September 25, 2015, 1:30pm to 5pm
Morse Auditorium at Peabody Essex Museum
Fifty years ago, an urban renewal plan was set to build a four-lane roadway through downtown Salem. As many as 103 buildings covering more than 39 acres of Salem’s historic core would have been affected to make way for roadways and parking lots. What interrupted the wrecking ball was an act of journalism. An article by renowned architecture critic and champion of preservation, Ada Louise Huxtable, published in the New York Times in October 1965, decried Salem’s urban renewal plans and became a harbinger of the National Preservation Act of 1966.
A September symposium, conceived by Historic Salem, Inc. and jointly sponsored by the PEM, Historic Salem and Historic New England, assembled prominent architecture critics, historians, and experts to consider what almost happened in Salem and how the issues at play in 1965 continue to be critical today. Christopher Hawthorne of the Los Angeles Times gave the keynote address. A scholars panel, moderated by Carl Nold of Historic New England, included Eric Gibson of the Wall Street Journal; Elizabeth Padjen, FAIA and former editor of Architecture Boston; and Donovan Rypkema, authority on the economics of preservation.
A partnership with the BSA Historic Resources Committee allowed us to offer AIA continuing education credits for this event
Morse Auditorium at Peabody Essex Museum
Fifty years ago, an urban renewal plan was set to build a four-lane roadway through downtown Salem. As many as 103 buildings covering more than 39 acres of Salem’s historic core would have been affected to make way for roadways and parking lots. What interrupted the wrecking ball was an act of journalism. An article by renowned architecture critic and champion of preservation, Ada Louise Huxtable, published in the New York Times in October 1965, decried Salem’s urban renewal plans and became a harbinger of the National Preservation Act of 1966.
A September symposium, conceived by Historic Salem, Inc. and jointly sponsored by the PEM, Historic Salem and Historic New England, assembled prominent architecture critics, historians, and experts to consider what almost happened in Salem and how the issues at play in 1965 continue to be critical today. Christopher Hawthorne of the Los Angeles Times gave the keynote address. A scholars panel, moderated by Carl Nold of Historic New England, included Eric Gibson of the Wall Street Journal; Elizabeth Padjen, FAIA and former editor of Architecture Boston; and Donovan Rypkema, authority on the economics of preservation.
A partnership with the BSA Historic Resources Committee allowed us to offer AIA continuing education credits for this event
A special thank you to our symposium partners - Peabody Essex Museum and Historic New England and to all those who have donated generously to Historic Salem, Inc. allowing us to present a full weekend of Ada Louise Huxtable commemorative events.
- William Barlow
- Jeffrey P. Beale
- Brenton & Elizabeth Dickson
- Debra Glabeau & Ken Harris
- David Hart
- John Schneider
- Meg Twohey & Darrow Lebovici
- Be Modern
- Boston Society of Architects Historic Resources Committee
- Chartwells at Salem State University
- Creative Ink
- Derby Square Tours
- Great Island Design
- Hawthorne Hotel
- Jones Architecture
- Laura Lanes
- RCG, LLC
- Tinti, Quinn, Grover, & Frey, PC
- Whole Foods
- Wrecking Ball & Mid/Mod Steering Committees