CULTURE

David Battistella

December 10, 2019 - 16:21

Ive been keeping a secret for three years. In April 2016, I started to document the conservation process of the magnificent South Door of the Florence Baptistery. The embargo was lifted on December 6, 2019, when the 14th-century portal crafted by Florentine artist Andrea Pisano returned, restored, to public view.

The Opera del Duomo Museum has completed the arduous task of restoring all three original bronze doors originally created for the Baptistery of San Giovanni in piazza Duomo. Fine replicas can be seen on the octagonal building today and are better placed to bear the brunt of the elements (heavy rain in the autumn and ardent heat in the summer) as well as the acid rain and smog that tarnished the original works, which now enjoy the secure shelter of the well-appointed museum.

Deep inside the Opificio delle Pietre Dure (the organization that oversaw the conservation of the three sets of doors over 35 years), I documented the entire process from the moment the doors were painstakingly removed from the Baptistery through to being placed in their new home in the museum. Its hard to imagine anything predating the cupola in Florence, but these doors were actually a fixture on the Baptistery prior to the construction of Brunelleschis Dome and before Lorenzo Ghiberti heated and poured his first bronze sculptures to create the North Door and the famous East Door, dubbed by Michelangelo as the Gates of Paradise when he first saw them.

The historical significance of the work cannot be overlooked as the doors use a long lost and dangerous technique of fusing the gold to the bronze using mercury, which has been abolished as it can produce deadly results for the artisans. The technique and workmanship from the early 1300s would lay the basis for generations of Florentine artisans, who learn bronze sculpture techniques to this day. The formella named Visitation, for instance, would later seem to form the basis for Pontormos paintings.

Filled with awe on so many levels, I watched as the door began its journey from a deep green mold- and grime-covered work to the polished gold and dark brown bronze that it is today in the museum. First came the process required to move the door, which weigh in at a total of 6,500 kilograms per side. An enormous crew had to transport the portal from the Baptistery to the restoration location and eventually place them perfectly behind glass in the museum.

The amount of detail and step-by-step care that went into this conservation, which cost 1.5 million euro is an unparalleled study on how to conserve precious works of art and how not to destroy them in the process. Countless testing and retesting is conducted prior to moving on to the next step in the process. Florentine pride in their heritage is manifest as each person who came into contact with the work, myself included, experienced and appreciated the work, while proceeding with utmost care to preserve every detail. My job was to document each phase from various points of view.

As a documentary filmmaker, this was pure documentary process as I understood that each phase was going into an archive for future generations to be able to study and appreciate. Many of these techniques have been lost over time and to know that a filmed archive of the process now exists is profoundly rewarding. The footage will be added to the Opera del Duomo archive and can be used by scholars, artists, art conservators, archivists and news organizations in the future as a detailed testament of how the process unfolded.

The doors are part of the permanent collection of the Opera del Duomo Museum and can be viewed for the cost of a regular ticket.

Excerpt from:
My secret doors: filming the restoration of Pisano's masterpiece - The Florentine

AMONG the several Gandhi heritage sites in the country, it is the Sabarmati Ashram that is the most significant. This was the first ashram that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi established when he returned from South Africa in 1915. It was from the Sabarmati Ashram that Gandhi began the 384-kilometre Dandi March. It was within its premises that he experimented with farming, animal husbandry and weaving. Home to Gandhi and his wife, Kasturba, for almost 13 years, the ashram in its early years was the nucleus of Indias freedom struggle. It was so dear to Gandhi that in 1930, as the movement towards Independence gained momentum, he left it vowing he would not return until India was free from British rule.

As the country celebrates the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the spotlight turns on this historical and iconic site. The main trust of the Sabarmati Ashram and the Gujarat government have proposed that to keep the legacy of the father of the nation alive, the ashram needs to become a 35-acre (one acre is 0.4 hectare) integrated and holistic campus. For this to happen, a busy and popular part of Ahmedabads new city would need an extensive redesign and overhaul. Obviously, the proposal has met with resistance from many people in Ahmedabad.

Soon after paying tribute to the Mahatma on his birth anniversary on October 2, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly gave an in-principle nod to a Rs.247-crore ashram revitalisation project. A draft plan for the restoration of the original ashram was put forward by the well-known architect firm HCP Design, Planning and Management Private Limited (HCP).

Given the enormity and controversial nature of this project, government officials are unwilling to confirm or provide any details. Elabehn Bhatt, chairperson of the Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust, says a proposal has been made but as yet there have been no discussions with the government on it. Frontline sourced a copy of the design and found that a comprehensive plan is definitely in place. The question is whether it can be executed. A local resident says: Only this government can pull off a project on this scale.

Modi made an attempt to redevelop the ashram in 2003-04 when he was Gujarat Chief Minister, but because of mismanagement and differences between and within the trusts that run the ashram and a general reluctance on their part, the attempt failed. The sesquicentennial celebrations have given him an opportunity to appropriate Gandhi the way he did Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel with the Statue of Unity. Therefore, while the project may seem legitimate because of the miserable condition the ashram is in, there is reason to wonder why it is being pushed, says a political observer.

