The search "May 2016" yielded
6 articles

Tearing down southern California’s tribute to a bygone era (circa 1950).  

Photography courtesy of Linda Shaffer. Americans have never really valued housing for its permanence—certainly not like we see in many other, older settled lands, where it is common to find private residences that predate our little Declaration of Independence. It baffles most Europeans that a structure in the US can qualify for listing in the

Facebook finally.

My hesitation with social media is my own problem, but probably is to the detriment of my blog. So, at long last, American Dirt finally has a Facebook page–a process seven years in the making.  As has always been the case, this is my profile/icon: I have long promoted new articles on my personal FB page,

When churches spin many plates…and not all of them for collections.

The affluent, outlying streetcar suburb of Chatham, New Jersey offers a picturesque two-block downtown, which features what would likely come as a surprise to the unattuned. Sure, many of the storefronts are predictable: comic book shop, jewelry and watch repair, alterations, a few restaurants, dry cleaners. And, right in the middle of it all: a

Teardowns: more than just an antidote to architectural monotony.

I recently featured a photomontage of teardowns and realized that, as powerfully as the images can speak, I’ve hardly plumbed the depths of this rich subject. Many other visuals await. In the weeks ahead, I’ll reveal my first blog post from a U.S. state I have not yet featured (and haven’t visited for almost twenty years),

Boundary battles over sparklers and smokes?

We always look for the better deal first. It goes without saying. When two neighboring jurisdictions apply different regulations to a specific good or service for which great demand exists, the industry that financially depends on that good/service will gravitate toward the less stringent side of the boundary line. I’ve pointed this out before when

From offal to awe-ful: branding the Meatpacking District.

Forgive the awful triplicate pun, if you can, and step back in time for just a moment. If we were to take some fashionable New Yorkers from 1986, shove them into a DeLorean, then shuttle them to the present, can anyone imagine the shock on their faces if this were the first thing they saw

Facebook finally.

My hesitation with social media is my own problem, but probably is to the detriment of my blog. So, at long last, American Dirt finally has a Facebook page–a process seven years in

Boundary battles over sparklers and smokes?

We always look for the better deal first. It goes without saying. When two neighboring jurisdictions apply different regulations to a specific good or service for which great demand exists, the industry that