The architectural preservation community mourns the loss of actress Diane Keaton, who passed away last week, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of fighting to preserve Los Angeles' historic buildings. From her passionate campaign to save the iconic Ambassador Hotel to celebrating the restoration of Frank Lloyd Wright's Ennis House, Keaton made architectural preservation her personal mission, advocating that vintage buildings deserve starring roles in the city's evolving landscape.
Across the United States, public libraries are transforming into dynamic civic anchors, breathing new life into sleepy downtown areas. These modern community hubs now offer maker spaces, yoga classes, and various social activities alongside traditional book collections, serving as catalysts for urban revitalization and community engagement.
In Connecticut, an ambitious environmental project is taking shape as a decommissioned power plant in Norwalk undergoes transformation into Manresa Wilds, a sprawling 125-acre public park. The innovative project will convert the former industrial site into a nature retreat featuring diverse habitats, beaches, and thermal pools, demonstrating how industrial relics can be reimagined as ecological sanctuaries.
Meanwhile, in New York City, Asad Dandia has channeled his teenage experience of being surveilled by the NYPD into a meaningful career leading radical walking tours. Through his project called New York Narratives, Dandia reclaims the city's streets by sharing the often-erased stories of Muslim, immigrant, and working-class communities, offering alternative perspectives on the city's complex history.
Tourist season in New England has taken an unwelcome turn as locals express growing frustration with "leaf-peeper" tourism. Influencer-driven crowds are overwhelming scenic areas, clogging roads and trespassing on private farms in their quest for the perfect autumn photograph. Fed up with the chaos, some towns have responded by closing scenic routes and even selling satirical figurines that mock selfie-obsessed tourists, highlighting the tension between tourism revenue and community peace.
