Latest news with #historicalpreservation
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Former 1920s cinema could become church venue
A former 1920s cinema, which has been empty since 2014, could be turned into a church venue. Elmbridge Borough Council sold Weybridge Hall to Equippers Church for £1.2m in November. On Tuesday, the planning committee at Elmbridge will decide an application to turn it into a community facility, primarily for religious gatherings. Council officers have said permission should be granted. The venue, in Church Street, Weybridge in Surrey, had previously been granted permission to become a cinema with flats above it but the council said the development "never materialised". Currently, the building includes a vacant shop and community hall on the ground floor and a vacant four-bedroom flat across the second and third floors. Meeting documents said that under the plans the main auditorium could be used by local schools and community groups when not in use by the church and multi-purpose studios on the upper floors would be available to hire. The application received 32 letters of objection, many of which said there were other religious venues in the area and that the building should be used for the benefit of the community of Weybridge as a whole. At the time of agreeing the sale in November, the council said Equippers Church would "preserve the historical essence of Weybridge Hall" and "breathe new life into the building". The council said no offer to buy the building was received from a theatre or arts group. Among the objections to the current application was that a cinema, theatre or youth group would be preferable to the church proposal. According to its website, Equippers Church is a global movement of local churches across 16 countries. Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. New library and community hub to open in summer U-turn over concerts on Thames private island Office block to make way for new 70-bed care home Elmbridge Borough Council
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Former 1920s cinema Weybridge Hall could become Equippers Church
A former 1920s cinema, which has been empty since 2014, could be turned into a church Borough Council sold Weybridge Hall to Equippers Church for £1.2m in Tuesday, the planning committee at Elmbridge will decide an application to turn it into a community facility, primarily for religious officers have said permission should be granted. The venue, in Church Street, Weybridge in Surrey, had previously been granted permission to become a cinema with flats above it but the council said the development "never materialised".Currently, the building includes a vacant shop and community hall on the ground floor and a vacant four-bedroom flat across the second and third floors. Meeting documents said that under the plans the main auditorium could be used by local schools and community groups when not in use by the church and multi-purpose studios on the upper floors would be available to application received 32 letters of objection, many of which said there were other religious venues in the area and that the building should be used for the benefit of the community of Weybridge as a whole. At the time of agreeing the sale in November, the council said Equippers Church would "preserve the historical essence of Weybridge Hall" and "breathe new life into the building".The council said no offer to buy the building was received from a theatre or arts the objections to the current application was that a cinema, theatre or youth group would be preferable to the church to its website, Equippers Church is a global movement of local churches across 16 countries.
CBS News
29-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Scandia man restores 170-year-old cabin; "Definitely a labor of love."
"History is very important to this area," said Jim Lindberg. Jim was born and raised in Scandia. A part of the state that's known for its green, lush countryside—especially on a rainy day. Since he was a kid, Jim has been passing by the old cabin on Parrish Road. The family of Swedish immigrant Nels Bengst built the home in 1856. When Jim retired, he decided to buy it for himself. "The bottom of this building had totally rotted out," said Lindberg. "I knew the history of the property and I wanted to look at trying to restore it." So, he began dismantling it, piece by piece. He took out the logs and the planks, power washed them and debugged them—which means he had to remove insects from the wood. The walls had to come down too. He found19th century Swedish newspapers inside them. "There were spots that were rotted out. Dovetail corners had to be replaced," said Lindberg. "Definitely a labor of love." He let the planks sit in a barn for a year and then began putting it all back together, with a Cathedral ceiling, just like the Swedish settlers did. The cabin is roughly 16-feet by 32-feet. Not the biggest place but at one point a family of nine actually lived here. For the spots that were too rotted out, Lindberg used wood from his property, then added a few modern amenities so guests can stay comfortably. It took him five, long years to complete his rustic restoration. "To tell the truth, there may have been some naysayers a long time ago, but there aren't any now. It turned out much better than I ever anticipated," said Lindberg. The cabin has even been part of an historic homes tour in Scandia. "When you travel in Sweden you will see these types of cabins all over the place," said Susan Rodsjo of the Scandia Heritage Alliance. Rodsjo says there are far more log cabins in the area than you can see, and homeowners are starting to discover them. "There is a gentleman near our downtown business area of Scandia who had no idea he had bought a house that was log underneath until he started to renovate his living room and cut through the wall and realized there were no studs. It was all logs," said Rodsjo. Discovering the past, and now Jim hopes other homeowner also return to a time that was. "I hope they feel like taking care of a property that maybe looks like it doesn't have a chance, it may be worth it," said Lindberg. Lindberg wanted to thank everyone that helped him restore the old Swedish cabin. Scandia also has plans to restore an old water tower barn in the coming year.
