Thursday, October 1

Sad News



The Kestenbaum's workers began demolishing La Ronda at 8:00 a.m. this morning. Wasting no time, they ripped into the walls of the 80-year old National Register - eligible mansion with alarming speed and blithe regard for the impact of their actions. By week's end, the house will be gone. The deafening sound of cracking timbers and crumbling masonry could be heard above the din of news helicopters flying overhead.

24 comments:

Domicile Tendencies said...

Heartbreaking. As a Philadelphia area resident, I can tell you this has been a popular topic at cocktail parties the last few months. Sadly it's going to be replaced with yet another tasteless McMansion, the last thing this area needs. Total disregard for the community and our environment.

Janell @ House of Fifty said...

Truly sad, a complete lack of appreciation for what can not be replaced.
Janell

Dumbwit Tellher said...

I must say that the individual(s) responsible for building the future McMansion has balls of steel. I would be humiliated to destroy a building with such history & prestige. Shame on them.

Cristin // Simplified Bee said...

That's terrible!

for the love of a house said...

They should be shot.....

Unknown said...

Unless you've been educated to appreciate history we live in times of distruction. People vandalize, toss away, and damage with no reguard on the impact. It's sad and I always have hope that when we know better we do better. Situations like this are a persons self fullfillment in naricissism. Not the greatest example to leave.

Bette

Pigtown*Design said...

Criminal!

Renée Finberg said...

this would never happen in florida.
mizner is 'king' here!!

xx

Chichi and Luxe said...

what a shame all the protests were unable to change the outcome. so devstating!

Karena said...

Oh, no Ronda, this is so sad to hear. An irreplaceable monument.

Southern Aspirations said...

Wow. That is sad. That is really all I can say. Wouldn't it be great to have the cash to have purchased and fixed up to its deserving finish?

Trouvais said...

Were any salvage companies given access before the demolition? www.artefactdesignsalvage.com/
or Omega salvage go everywhere to save bits of history. Please tell me its not all going to dust! Trish

red ticking said...

so sad is right. i will never understand tearing down amazing architecture to build who knows what...

Heather @ what's blooming this week said...

That's terrible - it's always such a shame when a great old building is torn down. It happened to our town just across the street from us - so sad to see one of our town's great buildings gone.

the NEO-traditionalist said...

This is a crime, truly. Such sad news. Thank you for breaking it to us gently. It's important the design community know about these things so we can fight to prevent it from occurring again to another historic building in the future.
XX Kate "the NEO-trad"

A Lifestyle Thing said...

Adieu to a Lost Beauty.

I'm glad you gave it some permanence with the images you've posted. Preservation should be taught in all of our homes and schools.

Anonymous said...

Ouch. This is so sad.

I have a friend that was set to buy a house in Palo Alto. She was making plans to change / update the house when she realized she was making too many changes - altering the nature and design of the house too much - ruining it really. So, instead she bought another house and left the first for another who would appreciate its style more than she did.

Stephanie Sabbe said...

I am so sad and I've never even heard of this house.

The same thing happened in Memphis before I moved. They tore down a VERY old church to make way for a Chick Fil A...so sad

Michele from Boston said...

It breaks my heart!

NicNacManiac said...

Demolition of history is always so sad!!

Amanda Stone Talley said...

That is so disgusting! I don't think there is any good karma coming to the new owner. Pure WASTEfulness and to not even sell the house to someone else to move. All the money in the world can't buy taste or appreciation.

ClarityK said...

What a horrible waste. I suppose it's safe to assume the new mansion will NOT meet any kind of sustainable standard, either? So first they destroy a piece of history, next they dump all the building materials into a landfill, and third they build some energy guzzling mansion large enough to shelter an entire 3rd world village? It's just not right.

Donna said...

I can't believe the city allowed a beautiful piece of history to be torn down...just doesn't seem right. I thought we were trying to save our history for our future...so sad :(

My Dog-Eared Pages said...

This is outrageous... it beats Gourmet mag sadness. Cheers to you for bringing awareness to her plight and for trying all your best! It's such a shame.