Friday, August 28, 2009

Gage's Gaggle Lies Again


Listing the qualifications of their latest architect:

Among the nearly 800 architects and engineers who have signed our petition comes one architect formerly with William L. Pereira & Associates. One doesn't get much closer to the elements of high-rise design than with the pyramid-shaped Transamerica Building in San Francisco. Stephen Barasch, AIA, our Featured Petitioner, was a member of the architectural design team for that 48-floor structure. Barasch was also instrumental in the Mark Hopkins Hotel architectural design, also in San Francisco.


Remarkable indeed, given that Barasch apparently graduated from the University of Arizona in 1971, and given that construction of the Transamerica Pyramid began in 1969. Hey, I'm sure that it's quite possible that an undergraduate was part of the architectural design team. But what are we to make about the claim that Barasch was involved in the design of the Mark Hopkins, which opened in 1926? Must be a time-traveler, I suppose.

More discussion of Mr Barasch's work here:

It is a bit difficult to reconcile the idea of Mr. Barasch as a "designer" of the Transamerica Pyramid with the reality that Mr. Barasch, in 2006, had such astounding projects as seeking to renovate a rental house by adding a few bedrooms (after being denied because the proposed renovation did not meet the planning department's requirements wrt municipal standards and zoning and such, and subsequently amending the plan for appeal purposes to get it approved - not by any stretch of the imagination a big project judging by the drawings and photos), and in 2005 was also attempting to gain approval for a couple of new single family residential houses, without initial success (not sure if he ever ultimately got approval for these and I can't be bothered to look any further).


Hat Tip: JREF Forum member Big Al.

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