Urban planners in Ahmedabad say the project will cause the displacement of lakhs of people from their homes and workplaces, and the rerouting of the arterial Ashram Road (which is part of the plan) will change the layout of a fundamental section of the city. A few Gandhians, trustees and urban planners, however, believe that the effort will be worth it and that it is important that the Sabarmati Ashram is restored in its entirety. The State government says the ashram attracts up to seven lakh tourists a year and this should be capitalised upon. The idea is to restore it to its pre-Independence appearance, which would make it an interesting and historical tourist destination.

This will be the fourth attempt at reviving the Sabarmati Ashram. In 1966, a plan by the architect B.V. Doshi was considered but shelved. In 2003-04, the architect Charles Correa conceived another plan, but that did not move either. In 2007, the architecture school of Ahmedabads CEPT University designed an area development plan, but that too remained on the drawing board. The latest entrant is Bimal Patel, who runs HCP and was asked to come up with a contemporary plan. Incidentally, he was recently commissioned to restore the Parliament area and Lutyens Delhi.

HCPs plan for the restoration of the ashram essentially reclaims 32 acres of land between three points: the Dandi Bridge, the Collectors/Regional Transport Office and the Subash Bridge. The main ashram and 63 significant Gandhi establishmentsincluding a college, the Environment Sanitation Institute, a school, a gaushala, former homes of well-known Gandhians and the offices of the Sabarmati Ashram trustsare located largely within this perimeter. At present, the ashram institutions and historical homes are scattered in the Ashram Road area, making it appear as if the ashram is just on a sliver of land on the riverfront. Documents and maps from the ashram prove that large tracts of land in the area belong to it. It is not clear how Ashram Road was planned, but it cuts through sections of ashram land and has led to the carving up of the ashram.

An informed source who has worked on the new plan says if the campus is created it will enable historians to document Gandhis lifes work, allow research and study on subjects that Gandhi believed in such as community living and, of course, allow people to view and explore the area in which the Mahatma spent a significant amount of time, which would be an exceptional experience.

The restoration concept may seem like a good idea, especially if the intent is to uphold the legacy of the Mahatma. However, a critical aspect appears to be missing from the project: it does not take into consideration a community of 200 families who are direct descendants of the original inhabitants of the Sabarmati Ashram. They live in tiny colonies scattered around Ashram Road. Rangshala and Vanatshala colonies are situated exactly opposite the ashrams main gate. Before the road cut through the erstwhile ashram, their homes were located close to Gandhis house (Hriday Kunj) as their forefathers were part of the commune-living experiment Gandhi had initiated. These colonies will be the most affected if the project goes through. The beleaguered community has filed an official protest with the Gujarat Governor.

Shailesh Rathod, a leader of the anti-project movement and a resident of Rangshala, says the project relocates the residents of his colony to a nearby area, which he believes has a nullah (drainage canal) running beneath it and is, therefore, uninhabitable. The biggest grouse they have against the project is that they were not included in any discussions. He says that while the land the colonies are on has been included in the land acquisition plan of the project, the community has been excluded from it. He says they have seen the drawings and know what is going to happen. Some people have been told they will have to leave. However, few have been given official notices as yet, he says.

Rathod says: Gandhiji asked our great-grandfathers to work with him in the ashram. We are from Dalit communities. We know he believed in our uplift. It is unfortunate that even though the main trust is called the Sabarmati Harijan Ashram Trust, there is not a single Dalit trustee in this organisation. He says it gets huge grants from across the world for the restoration of buildings. Yet, never once have the trusts asked them whether they needed help. Rathod says none of the families has members working in the ashram or trusts.

Frontline spoke to several residents and found that many feel a sense of betrayal, not just because of the new proposal but because they feel they have been neglected even though their forefathers worked for the Mahatma and, they believe, made critical contributions to creating the Sabarmati Ashram. The trusts take rent. That is all they do. Both my great-grandfather and grandfather worked in the ashram. I grew up in this area. Yet, we do not get work, and they do not include us in anything. Now we fear we will be thrown out because this government is very anti-Dalit, says Kantibhai Mangal Rathore, a resident of Rangshala and a retired government employee. Four generations have lived in this house. How can we live anywhere else? Even though we dont work there, we feel we belong to the ashram, he says.

Dimant Badhia, owner of the Imam Manzil Khadi Vanat Ane Vechan Kendra, a khadi-weaving unit near the ashram, says they understand that the ashram needs to be restored but the community should have a role to play in the plan. We are after all stakeholders and descendants of men who helped Mahatma Gandhi build this ashram. Trustees and the ashram management say we are making unreasonable demands and are stalling development. We have made no demand. All we want is to know where we stand. Politicians who have no link to or understanding of Gandhi are involved in the project. I dont trust them. Badhias weaving unit is located in the house of Imam Saheb Abdul Kadar Bavaveer, an associate of Gandhi who accompanied him from South Africa. I look after the legacy of Imam Saheb, who started this weaving unit. How can they overlook these contributions?

As per the records, in 1917, Gandhi asked a few Dalit families to help set up weaving and leather units in the ashram. They came mainly from Surendranagar district. Over the years, as the ashram lands got carved up, many people stopped working in the ashram and found employment elsewhere. At present, the 200 ramshackle homes seem like an eyesore as the historical buildings around them are being given a facelift. The irony is that even these homes have a bit of history to them.

