by Lew Sichelman

Known for its historic villages, winding back roads and mountain vistas, the entire state of Vermont is on this year's list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, the annual compilation of treasures in danger of being lost forever.

So is a stretch of Atlantic coastline between South Carolina and Georgia and a bunch of barns in Southern Maryland.

But perhaps the most interesting properties are two relatively new structures, the George Kraigher House in Brownsville, Tex., and 2 Columbus Circle in Manhattan.

It's the first time structures "from the recent past" have been listed by the National Trust of Historic Preservation in an attempt to draw attention to their plight -- and support for their rescue. But they are no less worthy of being salvaged, says National Trust President Richard Moe.

"Scholars are just now beginning to study and evaluate buildings from the recent past," says Moe. "It's critical that we protect these structures from destruction now when they are most vulnerable so that they are with us 50 years from now."

Built in 1937, the Kraigher house was designed by Richard Neutra, one of the world's most influential and highly acclaimed modern architects. But despite its pedigree, the little-known landmark has been vacant for years and is scarred by the effects of neglect, vandalism, water penetration and termites.

The New York City building also has a famous architect, Edward Durell Stone. An icon of modernist design located on the southwest corner of Central Park, the building has been controversial since it was finished in 1964. Its new owner wants to renovate it, stripping away its architectural significance.

Only time will tell whether these and the other places on the Trust's latest list can be saved. But a number of properties on previous rosters have been preserved, thanks to the Trust and numerous other benefactors.

This spring, for example, the California Transportation Commission rescinded its approval of a highway extension the Trust and the City of South Pasadena had been fighting for 15 years. The move came just a few months after the Federal Highway Administration suspended its approval of the proposed $1.4 billion project.

The extension of the 170 Freeway would have demolished nearly 1,000 homes in a six-mile area, cutting through the heart of four National Register historic districts in Pasadena, South Pasadena and El Sereno. The three corridor cities had been on the endangered list since 1989.

The Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine, Fla., also was saved last fall after a 25-year battle when the state finally decided to rehabilitate the historic 1927 bridge, which appeared on the Trust's 1997 list, instead of tearing it down. And just a few months after the Zuni Salt Lake and Sanctuary Zone appeared on last year's register, an Arizona utility abandoned its plans for trip mining the site.

Why all the fuss?

"Historic places tell us who we are as a nation," says Moe. "They constitute an epic narrative whose chapters include not only world famous icons but hidden treasures. Unless all of us are aware of the importance of our heritage and take action to preserve it, America's past won't have a future. That's the real message of the 11 Most Endangered List."

This is the second time Vermont has made the roster. It also appeared in 1993 when it first faced an onslaught of big-box retail development. Today, the Trust says the threat is worse than ever, with Wal-Mart "planning to saturated the state" with seven new superstores that, if history is any indication, are likely to spur additional development and wipe out locally-owned business and now thriving small-town downtowns.

Extending for miles between Cape Fear and the St. Johns River, the Gullah/Geechee Coast is home to one of the country's most distinctive cultures. Most residents are descendants of slaves who have maintained the ways, traditions and language of their ancestors. And if something isn't done to halt changes that have come to the region, their culture will be relegated to the history books and local museums.

Maryland's wood-frame tobacco barns have dotted the rolling fields for some 400 years. They were once essential to the process of drying tobacco, a mainstay of the state's agriculture since the 17th century. But they are being lost at an alarming rate because of residential sprawl and a state-sponsored "buy-out" program that has left the barns with no useful purpose other than their historic significance.

Here's a look at the other places on the current endangered list:


Ridgewood Ranch -- The final home and resting place of Sea Biscuit, one of America's most famous sports icons, the property is now owned by a church association that lacks the funds necessary to maintain the 20-old buildings that still stand.

Bethlehem (Pa.) Steel Plant -- This complex played a major role in the development of the U.S. steel industry, and was the site of many technological advances. Once the source of steel for some of the country's best-known structures, it now lies dormant and is threatened with demolition.

Elkmont Historic District -- Nestled in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, the country's most visited national park, the district was established in 1908 as a base for logging operations. Now it holds a collection of early 20th century mountain resort buildings which are seriously rundown. Unless the ongoing neglect is halted, Elkmont will be no more.

Nine Mile Canyon -- Known as the world's longest art gallery for its 10,000 Native American petroglyphs and pictographs, this remote site in Utah's Carbon and Duchesne Counties is threatened by extensive oil and gas exploration under plans recently approved by the federal Bureau of Land Management.

Madison-Lenox Hotel -- Built in 1901, the once fashionable Detroit hotel is one of the last remaining examples of turn-of-the-century downtown residential architecture. It has long since been closed. But the hotel is salvageable and could play a role in the neighborhood's burgeoning renaissance. However, the current owner has other ideas. He wants to tear it down to make way for a parking lot.

Cook County (Ill.) Hospital -- You may recognize this as the setting for ER, the long-running television series on NBC. But it also is known as Chicago's Ellis Island because it was long the city's primary source of health care for poor and immigrant residents. It could be converted to housing and help bring vitality back to the neighborhood. But as of now, it is slated for demolition -- at a cost to taxpayers of $30 million.
Since 1988, the Trust has put the spotlight on more than 160 threatened, one-of-a-kind places that are threatened by neglect, insufficient funds, inappropriate development or insensitive public policy. While placement on the annual list does not in and of itself ensure protection, the designation has been a powerful tool by raising awareness and rallying resources.

Published: June 30, 2004

Lew Sichelman has been covering real estate from his home base in the Nation's Capital for more than 30 years. He writes a weekly consumer column that is distributed to newspapers throughout the country by United Media. He also is a regular contributor to numerous shelter magazines and housing and housing finance industry publications.

Copyright © 2004 Realty Times. All Rights Reserved.

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