Nicole Curtis continues crusade to preserve old homes from demolition

Recently, Rehab Addict star Nicole Curtis took to social media to decry what she says has become an alarming trend: developers and contractors choosing to simply demolish old homes–and the history that comes with them–instead of working to restore the properties. Rehab Addict‘s upcoming seventh season, by contrast, deals with more restorations than the show has ever tackled before.

Curtis’ most recent protests came just this week: the star updates her Facebook page on the regular, with calls of all sorts, and two of her most recent updates bemoaned two municipalities’ inability to step in and preserve old architecture. Portland OR was first in Curtis’ sights, though she took special care to note that she does not condone sitting on the roof of a home slated for demolition in order to stop the wrecking ball:

 

But that update was only the latest. Earlier this week, Curtis took Minneapolis to task. It’s a town with which she’s had some beefs before–this past spring, Curtis was embroiled in a legal debacle involving a Twin Cities contractor–and, now, her issue is institutional:

 

In addition, Nicole Curtis made headlines two weeks ago when she protested a 125-year-old home in Lake Orion MI that had been in the same family for over a century. Curtis and the Rehab Addict crew petitioned to step in and save the home–the purchaser only wanted the land–but were not granted access. Making matters worse for Curtis was the fact that Lake Orion “does not have any historic preservation ordinances.” In other words, there was nothing Curtis or anyone else could do:

 

In an attempt at explaining what “old” homes mean to her, Curtis took to social media for one more heartfelt post. Shortly after the Lake Orion debacle, she rallied supporters to her cause:

 

People that don’t understand my conviction to preservation have,obviously, never held the hand of s child and guided them through an old house, play with an old typewriter or sit behind the wheel of an old car. The best way to teach history is to let them touch, feel, breathe it. Everyday we lose another opportunity to allow our children to “connect” with our past. Sorry, but I have yet to find a child or an adult who would rather learn by reading a textbook. What happens when you take the “field” out of field trip ? You get a society that can’t relate, doesn’t care and runs with a robotic sense rather than emotion. Old houses make history relatable. Teach our children to listen and gain perspective through experience. Don’t believe me ? Give me that ten year old that won’t turn off the tv or pick their eyes up from their phone -let’s see who’s right 🙂 give them a hammer or a sander -no phone necessary. PLEASE START TAKING A STAND BEFORE THERE IS NOTHING LEFT & trust me, it’s going at a faster rate than ever before

 

Rehab Addict will return on Thursday, November 5th: exactly twenty days from today. In the meantime, you can check out our extensive Rehab Addict Season Seven preview here, and follow Nicole Curtis on Facebook here.

 

(Photo credits: Nicole Curtis via Facebook)