The Sabarmati Ashram was first established in the Kochrab area of Ahmedabad in 1915. It was relocated to the present premises on the Sabarmati riverfront in 1917. At the time, it occupied 120 acres. As Ahmedabad began expanding, the ashrams land was reduced to 32 acres, and what is now known as the Sabarmati Ashram was reduced to a 3.5-acre strip of land on the riverfront.

Literature from the museum says that the present location was chosen because Gandhi was looking for a barren site on which he could experiment with livelihood techniques. The spot he chose was the mythological ashram site of the rishi Dadhichi, who had donated his bones for a righteous war. The area was also located between the Sabarmati jail and a crematorium, as Gandhi believed a satyagrahi would invariably go to either place. Initially christened the Harijan Ashram, the Sabarmati Ashram reflected the movement towards passive resistance the Mahatma launched. He wanted it to serve as an institution that would carry on the search for truth and be a platform to bring together workers committed to non-violence. The ashram has been credited with being home to the ideology that set India free.

Documents at the ashram say that along with Harijan uplift and creating khadi, it was here that Gandhi began writing his autobiography. In 1920, Gandhi founded the Gujarat Vidyapith university. In 1922, Gandhi was arrested from the ashram for sedition. When the struggle for Independence intensified, historians say, Gandhi moved out of the ashram in order to reach out to villagers and others in the country. Gandhi left the Sabarmati Ashram in 1930 but continued to visit it. His last visit was in 1936.

A historian says after Gandhis time the ashram was looked after by the Sabarmati Harijan Ashram Trust. In 1960, after the death of the reformer Parikshit Lal Majumdar, who looked after the ashram, the trust split into seven trusts, six of which exist today: the Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust also known as the Sabarmati Ashram, the Sabarmati Ashram Gaushala Trust managed by the National Dairy Development Board, the Sabarmati Harijan Ashram Trust, the Gujarat Harijan Sevak Sangh, the Gujarat Khadi Gramodyog Manch and the Khadi Gramodyog Prayog Samiti. It is believed that the deterioration of the larger ashram began once the main trust was diluted. Interestingly, none of the trusts has any of Gandhis descendants on their boards. Dimant Badhia alleges that the trusts began leasing and selling land that belonged to them and that led to rapid development and urbanisation in the area.

Those in favour of the project, and this includes a few Gandhians who want to remain unnamed, say the ashram urgently requires improvement and so it does not matter that the push for the project has come from Modi. They believe the work of Gandhi is getting lost in todays technology-driven world. There is still a draw towards Gandhism, but the infrastructure to support research and study is lacking. In fact, some believe in the current climate of intolerance it is critical to resurrect the Mahatmas teachings.

Elabehn Bhatt told Frontline that plans to revamp the ashram and create a campus would only happen with government partnership as the land was not private. She says she has not received notifications or a time frame for the project, but it is in the pipeline. It has helped that in recent years the trusts that have historically had a fraught relationship are united in the goal of restoring Gandhis treasured ashram. We have been meeting, so I believe something positive will emerge, she says.

She says they have categorically told the State government that in order to retain the sanctity and dignity of the premises it should not be a touristy site. We would like people to visit, to understand Gandhis teachings, get solace and peace while here. With regard to the issue of displacement, Elabehn Bhatt says, the trust will not allow people to lose their homes and livelihoods.

Jayesh Patel, a trustee of the Environment Sanitation Institute (an ashram institute), says the affected residents will be given homes with ownership titles, which is far better than their current situation. Patel is a resident of the area and says an integrated campus will enhance Gandhis teachings. He says: Gandhi is a space not just a human being. If we do not follow his teachings while implementing the project, there is no point in doing it.

Badhia and others have no faith in Patel or in the other trusts. For one, Patel is the son-in-law of former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, who has been accused in several land-grab scams. The project is a real estate opportunity, and for Modi it is an opportunity to exploit the Gandhi brand. In the 12 years Modi was Chief Minister, he never visited the ashram. Every other Chief Minister would come to pay homage when they took office. Modi did not. Where has this sudden need to work on the ashram come from? asks Badhia.

Continued here:
Restoring the past in Sabarmati Ashram - Frontline

Take a tour with us as we discover how this property was saved from despair

Louis Beliveau, the designer of Montreal based La Firme Studio created magic by turning an abandoned shed into a warm and versatile family space, lovingly called The Barn. This residential project in Quebec has saved a 100-year-old building from loss while preserving its vernacular quality.

The Barn is a 4,500-square-feet home, which includes a utility and mechanical room, mudroom and a garage in its basement. The property also embraces a patio, an outdoor swimming pool, and a garden.

The property owners wanted to turn the old barn on the property of their chalet into a secondary country residence. Additionally, owing to their busy lives, they wanted a self-contained retreat, far removed from the noise of the city. The objective was to preserve the rustic character of the barn without compromising modern comfort. The redesigned space separations followed the existing wooden structure, says Beliveau.

Taking up this challenge, Beliveau teamed up with architect Michel Lemieux on the project, which involved stripping an old shed and moving it to a new location on a farmhouse property in Quebec.Beliveau adds, We avoided vertical elements to preserve the eye-line to the view. Since the foundations had to be reworked, every salvageable piece of the original hemlock construction was numbered and carefully stored.

