John Coltrane House Huntington, N.Y. (Robert C. Hughes)

Seymour Botanical Conservatory Tacoma
(Courtesy Archives Metro Parks Tacoma)

TRANSITIONS

THREATENED 1952 John Coltrane House, Huntington, N.Y.: owned and occupied by jazz giant when he wrote signature album A Love Supreme above garage of ranch house in 1960s, proposed for demolition by current owner

1925 S.S. Nobska, Boston: left without funding to complete repairs several years ago, being bumped from drydock by U.S.S. Constitution and possibly to scrapheap

LOST 1873 Ebenezer Baptist Church, Pittsburgh: city's oldest African American church, destroyed by fire

1936 Claremore WPA Armory, Claremore, Okla.: torn down by bank, which had acquired building from investment company, which acquired it from city in property exchange

RESTORED 1908 W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory, Tacoma: reopened with repainted metal frame and almost 3,500 new glass panes in 12-sided, 55-foot-high dome and three wings

1906 USF&G Corp. Building, Baltimore: nearly torn down five years ago, reopened as Hampton Inn & Suites after $22 million transformationy

SAVED 1920s Rose Garden Tea Room, Vero Beach, Fla.: relocated to safety for reuse as retail center by citrus grower Rusty Banack, who intervened mid-demolition

1919 Fox Markovitz Building, San Jose, Calif.: proposed as substitute site for new parking garage after city passed over house where Donner Party survivor had lived, spared when judge ruled alternate locations must be considered