Malay Mail
26-05-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
KL's urban makeover must keep its soul and honour its roots, says Fahmi to DBKL
KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has been urged to carefully examine historical elements to be retained in urban redevelopment involving 139 identified areas, said Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil. He said the retention of historical elements is crucial to serve as memories, especially for the original residents of a place, in the pursuit of sustainable and resilient development. 'This area was once a squatter area consisting of wooden houses, due to relocation during the construction of the New Pantai Expressway (NPE). So, there is some history here because some residents, including my staff, were relocated to this area once upon a time. 'So, they have memories of growing up in this area, so that future generations know that before they were born, in previous generations, there was such a community. 'I believe this will help us have strong roots, including in terms of culture, identity, and memories of the place where we were born and raised,' he said. Fahmi, who is also the Member of Parliament for Lembah Pantai, said this when met by reporters after officiating the groundbreaking ceremony for Taman Rimba Bukit Kerinchi at Pantai Sentral Park, developed by IJM Land and Amona Group, here today. Also present were DBKL Planning Executive Director Datuk Zulkurnain Hassan, IJM Land Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Datuk Tony Ling, and Director cum CEO of Amona Group, Datuk Che Hasnadi Che Hassan. Fahmi said that for Lembah Pantai, several areas including Taman Bukit Angkasa have been identified for redevelopment due to housing projects developed 30 to 40 years ago, whereby infrastructure, such as lifts, are now in a dilapidated and worn-out condition. 'To ensure that all residents, especially owners, benefit, we need clear laws. Therefore, DBKL's aspiration to assist in the redevelopment of these 139 areas around Kuala Lumpur needs to move in tandem with a new act, namely the Urban Renewal Act,' he said. Meanwhile, he said thousands of trees, including Meranti Damar, Meranti Daun, and Merawan Siput Jantan species, will be replanted at Taman Rimba Bukit Kerinchi, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year. 'I have asked the developer to consider several aspects, including the history of the area, so that it can be incorporated into the design of the park. 'If we look at the Kuala Lumpur area, there are communities that have long been in certain areas before they were developed, and I hope here we can celebrate that history by incorporating it either in the design or the selection of trees. 'Once upon a time, the Kampung Kerinchi community informed that there were several areas used as places where the community came to find bamboo to be cut and sold, so maybe we can look at what species they are,' he said. — Bernama
Fox News
23-05-2025
- General
- Fox News
Mysterious 18th-century warship unearthed at Ground Zero site gets new home
A lost Revolutionary War-era ship that was unearthed at the site of the World Trade Center will finally be exhibited in a museum over a decade after it was found. The New York State Museum announced in a mid-May press release that the ship will be housed in its Albany headquarters. The 18th-century vessel was found during an excavation of Ground Zero in July 2010. But details about the boat have perplexed historians until now – just in time for America's 250th anniversary. With help from Texas A&M University historical preservationists, experts have been working for 14 years to gather facts about the ship while preserving it carefully. The ship, which measures 50 feet long and 18 feet wide, has been identified as a "rare" American-built gunboat. The vessel was likely built in the Philadelphia area in the 1770s. It was used during the Revolutionary War but was decommissioned after roughly two decades. "[B]y the 1790s, the ship was out of commission and repurposed as landfill to expand New York City, ultimately ending up beneath what would become the World Trade Center," the New York State Museum said. "Today, it stands as one of the few American-built Revolutionary War ships to be identified, studied and preserved in New York State." In total, 600 pieces of wood and roughly 2,000 artifacts were found at the site, including musketballs. After years of carefully preserving each piece of wood and artifact, the preservation team began the process of reconstructing the vessel at the New York State Museum on May 14. In a statement, New York State Historian Devin Lander said the exhibit is "history in its rawest, most thrilling form." "We're not just unveiling a ship – we're resurrecting a lost relic of the American Revolution, right before your eyes," Lander said. "New York stood at the epicenter of our fight for freedom, and this gunboat is a physical reminder of that courage and grit." The historian added, "To watch it rise again, plank by plank, is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness the intersection of archaeology, storytelling and national identity."
