Boarded-up grand old buildings/or Help me find a category category

[+ripraff]

There are interesting old buildings that we find that have been boarded up. They were once a large important building, but are now sitting there waiting renewal.

Sometimes it is possible to find a category, sometimes not.

 

Maybe a help category? When you find something, but don't know what to do with it, create an entry and have the managers help you find a place for it?

Edited November 10, 2015 by ripraff

[+NW_history_buff]

There is no category for these older buildings. I have come across many old brick, stone or similar structures in my travels and have wondered what purpose they served when they were new and 'grand'.

 

The closest category I could think of that these buildings might fit into would be the Photos Then and Now, assuming you could do some research and find an older photo or two of the building. In addition, after doing some quick research on many older buildings I've been curious about, I've discovered that some of them qualified for inclusion in the Converted Bank Buildings, Retired Prisons, Converted Factories, City and Town Halls, and Meeting Houses (American categories, mainly).

 

As for creating a new category dedicated to 'boarded up' buildings, you may have a challenge on your hands convincing the Waymarking community that these neglected or abandoned buildings justify a category to themselves.

[+DnRseekers]

There is no category for these older buildings. I have come across many old brick, stone or similar structures in my travels and have wondered what purpose they served when they were new and 'grand'.

 

The closest category I could think of that these buildings might fit into would be the Photos Then and Now, assuming you could do some research and find an older photo or two of the building. In addition, after doing some quick research on many older buildings I've been curious about, I've discovered that some of them qualified for inclusion in the Converted Bank Buildings, Retired Prisons, Converted Factories, City and Town Halls, and Meeting Houses (American categories, mainly).

 

As for creating a new category dedicated to 'boarded up' buildings, you may have a challenge on your hands convincing the Waymarking community that these neglected or abandoned buildings justify a category to themselves.

 

Dont forget dated buildings, a really good catch category for old buildings

[+BruceS]

I think there are problems with "boarded up" buildings. In many small towns much of the old downtown area is "boarded up". Also whole sections of larger cities may be in that status. They may be in that status for an extended period of time and some may only be in that status for a short period while they are being renovated. In the U.S. in many places these buildings may be either listed individually on the National Register of Historic Places or they may be contributing buildings in Historic Districts.

[+ripraff]

I think there are problems with "boarded up" buildings. In many small towns much of the old downtown area is "boarded up". Also whole sections of larger cities may be in that status. They may be in that status for an extended period of time and some may only be in that status for a short period while they are being renovated. In the U.S. in many places these buildings may be either listed individually on the National Register of Historic Places or they may be contributing buildings in Historic Districts.

[+ripraff]

There was a really interesting building with no sign. It was an old church, but no date or sign to indicate what it was. Don't think it is inside the historic district and it isn't listed on its own. How about a category for "this is interesting, but I don't know how to list it." Maybe it could be called "Help!"

The monitors could give suggestions for categories, or list it because it is cool but doesn't fit anywhere. The category could be called Misfits or Really Cool.

Judgement as always applied individually or group vote.

[+ripraff]

How about a Wild Card Category. For every so many way marks, say 100 you get to post a waymark that has no category in Wild Card Category. The group members would just make sure you haven't exceeded you quota and that it is in good taste etc.

 

If a category is created for your waymark, you could move it to the category and have another free Wild Card!

 

A field could be suggested new category for your waymark.

[+MountainWoods]

That sounds too close to using the game to just run up numbers.

 

The goal of this hobby/game is to document places that one hopes will be interesting to other folks to visit. If there is something that the community deems as worth visiting, but for which there is no category, then a group can be started to fill the need for this type of interesting place.

 

I think there a lot of gaps where there are interesting things for which there is no category yet, and may never be because of difficulties with crafting them; things such as universality, real interest to a large enough set of folks, even problems of perception (folks misunderstanding what is really being sought). That is unfortunate; but I don't think we should resort to odd tactics to try to fill those gaps. They may never be filled.

