Alexander D. Mitchell IV

There is something special about a good "then and now" book. There is a lot one can glean from analyzing photos and reading carefully worded captions. From this book I started to wonder why D.C. constantly demolishes handsome and perfectly functional buildings. Was it cheaper than renovating? Or was there a different motive? Why did the authorities decide to plant a shopping mall on top of the site where Alexander Hamilton died in a duel? So many projects were stalled for decades because of withdrawn funding or the land wasn't good to develop on in the first place. Many civilian buildings were demolished to build the Federal Triangle, and some buildings were scorned for adhering to a different style than the neoclassical. Now that I'm armed with questions and visual perspective, I'm ready another book on these topics!… (meer)