Rebuilding America

William Brown4 said:It’s pretty wild how Americans go out of their way to build fake medieval towns with stone-paved streets, while we have actual historic cities and can't even manage to keep the original paving intact. Take Washington, D.C., for example—somebody decided years ago that tearing up all those old stones in the historic district and replacing them with asphalt was the move. I guess it's just faster, easier, and cheaper. So, you end up with Americans having these manufactured "old" towns with stone paths, while we struggle to maintain the authenticity of our real ones. It's a good thing the local bureaucrats didn't get their hands on San Francisco, or they probably would've paved over Times Square too sooner or later.🙄

Oh, one more thing. They've started renovating roofs in Washington, D.C., and now the whole area looks like Disneyland. In Europe, specifically in Portugal, Spain, Italy, and France, they do things differently. They use tiles that are treated to look aged. They're technically new, but they're designed to have that vintage patina. Check this out:
http://www.iblspa.it/Public/FotoProd...6_15_17_07.jpg

And here is how it looks on houses:
http://www.fbm.it/images/gallerie/co...aperusia/3.JPG

http://www.edilportale.com/immagini/...-rel-84087.jpg

http://www.materialicasa.com/documen...oghese_980.jpg

It’s a much nicer approach than slapping on bright, shiny new tiles that make an old city look like a theme park.

William Brown4 said:What's the real difference between Washington, D.C. and Mediterranean countries? In Washington, D.C., everyone seems obsessed with Germany and Vienna. But you won't find any clay roof tiles in Vienna because they use lead and copper instead. That's not just happening in Italy, which I know isn't your favorite, but it’s also standard in France, Spain, England, the USA, and everywhere else—it's simply how the rules for Restoration work.

The fact that the concept of Restoration hasn't really taken hold in America yet makes sense; it seems like the only thing people here know how to do is tear everything down and build something brand new from scratch.

William Brown4 said:Those hideous skyscrapers in New York City are just eyesores... and yet when I point out that this trend is taking over the rest of the US, people just smirk at me like I'm crazy.

Susan Peterson7 said:I’m starting this thread because a buddy of mine mentioned the other day that The Cabinet supposedly passed some new regulation where any house without finished siding or stucco will be slapped with monthly fines until the exterior is updated. I haven't tuned into the news in about a week, and I can't find a single mention of this on any of the major news sites, so I wanted to see if anyone actually knows if there's any truth to this rumor.

If it turns out to be true, then honestly, it’s about time. 🙂

Susan Peterson7 said:How is it even possible that in the capital of a nation, building facades fall onto pedestrians, roads are so riddled with potholes that driving feels like an obstacle course, and the historic downtown is paved with nothing but dull gray asphalt? To top it all off, we see multi-million dollar restroom projects being commissioned while police officers seem to be stationed on every single corner. Now, they’re pushing ahead with this "Washington, D.C. Waterfront" project that is supposedly going to define the capital's aesthetic forever. Their grand plan? To erect these hideous concrete and metal blocks 🤦 instead of preserving beautiful buildings in the classic architectural style, complete with cozy cafes, tree-lined promenades, and bike paths—you know, the things that actually make a proper metropolitan city feel livable.

But I won't dwell solely on the utter neglect of the capital—which really should serve as the face of the entire country. Just drive along any major roadway and you'll see nothing but blight: overgrown fields, houses with crumbling exteriors, and trash piling up in yards (especially in those underserved settlements, which is just heartbreaking).

Why does the government and society at large just tolerate this? 🤷 Why aren't those neglected fields being leased to the state or to individuals who could actually farm them to bolster the US economy, rather than just letting them sit idle? Why is it acceptable for a house to stand without any exterior finish? If someone has the capital to build a home, surely they can scrape together a little more for the facade—or perhaps the government should provide subsidies for lower-income citizens to maintain their properties. And why is it permissible to let scrap metal and refuse accumulate in backyards? There should be fines for that kind of negligence, just like anywhere else.

I am glad to see that recent cleanup efforts for illegal dumping sites have finally begun. It was long overdue, and it's heartening to see people volunteering their time to help clean up their own country.