Abandoned America

All too often, the stories of abandoned places end in tragedy. In this episode, however, we're going to discuss an amazing success story: after nearly 30 years vacant, the gorgeous Lansdowne Theater is being rebuilt! My guest, Matt Schultz, the Executive Director of the Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation, shares with us how this miraculous turnaround is taking place and his experience on how to save a local landmark.

Photos/history of The Lansdowne: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/historic-lansdowne-theater

Support the Lansdowne Theater Restoration efforts: https://www.lansdownetheater.org/

Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica⁠⁠⁠

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Did you ever wonder how someone could become so obsessed with abandoned buildings that it engulfs their whole life? This is my story: the strange tale of of how and why I began photographing abandoned buildings across the world and started the Abandoned America project - an origin story for the podcast and website, if you will.

Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica⁠⁠

Get Email Updates: ⁠https://us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=24ba303f6c1b17ce6e5f37d49&id=88f0dd85ff

There's an odd overlap between dreams, abandoned spaces, and photographs - they all present distortions of the reality we are familiar with. Why is it that we find all three so compelling?

Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica⁠

Get Email Updates: https://us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=24ba303f6c1b17ce6e5f37d49&id=88f0dd85ff

In this episode Matthew interviews Stacey Tenenbaum, a Canadian filmmaker who produced and directed a beautiful documentary called Scrap. Scrap takes a poetic and meditative look at what becomes of the objects we use after they've ceased to fulfill the function they were originally intended for. The documentary shares the story of some incredible people and spaces, including a photographer who documents e-waste processing facilities in India, an architect who is repurposing parts of ships into buildings, families living in decommissioned aircraft, and an artist who makes amazing sculptures out of old machinery. Perhaps our favorite segment is a thoughtful feature on Ed Metka, the gentle owner of the trolley graveyard featured on Abandoned America. Stacey explores the challenges of filming in the early days of Covid, the behind-the-scenes stories of her production, and much more.

You can watch the trailer (or rent/buy Scrap) at the following links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3rUcpvU 

Apple TV: https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/scrap/umc.cmc.6zorr6gt9htb4lat36rm6kjaf 

Show Notes: ⁠⁠https://www.abandonedamerica.us/scrap-abandoned-america-podcast

Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica⁠

Gould Street Power Station in Baltimore was once the most impressive power plant in the city and considered a technological marvel, but now its demolition seems inevitable. In this episode, we'll trace the wild history of the site through the bitter public utility wars that led to its construction to its eventual closure and abandonment - a trip that includes a forgotten inventor, a brutal murder, and a look at what might be in store for the area in the years to come.

Show Notes: ⁠https://www.abandonedamerica.us/saying-goodbye-to-gould-street

Forest Haven photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.abandonedamerica.us/gould-street-power-station

Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica⁠