There were plenty of open, semi-open and closed areas at the space, which provided different degrees of privacy. The 30-feet ceiling allowed the space to breathe and invite the natural surroundings inside. Additionally, the large windows rolled a spectacular view of the Sutton Mountains and agricultural landscape. The Barn is located on a hillside and has to be accessed by a footbridge, which leads into the main part of the home on the middle floor. Additionally, there is a basement and a first floor, completing the three-storey property. The entry is enclosed in glass, accessing a double-height dining room with a 35-feet glass wall. The living room has two grey couches, a light grey coffee table and a dark feature wall that accommodates a fireplace. The main floor houses a television room, a space with a pool table and a power room. A steel staircase with powder-coated white steps leads up to four bedrooms and three bathrooms that are arranged in a U-shape. This leaves an opening with views down to the dining table below.

La Firme concludes, Our approach balanced utility, the clients needs and desires, and uncompromising aesthetic standards. From the perspective of a rural house project, one of our concerns was achieving a harmonious balance between the building and its natural surroundings. Additionally, love and respect for materials are in our DNA and we feel them out for their inherent beauty and identify what relates them to the environment. In the case of The Barn, natural materials and textures make for an organic feel that helps integrate the building into the surrounding environment, even from the interior.

Inside John Lennon and Yoko Onos Bed-In for Peace hotel suite in Montreal

More:
Quebec: The story of this 100-year-old sheds restoration is fascinating - Architectural Digest India

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Miss Universe Jamaica 2019 Iana Olivia Tickle Garcia is a gorgeous, brave, smart, out of many, one lady; now maligned by scurrilous gossip and ignorance. This energy did not greet the 5 in 4 growth target, but there are many who thrive on negatives and snatch defeat from victory with glee, but some are misled.

Iana and her crew are pilloried for wearing a colonial, slave owner-like gown akin to Rose Hall's evil white lady, and this reward for honest effort must hurt. The White Witch Annie Palmer, if she existed, was never convicted in a court and, like our rapacious black criminals, is innocent until proven guilty. Hang her on social media?

This cass-cass is unnecessary as there was no sexy, murderer witch as White Witch is a legendary story and, despite years of speculation, modern scholarship has shown the story to be untrue. (Yates, Geoffrey S The Rose Hall Jamaica Legend)

Dr Yates says this may have started by the strangling of Mrs Palmer at the adjacent Palmyra Estate in 1830 and the novels Zelluco and White Witch of Rose Hall finessed it. But even if the said witch existed, maligning Garcia for a lookalike gown used in the artist's impression of Annie is wrong.

Jamaica uses this to attract tourists, and it works; but not rolling calf legend or Nanny catching bullets in her bum, as they are nasty. Still this raises issues.

First, it proves we need good education, good history to remove ambivalence about Annie Palmer, slavery, and emancipation by reading books. Our facts are from European traders, archaeologists, files, ship manifests, travellers, writers, as Africans have not written their side of trans-Sahara, Indian Ocean or transatlantic slave trades. We can't prosper until people stop whining, accept the past is as it is, move forward and write our own glorious history.

Next, Jamaicans do not handle race issues well. We kin teet, but chat behind back. For decades we take massive aid from whites, yet seem angry at them; why? So white Annie, not convicted of crimes, is hated, but black convict Buju Banton is feted; racism?

Garcia wore an Annie lookalike gown and some blast her, but convicted criminal Dudus wears Prada, Nike, and all wear them gladly? Are blacks entitled to be bad, but not whites? Bob sang country songs but whites must not be in reggae Grammy; racism?

Thirdly, Garcia's Restoration design gown is not proprietary to Annie. Fashion reflects the zeitgeist in Europe, so in war apparel get tight, precise, martial, but in peace, exuberant to excess. After Charles I was beheaded, Oliver Cromwell's republic was drab, puritanical, like death to fashionistas; but the restoration of Charles II in 1661 saw flourescence in art, architecture, and fashion.

The sackback day dress stiff corsetry, cane side hoops, and layered skirts was hot in London and fictional Annie's embroidered in silk-best of Mayfair or copied by her black seamstress so check the V & A collections. Some free blacks owned slaves, were fashionable, and copied London and Paris couture from wives of visiting estate owners. So, today, if notorious Nikki Dread wears Moschino, Zanotti; drinks Moet and Alize, then we must never touch them yuh mad!? Unhand Garcia, you villain!

Four, the tourist industry spent millions promoting Annie Palmer and Rose Hall. We have cashed in, so when did these serpents develop shame? Why should acts of long-dead crazy white people shame us? Shame is our ancestor's brethren who sold them without a GPS to find their way back home; and 250,000 of them here could not rise up, give 28,000 whites a back-siding to free themselves! Rwandan men killed one million using machetes; 200,000 a week, 40,000 a day; our cane cutter ancestors did what? Shame!

Five, Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa is Miss Universe 2019; congratulations! She is black, gorgeous, conscious, has a narrow face, high cheekbones, aquiline nose like Mom and androgynous. Her dad is typical African in physiognomy, but not her or our Garcia (no nuff derriere and flared nostrils). She speaks perfect English and could be any colour. Her people have no angst about apartheid as ours about slavery. After truth and reconciliation, former oppressors and oppressed get closer every day; is this true for Jamaica?

