>>> SEEMINGLY MILD MANNERED OLIVIA MAZELL IS CONSIDERED A
WARRIOR OF SORTS WHEN IT COMES TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION, WHICH
SHE WORKED ON FOR MORE THAN 0 YEARS IN HOLYOKE.
THE CITY COUNCIL RECENTLY RECOGNIZED HER EFFORTS WITH A
PROCLAMATION, AND SHE JOINED ME IN THE STUDIO RECENTLY TO
DISCUSS HER WORK.
>> WE MOVED TO THIS AREA THROUGH THE AIR FORCE, WHEN WESTOVER WAS
A VIBRANT, BUSTLING AIR FORCE BASE.
SO WE WERE LOOKING FOR HOUSING AND WE FOUND A NICE HOUSE IN
HOLYOKE.
>> WHEN YOU FIRST CAME TO HOLYOKE, DID YOU IMMEDIATELY
FALL IN LOVE WITH THE MANY, MANY BUILDINGS AND HISTORIC
ARCHITECTURE?
OR WAS THIS SOMETHING YOU CAME TO NOTICE OVER TIME?
>> CAME TO NOTICE OVER TIME, RIGHT.
WE FOUND THE HOUSE WE WANTED RIGHT AWAY, IT WAS LIKE BOOM
THAT'S IT.
DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA ABOUT SCHOOL SYSTEM OR WORK OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT WAS LIKE OKAY, THIS WILL WORK, LET'S START HERE WITH THE
HOUSE.
>> SO YOU JOINED THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION, 20 YEARS ON THE
HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
AS A REPUBLICAN POINTED OUT RECENTLY IN A STORY ABOUT YOU,
THEY FOUND YOU SIMULTANEOUSLY EASY TO TALK TO AND UNAFRAID TO
PUT HEADS WITH OFFICIALS OR INSTITUTIONS IN YOUR QUEST TO
PRESERVE HISTORY.
YOU'RE SMILING.
HOW DID YOU BALANCE THOSE TWO?
>> I THINK IT WAS MY YEARS OF CLASSROOM TEACHING.
YOU CAN'T ALWAYS PUSH TEENAGERS, IF YOU HAVE TO LEAD THEM AND
HOPE THAT THEY'LL FOLLOW YOUR SUGGESTIONS.
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE THAT FOR THE CITY.
YOU HAVE TO TRY TO SHOW THEM THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY
NEED TO DO FOR THE CITY AND THIS WORKS FOR THE CITY, AND WHAT A
DEVELOPMENT, AND TO SAVE THE CITY AND MAKE IT A DEVELOPMENT
THAT WOULD COME BACK AND REWARD THEM AT THE SAME TIME.
THEN BE HONEST TOO.
SOME THINGS YOU JUST HONESTLY CAN SAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO LOSE THIS BUILDING BECAUSE IT'S TOO FAR GONE, THE
ROOF IS IN, AND THEN YOU HOPEFULLY YOU'LL WIN ON ANOTHER
ISSUE.
SO IT'S ALWAYS A GIVE AND TAKE.
>> SO ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'RE CREDITED WITH HELPING TO
ESTABLISH WAS THE CITY WIDE DEMOLITION DAY ORDINANCE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE IMPACT HAS BEEN ON THE CITY OF HAVING THAT?
>> WELL, IT'S A LOVE-HATE KIND OF THING.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE ONCE YOU PUT OUT A DELAY, THEN THE
SIDES GO TO OPPOSITE CORNERS OF THE MAT, SO TO SPEAK, BECAUSE
THEY WANT WHAT THEY WANT.
WHEN THEY OWN PROPERTY, THEY OWN IT, SO THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO DO
WHAT THEY WANT WITH IT.
BUT THEN YOU TRY TO CONVINCE THEM THAT MAYBE THERE'S A BETTER
WAY YOU CAN REUSE THE PROPERTY IN CERTAIN WAYS, LIKE THIS
BUILDING HERE.
YOU CAN SEE THE WOODWORK IN THE BEAM, SO THINGS CAN BE RESTORED
AND YOU CAN HAVE A JUXTAPOSITION OF MODERN AND UP TO DATE AND
HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
>> I KNOW THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HELP NOW WITH AT
HOLYOKE PRESERVATION TRUST INC., IS HELPING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND
HOW TO FUSE PAST AND PRESENT.
I WAS INTERESTED TO READ THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HELP
EDUCATE PEOPLE ON IS THIS IDEA OF PRESERVING WHAT CAN BE
PRESERVED, BUT THEN ALSO INTEGRATING ENERGY EFFICIENCIES
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T THINK ABOUT HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ENERGY
EFFICIENCY IN THE SAME SENTENCE.
