front door. One dude raised a ruckus after his town's historical group had the township halt his driveway from being paved. This non-elected body apparently felt that his driveway being paved would ruin the charm of the neighborhood (most of the driveways around there are gravel).

Randman · Dec 16, 2004, 02:06 AM

Another amateur attempt at painting everything with a political polish to push one's agenda.

spacefreak · Dec 16, 2004, 02:31 AM

Originally posted by Randman:
Another amateur attempt at painting everything with a political polish to push one's agenda.

What agenda? The fact that I don't want to pay $25 to have my town's "Historical Society" review my new front door options, or the fact that the people who formed and run this relatively new group are liberals? I live in NJ. Most here are liberals.

As for painting - whatever colors I want to use inside are my choice. On the exterior of my house... that's a different story. I'd ave to seek approval before going ahead with that. Fortunately, my house has pre-existing siding which was grandfathered in, and I won't be painting the exterior anytime soon.

Randman · Dec 16, 2004, 02:36 AM

If it wasn't steve jobs, no one here would give a damn. Also, this has nothing to do with politics.

ThinkInsane · Dec 16, 2004, 12:58 PM

True enough, and as such, off to the lounge it goes.

Lancer409 · Dec 17, 2004, 12:47 AM

so i take it no one took up his offer of a free house?

i dont see how a nyone can move such a thing..

also: why didnt the preservationists move the house? the property is free if they can get it off his land.

randman: exactly - but since it is jobs, and we are interested .. let's discuss. please .. political comments belong in the political lounge.

TheBadgerHunter · Dec 17, 2004, 12:50 AM

You own you should be able to do whatever the hell you want.

dialo · Dec 17, 2004, 12:58 PM

I own a historic home in a historic district. In my area, it's needed. We have a lot of $800K to $4m homes from the late 19th c. One person, not far from the district, tore down a house and built an awful aluminum angled box with few windows, and 20 years later it looks even worse than when it was built. Another took a nice 3 story victorian home and added an angled wooden addition as massive as the main home (probably by the same shitty architect). I'm positive they regret it at this point.

For us, these are all large, expensive homes, and for the price of a 2 bedroom home here you could buy a 6 bedroom estate 20 miles west. So it's just something that people that want these houses have to live with, just like the typical absence of central air or large closets.

On the other hand, about a half mile away there is discussion about making an area of small bungaloes into another historic distric. These houses are typically small 2 br homes that, because of the area, are starting to be too expensive for their small size. The families that own them are not wealthy by any means and it would be a big burden to prevent them or future buyers from building additions or all new structures.

In other words, there are places where it is useful and places where it is a burden. Personally, I am very glad we have it in our area, because some people with too much disposable income go overboard. Don't feel sorry for them. They are also the 'elite.'