Six, this incident is symptom of a deeper malaise; our people are conflicted as history does not read as they would like, and Africa is silent. We are not heroes in our own story and Rose Hall, its fictional denizens are anathema to our 92.1 per cent black. We see this racism in many issues and it's alive. Cleansing fire can destroy remnants of slavery and colonialism? Why refurbish The Ward theatre? What about a ground zero of great houses, churches, hospital; will this exorcise their demons? No! Quality education can dissolve hate and resolve conflicts of heart and mind so they study war no more. People must stop looking in the rear-view mirror and forward unto growth! Stay conscious!

Franklin Johnston, D Phil (Oxon), is a strategist and project manager; Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK); and lectures in logistics and supply chain management at Mona School of Business and Management, The University of the West Indies. Send comments to the Observer or franklinjohnstontoo@gmail.com.

Now you can read the Jamaica Observer ePaper anytime, anywhere. The Jamaica Observer ePaper is available to you at home or at work, and is the same edition as the printed copy available at http://bit.ly/epaperlive

Read the rest here:
English Restoration gowns and mental slavery - Jamaica Observer

There are not many homes in New Zealand that are 165 years old, and even fewer colonial mansions.

Te Mata House outside Havelock North is one of them it was built in 1854by a family of landowners who gifted Te Mata Peak to the people of New Zealand.

And it was the first homestead built in Hawkes Bay, so, history-wise,it sits right alongside other historical homesteads, such as Highwic House and Alberton in Auckland built in 1862 and 1863 respectively. Although neither of those two have been the subjects of the huge modernisation project Te Mata House has undergone.

BAYLEYS HAVELOCK NORTH

Picture perfect - stately Te Mata House in Havelock North was the first homestead to be built in Hawke's Bay. It has been extensively refurbished over three years and is now on the market.

The current owners have spared no expense in the three-year modernisation and refurbishment programme, and have now decided to sell the property.

READ MORE* Devonport villa has glorious past* Devonport landmark restored to splendour* Who bought that Athfield house in Havelock North?

Salesperson Fiona Mackenzie of Bayleys Havelock North saysthe vendor's "labour-of-love"restoration project has"reborn" the 533-square metre home to look even more stately now than when it was first built.

BAYLEYS HAVELOCK NORTH

The gardens, designed by leading Australian landscaper Paul Bangay, include citrus groves, lavender beds and numerous water features.

And it was pioneering farmerJohn Chambers who emigrated from England with his wife, who commissioned the house. Chambersestablished one of New Zealand's biggest pioneering farm dynasties atits zenith, Te Mata House was the homestead for a rural empire that stretched some 7284 hectares from Napier in the north to the Ruataniwha Plains in the south, complete with the landmark Te Mata Peak mountain range at its back doorstep.

Thefarm block was so expansive that Te Mata House was used as an overnight stopping point for travellers. John Chambers is recorded as importing one of the province's first horse-drawn carts and, was a key figure in growing the frozen meat trade in Hawke's Bay. His sons John, Bernard, and Mason gifted Te Mata Peak to the people of New Zealand through a trust.

Today thehome is surrounded by meticulously landscaped lawns, several hundred metres of limestone walls and steps, and hedgerow-bordered gardendesigned by Australian landscaper Paul Bangay. The gardensincludebeds of lavender, citrus groves, and numerous flowing water features all overlooking rows of grapevines on neighbouring Te Mata Estate winery.

BAYLEYS HAVELOCK NORTH

The current owners have respected the original character in the renovation, but added contemporary furniture and amenities in keeping with modern lifestyles.

"Inside, the home now has the style and sophistication to match and even exceed any renovation standard you would see anywhere in New Zealand," says Mackenzie.

Updates includea remote-controlled sound system with speakers discreetly positioned throughout the entire property, the latest ventilation, security and heating technology.

In addition to its spacious entertaining areas on the ground floor, the main house has four double bedrooms on the upper level, all with ensuites.

BAYLEYS HAVELOCK NORTH

Designed to cater to a crowd, the large kitchens opens right up to the pool area.

Other key features include asolid-block room with original iron shutters over the window. The buildingonce doubledas Havelock North's bank, and as a "safe room"for the Chambers family.

Theoriginal school house remains on the property.John Chambers had the thisbuilt for his children to be taught privately as there were no schools in the district. It'snow a children's art house.

The farm's original animal stables and barn have been remodelled into an underground whisky cellar complete with a designer studio apartment flat above.

BAYLEYS HAVELOCK NORTH

Modern formal dining is a little different from 165 years ago, the original floorboards remain.

There's even a state-of-the-art, three-levelchildren's treehouseand adventure playground complex, complete with a fireman's pole, rope net ladder, flying fox, and swing bridges.

Other buildings include a detached two-bedroom cottage for guests or a staff residence with full-size living room, kitchen, bathroom, and private courtyard. There is an18-metre in-ground swimming pool with spa, and a cabana featuring a gymnasium and lounge room with bar facilities.

Equestrian enthusiasts are well catered for as well, with a60m x 20m equestrian dressage arena with lime sand andsprinkler irrigation, and a horse stabling complex consisting of two stalls, a tack room, feed room, and a separate kitchen with laundry.

BAYLEYS HAVELOCK NORTH

This appealing whiskey cellar, with apartment above, is in the original stables building.

"You simply can't replicate history on this magnitude especially when compounded by the former bank vault, the classroom, and even the original fire-escape trap door on the upper balcony, which accesses a steel-rung ladder below," Mackenzie says.