HOW ARE YOU BRINGING THAT TOGETHER?
>> WELL, THERE'S A WAY THAT SOLAR PANELS CAN GO ON A ROOF,
AND IN KIND OF AN ADAPTIVE WAY.
YOU MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY WANT THEM ON THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE,
BUT YOU CAN PUT THEM OFF TO THE SIDE OR ON ANOTHER LOCATION.
LIKE THE MILLS IN HOLYOKE HAVE A LOT OF REAL ESTATE ON THE ROOF,
SO THEY CAN BE USED IN THAT SENSE.
IN SOME CASES, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN WE WERE IN CHARLESTON, THEY
HAD THIS BEAUTIFUL BUILDING THAT HAD BEEN RESTORED AND IT WAS A
BANK, BUT OVER IN THE CORNER THEY HAD LEFT THE CORNER OPEN,
SO THEY COULD SEE WHERE THE BRICK LINED UP WITH THE ORIGINAL
BRICK -- >> BETWEEN SOME OF THOSE
HISTORICAL ELEMENTS.
>> RIGHT.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO ALL BE -- >> YOU CAN HAVE A PEEK AT THE
PAST WHILE YOU'RE SITTING IN THE PRESENT.
>> RIGHT.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS I HEAR DEVELOPERS TALK ABOUT, THEY HAVE
THIS NEW FRESH IDEA, TEAR DOWN A BUILDING AND PUT SOMETHING UP
NEW.
FOR YOU, HOW DO YOU MAKE THE CASE TO THE PUBLIC LOOKING AT
THE VALUE OF PRESERVING SOMETHING FROM THE PAST, BUT THE
PRACTICAL REALITIES OF COST IN THE PRESENT.
>> WELL, HOPEFULLY THE DEVELOPER WILL HAVE SOME KIND OF
SENSITIVITY TO THE THINGS OF THE THE MATERIALS THAT YOU CAN'T
FIND TODAY.
AND SAY LET'S USE THIS REAL WALNUT MOLDING OVER HERE, AND
YOU CAN REUSE THAT.
EVEN IF YOU TEAR IT DOWN, LET'S USE THAT MATERIAL IN ANOTHER
LOCATION AND ADAPT IT.
>> AS YOU NOW LOOK AT THE LANDSCAPE IN HOLYOKE TODAY,
GOING DOWN MAIN STREET, MANY BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC BUILDINGS BUT
A LOT OF VACANT STORE FRONTS, SO AS YOU'RE WORKING IN THE
COMMUNITY HOW DO YOU TALK TO WOULD-BE DEVELOPERS ABOUT SEEING
THE POTENTIAL THERE, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING AROUND AND SEEING VACANT
STORE FRONTS RIGHT AND LEFT?
>> THERE'S JUST SO MUCH YOU CAN DO.
YOU TRY TO MAKE IT ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE FOR THEM TO CONSIDER
IT.
AND THE WAY THE MARKET, THE REAL ESTATE MARKET HAS BEEN RECENTLY,
IT HAS, THAT LEVEL HAS MADE IT ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE.
THERE'S A LOT OF HOMES IN HOLYOKE THAT ARE MOVING NOW THAT
DIDN'T MOVE BEFORE.
RIGHT NOW IT'S WORKING OUR WAY.
>> WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO ABOUT HISTORIC PRESERVATION
IN THE FUTURE IN HOLYOKE?
>> WELL, WE'RE WORKING TO BRING A CHURCH BACK ONLINE.
THAT'S BEEN A BIG PROJECT.
SINCE 2011, SINCE IT WAS CLOSED.
SO NOW IT'S NOT A CHURCH ANY MORE, IT'S GOING TO BE A
COMMUNITY CENTER AND A CULTURAL CENTER.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT TO HELP THAT PART OF TOWN.
IT USED TO BE A VERY VIBRANT AND BUSY PART OF TOWN.
SO WE THINK THAT THE INTEREST AND THE ENERGY AND PUTTING THAT
BUILDING BACK ON THE MARKET, AND CARING FOR IT AND, YOU KNOW,
CUTTING THE GRASS AND TAKING CARE OF IT AND OPENING IT UP SO
PEOPLE CAN SAY, WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS BUILDING,
OPEN THE DOORS AND THEY'LL SEE WHAT A GREAT BUILDING IT IS.
>> CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR HONOR.
THANKS FOR COMING IN TODAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> NEVER ABANDON IMAGINATION IS A CALDECOTT AWARD WINNING
CHILDREN'S AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR'S PERSONAL MISSION
STATEMENT.
