As American urban centers attract investment and people, development may lead to the destruction of historic properties. Aiming to maximize profits, real estate developers may purchase a property–sometimes historic–demolish it, and erect cheap, nondescript housing. Local zoning ordinances may permit and even encourage such building practices. This practice is known as “teardown” or “teardowns.” Unfortunately,…

The Peter Stuyvesant Monument was designed by the Scottish-American sculptor J. Massey Rhind and erected between 1910 and 1913. The statue was originally located in the center of Jersey City’s Bergen Square district, itself founded by Dutch settlers in 1660. In the winter of 2010, the monument’s base and inscribed tablets were demolished. The bronze…

The Hudson & Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse was built between 1906 and 1908. John Oakman designed the Romanesque Revival structure. The Powerhouse generated power for the new subway line linking New Jersey and New York City–today’s PATH train. The Hudson & Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse inspired the formation of the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy. In 1999, a…