Over the Top / Inside the Beltline: Painted Ladies Tour

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Painted Ladies Tour

Beauty skin deep
November 1, 2007
By MARY GRAHAM Staff Writer | Sun-Times

As a youngster, Louis Perlia walked by a stately Queen Anne home, circa 1895, on Forest Avenue in Evanston on his way to school.

Even then "I had my eye on this beauty," Perlia said. Little did he know that 40 years later as owner of Graphic Construction and Painting he'd embellish the grande dame into its grand-prize winning status in this year's Chicago's Finest Painted Ladies competition. ...

This beautification project for homes originated in Chicago, receiving national attention when seven of its winners were featured in Painted Ladies, U.S.A. by Michael Larsen and Elizabeth Pomada.

Entries are judged by the beauty of paint application, how colors chosen fit the home or business property and how the finished project fits its surrounding neighborhood. Categories include profession and non-professional in six Chicago and suburban areas....

Now this is fun.

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Welcome

This blog originates from an older community in Raleigh NC. We are experiencing at least our fair share of growing pains, perhaps even someone else's. "Inside the Beltline" is a term used around here; it refers to the circular highway that is used to delineate "old" Raleigh from "new" Raleigh. Geography is failing us now, old Raleigh is being replaced at a rapid rate by new Raleigh, right here ITB, and beyond.

New Raleigh is characterized by its lack of connection with the existing surroundings. In our area, the new houses are large, the lots are small, the prices are higher than the roof, and those are out of proportion too. These houses are built in settled diverse neighborhoods, areas that have developed a character all their own. One by one this character is being removed and replaced. Our landfill runneth over with the craftsmanship of another era.

I am fortunate to have spent my adult life in one such older neighborhood, one that from time to time was not so pricey, but has remained stable for its 70 year life. We have enjoyed renewed energy as others have found our little neighborhood, bringing in creative renovations and diverse neighbors. But we are in a time of transition, and what we as a community accept today as the norm could determine the future for the old neighborhoods, the people in them, and the look and feel of our fine city herself.

My perspective is from central Raleigh, and a lot of posts will originate from here. I hope established neighborhoods throughout the city will feel at home here too. After all, we are all in this together.
--Fallonia

Correspondents

Fallonia Parker: I am a long-time Raleigh resident in one of our modest neighborhoods. My elders taught me to conserve our resources, and we have. They never told me someone would want to throw away a house.

Irena Dorton A Raleigh architectural historian, Irena is a devotee of Raleigh's mid-twentieth century modern architecture. The namesake of Dorton Arena, Raleigh's first contribution to the advancement of world engineering in 1950, Irena delights in discovering examples of progressive design from Raleigh's post World War II era. She believes that these built landmarks of "The Greatest Generation" help to define Raleigh as a fascinating city.

Over the Top / Inside the Beltline

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Painted Ladies Tour

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