Lamenting the gutting of historic buildings and leaving them a shell of their former selves.
Knute Berger wonders if Seattle's beauty is only skin deep in a recent post for Crosscut. According to Berger, "[e]fforts to preserve local 'character' while accommodating massive development have seen a revival of what’s called 'façadism' where old building exteriors are used as a kind of ground-level wrapping on new structures. Façadism is not a new phenomenon, but it’s booming in Seattle these days."
Berger points to the façadism trend as especially prevalent along the Pike-Pine corridor and in South Lake Union. Berger quotes Eugenia Woo, director of preservation for Historic Seattle, who states that "[f]açadism is NOT preservation." [Emphasis from the original.] Yet, according to Berger's analysis, the regulations written into the Pike-Pine Conservation Overlay District actively encourage façadism.
The article includes more detail about the politics surrounding preservation in Seattle and some examples of developments along the spectrum of façadism to preservation.
FULL STORY: Seattle’s facadism fetish makes fools of history & progress

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
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