[Mpls] Guthrie Demolition
According to the Strib story Sandy Colvin Roy was the abstention on the 8-3-1 vote to approve the demolition of the Guthrie. (http://www3a.startribune.com/stories/462/817977.html) While I can appreciate that there are 2 sides to this issue and while I favor preventing the Guthrie's demolition, what is the point of abstaining? Can anyone in the know enlighten us on the rationale for an abstention? Walt Cygan 12-5 Keewaydin ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] Guthrie Demolition
I hope that the Zoning and Planning Committee votes to deny a demolition permit for the Guthrie Theater. I see the move against the Guthrie as a continuation of a sickening trend that includes the new Target store and Block E. If the leaders of Minneapolis insist on tearing out its cultural roots and trying to continually reinvent our city, Minneapolis will become a soulless and commercialized collection of consumers -- a Dallas on the Mississippi. Mark Knapp City Council Candidate, Ward 10 (write-in) __ Do You Yahoo!? Make a great connection at Yahoo! Personals. http://personals.yahoo.com ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Guthrie Demolition
As you have probably all figured out, Ralph Rapson is not dead. Ralph's wife died last fall, which was the death in the Rapson family that I was thinking of. Thank you to everyone who wrote to me to correct me. I want to apologize for my error and correct myself on list. -- In cooperation, Erik Riese Seward ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Guthrie Demolition
First, I really like the Guthrie Theatre building. I've been attending plays there for 30 years now. For years, I had season tickets and even my own favorite seat (A76). I've spent some really enjoyable hours in that building. Even worked in their backstage shops for a short while. But, come on folks! If the Guthrie Theatre building isn't demolished, what will we do with it? I haven't heard of anyone interested in buying it. Do you want the city to buy it, and then try to find someone to rent it from us? I don't know of any theatre company in town that could afford the rent on a building that size -- the Guthrie had to constantly fund raise to pay it's bills -- there were very few years when ticket sales covered the Guthrie's expenses. Or do you think the city should rent it out at less than the actual costs? Another continuing drain on city finances! Seems to me that we taxpayers already own too many theatres in Minneapolis! (And most of them are operating at a loss, if they are operating at all. Some, like the Shubert are sitting empty because no one can figure out a way to open it without losing their shirt! So we taxpayers paid what, about $25/taxpayer, to buy move that building, which now sits empty.) -- And as far as architectural significance, what's there today as the Guthrie building is far from what Ralph Rapson designed. The main visual feature, the front screen, was torn down many years ago, because it was too costly to maintain. And there have been 2 additions made to the building since the original design. It isn't the same as his 1963 design. Personally, I'm not very fond of Ralph Rapson's designs. I've had the opportunity to live or work in several Rapson designs over the years, and I was not impressed with them. He seems to me to be what I call an "Architect's architect" -- he designed for his fellow architects, rather than for the people who occupied them. His buildings looked pretty from the outside, impressed boards of directors, and often won awards from Architectural associations, but they didn't function very well for the people who had to live or work within them. Many of them, like the Guthrie theatre building, had to be redesigned/ remodeled/ rebuilt fairly soon after they were put into use. To me, that doesn't say much about the architectural goal of 'meeting the needs of the building's users'. (He did produce good kids, though. In my opinion, his kids have done (and are doing) more to improve Minneapolis than his buildings did.) Message: 10 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2001 20:29:57 EST Subject: Re: [Mpls] Guthrie Demolition What a concept! Walker Art Center Demolishes Cultural Icon Guthrie Theatre Building to Increase Parking and Green Space! Citizens say "Whoops!" Don't you hate it when that happens - again - and again - and again... A community that demolishes the very cultural icon that put it on the map (redeveloping it as a combination parking facility and green space) while championing the cliche-ridden Block E plan and an office park for the new riverfront neighbor leaves me almost speechless. All along I thought that the Walker - of all institutions! - recognized the significance of the Guthrie structure and would incorporate it into their expansion plans. PS:Just a thought: When the Guthrie and its thousands of patrons (and any vestige of its memory) is exorcised from Vineland Place, where's the parking stampede going to come from? Ann Berget Kingfield 10-10 ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Guthrie Demolition
I have a degree in technical theatre. Every stage design and theatre history book has a picture of the first "thrust" stage in the world. Why doesn't someone get the thing declared a historical landmark. This is a sad day in the history of our city. Evan Schnell Como [EMAIL PROTECTED] "I too am a wartime consigliere." --Leo McGarry "The West Wing" On Sat, 10 Mar 2001, Noah Logsdon wrote: I think it is sad that they are tearing down the Guthrie Theatre now (Strib site is here): http://startribune.com/st/qview.cgi?template=free_articleslug=guth10 I think it is an important cultural landmark for our city. Why must we keep wiping away our history? This is what angers me about our city. Noah Logsdon, Holland Neighborhood Ward 3 ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Guthrie Demolition
Evan Schnell asked: Why doesn't someone get the thing declared a historical landmark? After Noah Logsdon said: I think it is sad that they are tearing down the Guthrie Theatre now (Strib site is here): http://startribune.com/st/qview.cgi?template=free_articleslug=guth10 Why must we keep wiping away our history? This is what angers me about our city. While I agree in principle that we should work to keep historically significant buildings in our midst, I think we are seeing something different in this case. I've been watching in horror over the past few years as some of the finest of Ralph Rapson's buildings are demolished to make way for new. It may be that Ralph had the good fortune to design buildings for for high-profile, critical, locations. Perhaps because of this Ralph's buildings grow to become less important than the land they sit on. Another take on this is that now with Ralph Rapson dead, folks can worry less about preserving the buildings he designed. Personally, I don't think the folks from Herzog de Meuron would suggest taking down the Guthrie if there was anyway they could find a use for it. I'm sure they are feeling the pangs of sadness when they float such a suggestion. I have a real fear. With the library board talking abandoning the bank Ralph designed on 13th and 4th Ave SE, and the Guthrie going down on the heels of the Pillsbury residence in Wayzata, I'm afraid that the only significant building left will be Cedar Square West, now Riverside Plaza. This would be a very sad commentary on the work of a local architectural genius. In cooperation, Erik Riese Seward ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Guthrie Demolition
What a concept! Walker Art Center Demolishes Cultural Icon Guthrie Theatre Building to Increase Parking and Green Space! Citizens say "Whoops!" Don't you hate it when that happens - again - and again - and again... A community that demolishes the very cultural icon that put it on the map (redeveloping it as a combination parking facility and green space) while championing the cliche-ridden Block E plan and an office park for the new riverfront neighbor leaves me almost speechless. All along I thought that the Walker - of all institutions! - recognized the significance of the Guthrie structure and would incorporate it into their expansion plans. PS:Just a thought: When the Guthrie and its thousands of patrons (and any vestige of its memory) is exorcised from Vineland Place, where's the parking stampede going to come from? Ann Berget Kingfield 10-10