The property,at 337 Te Mata Road, is on two titles and covers 2.2ha. It is for sale by tender through Bayleys Havelock North, with tenders closing on February 11, 2020.

BAYLEYS HAVELOCK NORTH

Each of the four bedrooms on the upper floor has an ensuite bathroom.

BAYLEYS HAVELOCK NORTH

All bedrooms, including this children's room, are spacious with lovely views.

BAYLEYS HAVELOCK NORTH

There's even a cute treehouse and adventure playground for the children.

BAYLEYS HAVELOCK NORTH

Outbuildings include a children's art house (formerly the schoolhouse), a two-bedroom cottage for guests or staff, and a new stables complex.

Read more:
Stunning 165-year-old Te Mata House on the market after huge restoration - Stuff.co.nz

A 15 MILLION stately home is on sale for a cut-price 2.5 million after it was gutted in a suspected arson attack.

Parnham House, built in 1551 near Beaminster, Dorset, was left a shell in the April 2017 blaze.

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Its owner, hedge fund manager Michael Treichl, was arrested on suspicion of arson but drowned in an apparent suicide.

A 3million agreed sale fell through so it is back on the market at 2.5million in the hope it will be snapped up amid fears the external walls could collapse.

Any buyer will have to spend millions on rebuilding and restoring it with all work approved by Historic England.

A spokesperson for Historic England said: "We are aware that the hoped-for sale of Grade I listed Parnham House has fallen through.

"We are aware that the property is now being remarketed.

"The property remains vulnerable, and a rapid resolution is needed on the sale of the property to allow repair and restoration works to begin."

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Read the original:
Price of mansion slashed from 15million to 2.5million after suspected arson attack - The Sun

Its hard to keep up with national politics these days no less whats happening in your state and local governments.Now,try to think back to everything thats happened in state politics since 2009.

It was a major political decade in Minnesota,and believe it or not,some of the stories here rival the intrigue coming out of Washington,D.C.,every day.

From the longest government shutdown in state history to the rise and fall of some of the states most prominent politicians,here are the top stories in state politics between 2009 and 2019,listed in somewhat chronological order:

Then-Gov. Tim Pawlenty discussed the Minnesota Supreme Court's ruling regarding the unallotment case in May 2010.

Jeffrey Thompson | MPR News 2010

Back in the summer of 2009,after lawmakers went home for the year,former Republican Gov.Tim Pawlenty wielded a little-known executive power to unilaterally cut or shift $2.7 billion from the state budget.

Democrats who controlled the House and Senate were furious,arguing Pawlenty used the power to cut spending out of the budget they sent him because he didnt want to sign a tax bill they also sent him to pay for it.The Supreme Court ultimately ruled his use of unallotment was improper,with Pawlentys former law partner and Supreme Court pick Eric Magnuson authoring the deciding opinion against him.

Then-Republican Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch spoke to reporters at a news conference in June 2011.

Tom Scheck | MPR News 2011

The tea party wave in 2010 helped deliver a majority to Republicans in the state House and Senate for the first time since the modern day state Republican Party was designated back in the 1970s.

It gave them the power to shape state policy and budgets for the first time in decades,but there was a big caveat:The first Democratic governor in decades,Mark Dayton,was also elected that year and would repeatedly clash with their agenda.

The grounds of the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul remained quiet in July 2011 as the state government shutdown continued.

Nikki Tundel | MPR News 2011

One of Dayton and the Republican-controlled Legislatures biggest disagreements was over the states two-year budget in 2011 and how to close a multibillion-dollar budget deficit.

They couldnt agree to a deal by the end of session in May or by June 30,the end of the fiscal year and the constitutional deadline to pass a balanced budget.State government shut down the next day and stayed shut down for 20 days,easily the longest government shutdown in state history.

Republican state Sen. Amy Koch resigned as majority leader in 2011 after revelations of an affair with a subordinate.

Jeffrey Thompson | MPR News 2011

The tea party wave also brought a rising star lawmaker into the spotlight.Then-Republican Sen.Amy Koch orchestrated her partys takeover of the chamber and was elected Senate majority leader for her efforts the first woman in state history to ever hold that position.

But one year later,Kochs political rise came to an abrupt halt when four male colleagues held a press conference without her to reveal she had an affair with a subordinate.She resigned as majority leader the next day and didnt seek reelection the next cycle.

Her subordinate,Michael Brodkorb,was fired by the Senate,kicking off a wrongful termination lawsuit in which he argued he was treated differently than female staffers who had relationships with male elected officials.He threatened to bring those relationships to light,but never did,eventually settling with the Senate for $30,000.

Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf spoke at a news conference after Minneapolis was selected as the host for 2018 Super Bowl at the NFL's spring meetings in May 2014 in Atlanta.

David Goldman | AP 2014

It was hard to believe the Republican-led Legislature and Dayton could agree on anything,no less a $1 billion new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings that required hundreds of millions of dollars in public subsidy.But they struck a deal in 2012,ending a more than decadelong saga to get the stadium built.

It was a session full of twists and turns,from the defeat of the stadium bill in a key House committee to its unlikely revival in the final days of session.

Demonstrators on both sides of the issue gathered outside the Minnesota House chamber to greet lawmakers as they arrived to take up the same-sex marriage bill at the State Capitol in May 2013.

