by James Goode
|
| List Price: | $65.00 |
| Amazon Price: | $45.33 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. |
| You Save: | $19.67 (30%) |
| Average Rating: |  |
| Lowest New Price: | $29.99 |
| Availablitiy: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
|
 |
|
Product Description
A century ago, the popularity of early Washington landmarks like Stoneleigh Court and the controversial Cairo (which, at a soaring twelve stories, shocked District officials into enacting the city’s height limit) made it clear that apartment living was here to stay. By the 1920s, Beaux Art and Art Deco palaces offered residents all the luxuries of a first-class hotel: barbershops, ballrooms, rooftop terraces, and indoor pools. Soon other innovations in apartment living—the garden complex, the cooperative, and the mixed-use building—put Washington at the forefront of urban planning. Today the resurgence of the historic heart of the nation’s capital has created an apartment boom rivaled only by that of the 1920s. Through residents’ personal recollections, original floor plans, and more than 690 photographs, Best Addresses offers an intimate tour behind the facades of 162 remarkable buildings. Some have already been destroyed or dis-figured beyond repair, making their preservation here especially valuable, while others continue to set the standard for elegant living in the nation’s capital.
Customers who bought this item also bought
Average Customer Review:
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
 My favourite book, 2007-12-03
Best Addresses surprised me. It's much larger than I expected, and extremely handsome in its own right. James Goode is so passionate about these apartment houses, and writes eloquently about not only the buildings, but the people who lived there. I found myself in tears when I came across an especially beautiful building, with exquisite architectural details, only to read the caption 'STATUS: opened as rental 1903; razed 1958.'
The 1950s were cruel times for ornate architecture, but thankfully buildings such as 2101 Connecticut Avenue, The Wyoming, and The Dresden still live on. My favourite chapter is about 2101 Connecticut Avenue, because there is so much information about its conception, right through to the present day, and there are a lot of clear photographs as well as a floor plan.
This book has been well researched, with many interior photographs, as well as the exquisite exteriors, even of buildings which no longer stand, or which have been hideously converted into condos. Even the gracious public dining rooms of the grander buildings have now disappeared, also converted into apartments. Only a few remain in their original state (such as the Westchester), harking back to a more gracious era, when people dressed for dinner!
There are many reasons why this magnificent book quickly became the favourite of my collection.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
 A must have for DC real estate owners and realtors, 2005-09-08
As a realtor, this book is immensely useful in garnering the history of some of these cherished buildings. As an adopted Washingtonian and architecture buff, the details included in the book are hard to find elsewhere. The writing style is inviting and accessible. Long out of print, it is great to have ready access to this valuable tomb again. Fifth star withheld solely for the fact that I hoped an expanded update section for up and coming buildings or new neighborhoods would have been included in the reissue.
Price is accurate as of the date/time indicated. Prices and product availability are subject to change. Any price displayed on the Amazon website at the time of purchase will govern the sale of this product.
|
Store Categories
|