Preservation stories always excite AN readers, and these stories come in all shapes and sizes. Whether they be tales of demolition, discovery, or disassembly, historic buildings captivate, pull at our heart strings, and elicit nostalgic emotion. In 2024, we saw the demolition of a midcentury residence, painstaking restorations of former train stations, and one of the worlds most famous churches was salvaged after a fire toasted it. AN also reported on the announcements of several renovation projects that will take hold in the months and years ahead. Here are the preservation stories AN covered this year.Chris Pratt demolished a house in California designed by Craig EllwoodOne of this years top celebrity and architecture crossovers came via Chris Pratt. The actor made headlines in April when it was revealed he and his wife had purchased Craig Ellwoods Zimmerman House in Brentwood, California and then razed the house to build a new one on site. The five-bedroom, three-bathroom Zimmerman house from 1950 was never landmarked or listed on any register.Rumor has it Pratt has commissioned Ken Ungar, a Hollywood-home architect, to design a farmhouse-style mansion for the property. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Ellwoods daughter, Erin Ellwood, said about the loss of her fathers work: But you know, maybe this just isnt their style. I mean, it clearly isnt if theyre building a farmhouse. Several of the original buildings, including the blue tiles, are longer manufactured. (Henrik Kam)Wayfarers Chapel was disassembledIn February the Wayfarers Church in Rancho Palos Verde, California closed its doors amid landslide concerns. The famed ecclesiastical structureby Frank Lloyd Wrights son, Lloyd Wrightis a popular wedding venue and has made numerous film appearances.Land movement in the area eventually torqued the super structure and distorted the chapels primary support system; as a result glass panels and the concrete floor have cracked. Despite efforts to curtail any further damage, Wayfarers Chapel ultimately decided the chapel, bell tower, other ancillary structures will be disassembled. Local firm Architectural Resources Group will lead this restoration effort with input from the National Park Service. They have developed a 3D model of the church and cataloged its materials and built elements.Chapel disassembly was completed in July.Michigan Central Station was originally completed in 1913. (Courtesy Quinn Evans)Quinn Evans restored Detroits Michigan Central StationDetroits Michigan Central Station hasnt served train passengers since it closed in 1988. For decades the building was nothing more than an example of #ruinporn; that was until Ford Motor Company bought the building in 2018 with a vision to bring life back into its vaulted halls lined with Gustavino tiles.Quinn Evans led the large-scale renovation project to reimagine Michigan Central Station. In its new life the building will host creative spaces for startups, youth-serving organizations, and hospitality offerings. During the restoration, materials or objects that couldnt be salvaged were replaced or recreated with near exacts, for instance, the limestone exterior hails from the same Indiana quarry where the stone was sourced from over a century ago. Furniture and design objects, like the stations clock, were returned and reintroduced to the building. Historic buildings continue to be at risk in Ukraine, Palestine, and LebanonAs wars are waged on Ukraine, Palestine, and Lebanon, buildings with long histories and architectural lore continue to be damaged or under threat. This year a canonical Constructivist building was almost totally destroyed by Russian missiles. According to Irina Gorodetska of Ukrainian Cultural Heritage, the strike hit the entrance, where a courtroom is located nearby, shattering much of the buildings facade upon impact. Reconstruction efforts are underway.In Lebanon, its six UNESCO World Heritage Sites are at-risk, including temples located close to where missiles have struck. Intentionally damaging UNESCO World Heritage Sites constitutes a war crime according to the International Criminal Court.Heritage for Peace, a Spanish NGO, claimed that more than 100 cultural heritage sites in Gaza have been either destroyed or damaged by Israel.COOKFOX and Gensler transformed a rail terminal into an office building for GoogleGoogle has moved its New York employees into St. Johns Terminal, a former railroad stop used to transport goods. COOKFOX and Gensler teamed up to head the renovation project which transformed the 4-story industrial complex into a 12-story office building that is imbued with quintessential New York City themes: Guastavino tile, taxi-cab yellow decor, and ample park space all abound.What they wanted to do was to create something that set the presence of Google in New York City, and they wanted the building to be authentically New York, said Carlos Martnez, co-managing director of Genslers New York office, which worked on the interiors of the project. Thats where we started creating this idea of telling the story of relevance and historical impact, especially around the history of Manhattan. Herzog & de Meuron tapped for Sothebys renovation of former Met Breuer buildingAt 945 Madison Avenue in New York City, Marcel Breuers boxy design has changed hands numerous times, housing The Whitney, later the Met Breuer, after that The Frick Collection, and soon Sothebys. As the global auction house prepares to occupy the building in fall 2025, a renovation of its facilities is underway.This year it was announced Herzog & de Meuron would lead the effort, for what Sothebys has said will be sensitive adaptation and renovation, that will deliver new gallery space for displaying the auction houses full suite of offerings.(Janne Tuunanen)A conference room designed by Alvar Aalto was disassembled for viewing via public exhibitionAlvar Aaltos Kaufmann Conference Center at 809 United Nations Plaza, completed in 1964, is one of only five works in the U.S. by the architect and designer. The stunning interior has evaded landmark recognition for decades due to its location in a private building. Now, pieces and material from the conference room will be dismantled, and upon completion, nationwide exhibitions will give the public access to the interior, according to a press release issued by the Alvar Aalto Foundation. Office of Tangible Space led this disassembly.Though Aaltos rooms will not be enjoyed intact, or on-site as they originally appeared, the work undertaken by designers at Office of Tangible Space represent a new way forward for private interiors to be shared with the wider public. The elements comprising the interior are now carefully dismantled, logged, packed, and stored for future viewing.New mezzanine at Centre Pompidou (Courtesy Moreau Kusunoki and Frida Escobedo Studio)Centre Pompidou to close for renovations in 2025While Jersey Citys Pompidou Center may meet a sorry fate, in Paris the HQ is readying to undergo a five-year-long renovation. Moreau Kusunoki and Frida Escobedo Studio were tapped to make ADA upgrades, add floor area, and improve natural light.Over 70,000 square feet of usable space will be inserted below grade, in the exhibition areas, the library, and rooftop for additional capacity. The iconic buildings polychromatic CIAM grid tubing and its steel and glass skeleton will be maintained.The museum will close for renovations starting in summer 2025. Notre-Dame Cathedral restoration completedOne of the most-anticipated preservation projects of 2024 was the reopening of Pariss Notre-Dame Cathedral. After a fire in 2019 damaged its interiors and spire and collapsed its roof, it was all hands on deck to repair it.When it opened on December 7, foreign dignitaries and celebrities assembled under the vaulted ceiling. Many of the materials were locally sourced, including the limestone and wood.It took roughly 2,000 craftspeople to restore the landmark. Philippe Villeneuve was the chief architect, aided by Rmi Fromont, and Pascal Prunet.