Democracy In Albany

I don't understand why people get so riled up about the Howe Library windows. First installed in 1920s, they are old and inefficient and contaminated with asbestos. Indeed, the whole Howe Library is old, small, inefficient, and would be probably cheaper to replace with a modern 1 or 2 story building then it would be to renovate it. So why don't we just tear it down?

People are excited about the prospects of tearing down the Troy City Hall. They say the building is ugly and outmoded. They say it has no value to keeping that building, and it would be cheaper just to move Troy City Hall into a new building and demolish the old. The roofs leak, and windows need replacing. They claim, the building would be expensive to renovate -- compared to building a new one.

Why is brutalist architecture seen as inferior as turn of the century architecture? Many of buildings of the 1950s and 1960s were quite technologically advanced for their time and have distinctive features. They are "modern", and represent the values we have in a pluralistic liberal society. Yet, brutalist buildings like Troy City Hall are in far more danger of being demolished then some of the older buildings in the South End.

The Historic Albany Foundation seems to get quite upset about relatively minor modifications to so-called "valuable" buildings, but has nothing to say on it's website about the significant renovation of the historic Empire State Plaza, that when completed, will forever alter the Albany skyline. The entire Llenroc façade (brown rough rock) is going to be replaced with granite, due to safety concerns.