STORY TELLING HAS BEEN HIS PASSION SINCE CHILDHOOD, AND THE
ARTIST FIRMLY BELIEVES THAT A SINGLE PICTURE IS WORTH A
THOUSAND WORDS.
"CONNECTING POINT" EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ANTHONY DUNN CRACKS
OPEN THE BOOK OF TONY DITRELIZZI'S PERSONAL STORY AND
FINDS CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION ON EVERY PAGE.
>> MY MOM TOLD ME THAT WHEN I WAS YOUNG AND I WOULD DRAW AT
THE KITCHEN TABLE OR IN MY BEDROOM I WOULD MAKE A LOT OF
SOUND EFFECTS.
BECAUSE THERE WAS A STORY UNSPOOLING IN MY BRAIN.
WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL, I'M LIKE I WANT
TO CREATE CHILDREN'S BOOKS, WHICH IS SO MUCH EASIER SAID
THAN DONE.
I HAD TAKEN EVERY ART COURSE YOU COULD TAKE IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND
MY TEACHER WAS LIKE I WANT YOU TO DO ONE ASSIGNMENT FOR THE
ENTIRE SEMESTER.
SO I WENT HOME AND MY YOUNGER BROTHER WAS READING ALISON'S
ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND, AND I CAME BACK MONDAY AND SAID I WANT
TO DO LIKE A TONY D. VERSION OF ALICE IN WONDERLAND.
SO OFF I WENT, IT WAS THE 80'S.
SO I MADE THE MAD-HATTER VERY ELTON JOHN, AND I USED THE HIGH
LIGHTER SO THAT WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE BOOK UNDER A BLACK LIGHT
THE BOOK WOULD GLOW.
THEN THIS KID IN CLASS GOES SAYS I HEARD YOU DID SOME VERSION OF
ALICE IN WHRON DER LAND, AND THIS PERSON WHO WOULD NEVER TALK
TO ME SAID CAN I SEE IT?
I HANDED HIM THE BOOK, AND THE BLACK LIGHT AND NEXT THING YOU
KNOW THERE'S A CROWD LOOKING AT THIS THING, AND I GOT THIS
INCREDIBLE VALIDATION AT SUCH A CRITICAL JUNCTURE IN MY LIFE.
I FELT IF I COULD DO IT IN THAT BRUTAL WORLD OF HIGH SCHOOL, I
GOT THIS, I CAN DO THIS.
I THINK THE PRECONCEPTION IS THAT CREATING A CHILDREN'S BOOK
IS EASY, HOW HARD CAN IT BE, THERE'S 300 WORDS IN THIS THING
TOTAL.
AND THE TRUTH IS SO IT'S INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT.
THINK OF A SONG LIKE YESTERDAY, SO SIMPLE, OH, I COULD WRITE A
SONG LIKE THAT.
NO YOU CAN'T, NO YOU CAN'T!
THAT'S WHAT MADE THE BEATLES THE BEATLES, AND MAKING A BOOK IN
MANY WAYS IS VERY SIMILAR.
I DON'T WANT TO CREATE A 32 PAGE GREETING CARD.
I WANT TO CREATE A 32-PAGE STORY THAT RESONATES, NOT JUST WITH
THE CHILD BUT MAYBE WITH EVEN THE ADULT THAT'S READING THE
BOOK WITH THE CHILD.
WHEN I'M CREATING ANYTHING, PICTURES, STORIES, BOOKS, ET
CETERA, I'M ALWAYS MEASURING IT AGAINST THE 10-YEAR-OLD VERSION
OF ME OR THE 12-YEAR-OLD VERSION OF ME, WHAT KIND OF MIDDLE AGE
TONY MAKE THAT WOULD IMPRESS 10-YEAR-OLD TONY.
YOU GO THROUGH A LOT OF EMOTIONS WHEN YOU'RE MAKING THESE STORIES
AND THEN YOU SET IT OUT LIKE A LITTLE PAPER BOAT ON THE WAVES
AND YOU HOPE IT DOESN'T SINK.
SOMETIMES THEY GO AND DO AMAZING THINGS.
WHEN I HEAR THAT MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF KIDS LOVE MY BOOKS
AND STORIES, AND THAT A PLACE LIKE THE NORMAN ROCKWELL MUSEUM
IS GOING TO HANG A RETROSPECTIVE OF MY YORK AND I'M NOT --
MY WORK, AND I'M NOT EVEN 50 YEARS OLD, WE'RE WAY PAST THE I
DREAM ONE DAY.
YOU CAN'T PREDICT IT.
I JUST DO THE BEST JOB I CAN, PUT AS MUCH LOVE AND HONESTY IN
THE CHARACTER AND THE STORIES THAT I'M TELLING AND HOPE FOR
THE BEST.