Jim Mone | AP Photo 2013

While Dayton vetoed many Republican priorities,they were able to bypass him and put two proposed constitutional amendments on the 2012 ballot:a photo ID requirement to vote and a ban on gay marriage (it was already banned in state law).

Democrats launched massive campaigns to defeat the amendments,which voters ultimately did.It was no easy feat:Polling leading all the way up to Election Day showed both amendments had enough support to pass.

The 2012 election also swept Democrats into control of the Legislature and all of state government.By May,theyd flipped the debate from constitutionally banning gay marriage to a successful push to make Minnesota the 12th state in the nation to allow same-sex couples to marry.

Then-MNsure Chair Brian Beutner, left, listened as interim CEO Scott Leitz spoke during a press conference in December 2013 in Minneapolis. Leitz took over after the resignation of April Todd-Malmlov, who faced criticism over complications with insurance sign-ups under the federal health care law.

Glen Stubbe | The Star Tribune via AP 2013

MNsure,MNLARS?Those two government-run IT projects consumed much of the Capitols limited oxygen supply for the better part of the last decade,with technical glitches,cost overruns and long delays for Minnesotans either trying to buy health insurance or update their vehicle tabs and registration.

The MNsure insurance exchange is running more smoothly now,and MNLARS has now been scrapped for VTRS Vehicle Title and Registration System which lawmakers hope wont have the same problems when its rolled out.

Master stone carver Mark Wickstrom selected a tool while working on exterior restoration at the State Capitol in St. Paul in April 2015.

Jeffrey Thompson | MPR News 2015

It started more than a dozen years ago as a $100,000 study to explore the restoration needs on the inside of the Minnesota Capitol.But it ballooned into a $310 million project to revive dulled murals,fix plaster work,install massive slabs of marble to fix the crumbling exterior and rewire the entire structure to make it a modern workspace.

It took years and shut down most of the building during that time,but the idea was to restore the more than 100-year-old building for the next 100 years to come.

In 2017, Minnesota lawmakers scrapped a ban on Sunday liquor sales.

George Dornbach | MPR News 2017

It only took 159 years,but in 2017,Minnesota lawmakers scrapped a ban on selling alcohol on Sundays.Before that,the Sunday liquor sales debate was a perennial issue at the Capitol,making strange bedfellows of Republicans and Democrats who routinely defeated it over religious objections and opposition from liquor stores,who liked not being open on Sundays.

Education Minnesota President Denise Specht joined other groups urging Dayton budget vetoes in May 2017.

Brian Bakst | MPR News 2017

After another messy end to the 2017 legislative session,Dayton zeroed out the Legislatures $130 million operating budget at the same time he signed the rest of the states two-year budget.

It was a final attempt to get lawmakers to renegotiate some tax breaks and teacher licensure provisions they disagreed on,but the Legislature didnt bite.Instead,they sued the governor arguing he violated the Constitutions separation of powers between the Legislative and executive branches.A lower court agreed,but the Minnesota Supreme Court ultimately upheld Daytons veto.

Sen. Al Franken, center, held hands with his wife, Franni Bryson, as he left the Capitol after speaking on the Senate floor in December 2017 in Washington. Franken announced his resignation following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations and a collapse of support from his Democratic colleagues.

Jacquelyn Martin | AP 2017

Allegations of sexual harassment and assault were sweeping up prominent people in the media and politics across the country in 2017,and by late fall,two state legislators resigned amid allegations of repeated inappropriate behavior toward women in politics.

Their stories revealed a broader culture of sexual harassment in workplaces,including the state and national capitols.In Washington,D.C.,Minnesota U.S.Sen.Al Franken was also facing a string of allegations of unwanted groping and forcible kissing.After pressure from his Senate colleagues,he resigned from office in December 2017.

Then-Republican gubernatorial candidates Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson, left, and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty at MPR News in August 2018.

Evan Frost | MPR News 2018

Frankens resignation in the middle of his term set off a stunning series of events.It triggered a law that allowed Dayton to appoint his replacement Lt.Gov.Tina Smith until the next general election,which triggered a different constitutional provision requiring the Senate president take over as lieutenant governor.

But there was one problem:The Senate president was Republican Michelle Fischbach,who wasnt exactly thrilled about leaving the chamber to serve alongside a Democratic governor.The Senate fought back in court,but the case ultimately went unresolved.

Fischbach announced shortly after session ended that she would,in fact,take over the lieutenant governor job and leave the Senate.Why?She later became the lieutenant governor candidate alongside Pawlenty as he attempted an executive branch comeback.

Minnesota Republicans took control of part or all of the Legislature for most of the last decade,and in 2018,they flipped two Greater Minnesota seats from Democrat to Republicans.But the party hasn't won a single statewide office since 2006,when Pawlenty was elected to a second term as governor.

Twice,the Republican Party picked Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson as their gubernatorial candidate,only to have him lose handily twice.It's a concerning streak for party operatives,who worry the voting power of the Twin Cities and suburban communities could lock them out of that office for decades to come.

See the article here:
Decade's dozen: The top 12 Minnesota politics stories of the past 10 years - Minnesota Public Radio News

The Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund submitted more than 200,000 signatures to the Colorado Secretary of State's office in favor of reintroducing gray wolves. If enough are validated, the petition will become a 2020 ballot initiative.

