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Re: Another article about the West Oak. Diesel Shop demolition
Author: R Ruiz
Date: 10-05-2010 - 22:01
I am responding to this against my better judgment.
The building continued to be in use until 2007. Preservation groups are not particularly pro-active and generally respond when there is a known threat. As long as the building continued to be in use by the Union Pacific, there was no reason to intervene. From a preservation perspective, the highest and best use of a historic structure is in its own location being used for what it was designed for. I raised flags with a number of people when I became aware the UPRR had stopped using the facility, but it was not until Oakland Heritage Alliance was notified of UPRR's renewed intent to demolish the building that anyone swung into action.
UPRR counsel offered that interested organizations could recover items from the building prior to demolition, and that a tour would be arranged to see the building and identify relevant items. At the tour, we were reassured that demolition was not imminent and further communication would take place. After the tour, several messages were sent to UPRR and ignored. One week later the building was demolished without any further communication from the railroad.
They made an offer they did not live up to. Perhaps you could suggest they should have just razed the building without informing anyone as was their apparent right? Perhaps that might have been better than pretending to talk with preservation organizations in good faith.
My failure to mention the drop table was an oversight.
The building continued to be in use until 2007. Preservation groups are not particularly pro-active and generally respond when there is a known threat. As long as the building continued to be in use by the Union Pacific, there was no reason to intervene. From a preservation perspective, the highest and best use of a historic structure is in its own location being used for what it was designed for. I raised flags with a number of people when I became aware the UPRR had stopped using the facility, but it was not until Oakland Heritage Alliance was notified of UPRR's renewed intent to demolish the building that anyone swung into action.
UPRR counsel offered that interested organizations could recover items from the building prior to demolition, and that a tour would be arranged to see the building and identify relevant items. At the tour, we were reassured that demolition was not imminent and further communication would take place. After the tour, several messages were sent to UPRR and ignored. One week later the building was demolished without any further communication from the railroad.
They made an offer they did not live up to. Perhaps you could suggest they should have just razed the building without informing anyone as was their apparent right? Perhaps that might have been better than pretending to talk with preservation organizations in good faith.
My failure to mention the drop table was an oversight.