Colorado might be getting a little more populated in 2023.

On Tuesday morning, the Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund (RMWAF) handed over 211,093 signatures to the Colorados Secretary of States office in support of a petition to reintroduce gray wolves in Colorado. The signatures, which have been collected across the state since June, will take 30 calendar days to be validated by Secretary of State Jena Griswolds office. If enough are validated (124,632 are required), the petition will become an initiative on the 2020 statewide ballot.

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The Rocky Mountain Wolf Projectand the Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund started gathering signatures this past summer with the help of nonprofits like Defenders of Wildlife, the Wild Foundation, and the Endangered Species Coalition, in the hopes of adding wolves back into Colorados natural landscape.

Delivering these signatures is the first step toward restoring an interconnected population of wolves that stretches from the high Arctic southward to the Mexican border, bringing back a true American species, Joanna Lambert, a professor of environmental studies at the University of Boulder and a member of the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project, said at a press conference.

The Rocky Mountain Wolf Project works to educate the public about wolf ecology and behavior in the hopes of restoring wolf populations back in Colorado. Gray wolves have been roaming the wild lands of North America for almost a million years. Yet, sometime early in the 1940s, Colorados last wolf howled its very last howl, Lambert said. Our best peer-reviewed science tells us that native species like wolves are essential to the delicate balance of species, species interactions, and ecosystem health.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Colorado Farm Bureau, the Colorados Cattlemen Association, and the Colorado Wool Growers Association all openly oppose the initiative making the 2020 ballot. Many organizations have joined the Stop the Wolf Coalition which is made up of sportsmen, farmers and ranches, and individuals who are concerned about wolf reintroduction in Colorado.

The signatures, which were originally due by December 13, are expected to be validated by the Secretary of States office by January 9. If enough are verified, the petition will be the first time in U.S. history that a restoration initiative of an endangered species will be decided by voters. If Coloradans vote in favor of reintroducing wolves, Colorado Parks and Wildlife would take over implementation and management. And by 2023, Colorado could be home to 2030 gray wolves.

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By restoring wolves, our state can serve as a model of what good stewardship of public lands and wild landscapes looks like.

Victoria manages the social media accounts for both 5280 and 5280 Home and identifies opportunities for growth and engagement. She also writes and edits stories for 5280.com.

More:
Wolf Reintroduction Is One Step Closer to Becoming a Reality - 5280 | The Denver Magazine

The Kuykendall-McLean Home, 602 S. Robinson St., is one of eight stops on the Save Old Cleburnes 42nd annual Candlewalk Tour of Homes on Saturday.

The two-story ornate Prairie Victorian Style home was built on the site of an earlier house in 1898. It is unknown why the other house was replaced but it is certain it was. The house has a hip and gable roof with one gable featuring the classic sunburst pattern.

Gingerbread trim accents the wrap around front porch. Prairie style stairwell windows are on the north side and the oval window next to the front entrance.

First owner was Ellie Moore. Finding it impossible to make the payments of $23.40 per month, she transferred the property to J.A. Long in 1901.

Long quickly sold it to Mr. and Mrs. R.B. Kuykendall, who wanted to move into town to educate their seven children. The Kuykendalls completely refurbished the home in the 1930s and sent out open house invitations.

The home stayed in the family for 55 years until the death of the last of the remaining Kuykendall children.

Bill and Patti Jo McLean owned the home from 1955 to 2004 owning the home for 49 years. Patti Jo McLean was a local historian, active in Camp Fire Girls, DAR and Eastern Star.

Carmen and Barry Martin bought the house in January. New to Cleburne, they looked at the downtown buildings to have a loft/retail space but decided on this house instead. Barry Martin has experience in building and home restoration.

They immediately went to work fixing the foundation, replacing plumbing, adding insulation and new air conditioning. The have repaired the front porch, added a backyard privacy fence, circle driveway and fire pit area.

Putting the house on tour has motivated them to fine tune some planned projects. In the future, they plan on adding a side porch to enjoy the back yard. The house sits picture perfect in its 121st year.

The Candlewalk Tour of Historic Homes is from 1-8 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets are available at the Layland Museum, Heritage Home Vintage Inspired Living, Cleburne Chamber of Commerce and online at Eventbrite.com. Advance tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children under 12.

Day of tour tickets are $15 and $10, respectively.

Excerpt from:
Kuykendall-McLean Home added to Candlewalk Tour of Homes - Cleburne Times-Review

Restoration Hardware (RH) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.79 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.22 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.73 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 25.68%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this furniture and housewares company would post earnings of $2.70 per share when it actually produced earnings of $3.20, delivering a surprise of 18.52%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times.

Restoration Hardware, which belongs to the Zacks Retail - Home Furnishings industry, posted revenues of $676.72 million for the quarter ended October 2019, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.17%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $638.51 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Restoration Hardware shares have added about 66.8% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 23.4%.

What's Next for Restoration Hardware?

While Restoration Hardware has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Restoration Hardware was favorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to outperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $3.52 on $709.79 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $10.85 on $2.69 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Retail - Home Furnishings is currently in the top 30% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportRH (RH) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.

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Restoration Hardware (RH) Tops Q3 Earnings and Revenue Estimates - Yahoo Finance