 

But then, there are other sites for posting interesting things that, for whatever reason, just can't seem to get a footing in the Waymarking world.

 

I for one have tried to work with another Waymarker to fill the gap of abandoned places (akin to the original post), since the only category that kinda, sorta fits is the Unoccupied Buildings, Shacks and Cabins. However, there is a show-stopper requirement in that category that the B, S, or C has to be on public property. Around here there are gobs of fascinating and/or historic abandoned buildings that are easily viewable from a fence, and which could be Waymarked if a category could be crafted to fill that gap. (Something like: as long as the building is within so-many feet or meters of a viewing area available to the public.)

 

But every attempt has failed. Instead, photos of these nostalgic, melancholy places end up in other venues (such as Facebook) because they cannot be Waymarked here. Sobeit.

 

In other words, it seems that the community errs on the side of loftiness and/or erudition.

Edited November 23, 2015 by MountainWoods

[+ripraff]

That sounds too close to using the game to just run up numbers.

 

The goal of this hobby/game is to document places that one hopes will be interesting to other folks to visit. If there is something that the community deems as worth visiting, but for which there is no category, then a group can be started to fill the need for this type of interesting place.

 

I think there a lot of gaps where there are interesting things for which there is no category yet, and may never be because of difficulties with crafting them; things such as universality, real interest to a large enough set of folks, even problems of perception (folks misunderstanding what is really being sought). That is unfortunate; but I don't think we should resort to odd tactics to try to fill those gaps. They may never be filled.

 

But then, there are other sites for posting interesting things that, for whatever reason, just can't seem to get a footing in the Waymarking world.

 

I for one have tried to work with another Waymarker to fill the gap of abandoned places (akin to the original post), since the only category that kinda, sorta fits is the Unoccupied Buildings, Shacks and Cabins. However, there is a show-stopper requirement in that category that the B, S, or C has to be on public property. Around here there are gobs of fascinating and/or historic abandoned buildings that are easily viewable from a fence, and which could be Waymarked if a category could be crafted to fill that gap. (Something like: as long as the building is within so-many feet or meters of a viewing area available to the public.)

 

But every attempt has failed. Instead, photos of these nostalgic, melancholy places end up in other venues (such as Facebook) because they cannot be Waymarked here. Sobeit.

 

In other words, it seems that the community errs on the side of loftiness and/or erudition.

 

If you wanted to restrict numbers, the granting of a wild card could be high, 500 way marks? If a lot of people posted in an area it would be support for a category. It could also be a holding area until you learn enough about a building say to find a home for it. This was prompted by an interesting church that was vacant with no sign to indicate what it was. I may be able to find an old map? Anyhow I have run across this before and in one case resorted to a newspaper article I managed to find to put it in that category. Sometimes you really want to waymark something but really struggle to find a category. There are other weird Waymarking categories in multifarious? This would be like getting favorites in geocaching, a little extra bonus to show what you like.

[+gpsblake]

That sounds too close to using the game to just run up numbers.

 

Well, counter argument. The game is already designed to rack up numbers. You can take one old church and put it into a dozen different categories for the same thing.

 

I don't mind a wild card category based on whatever the waymarker wants after discovering or submitting new waymarks. This game needs some new ideas and it's not like that many people are playing it. So why not, let the few who play this game have a little bit of fun.

[+Manville Possum]

That sounds too close to using the game to just run up numbers.

 

Well, counter argument. The game is already designed to rack up numbers. You can take one old church and put it into a dozen different categories for the same thing.

 

I don't mind a wild card category based on whatever the waymarker wants after discovering or submitting new waymarks. This game needs some new ideas and it's not like that many people are playing it. So why not, let the few who play this game have a little bit of fun.

 

I agree that there are not very many interests in Waymarking, but I don't think it needs more phone booths or a new category for lamp posts just so the ones that use this site can rack up numbers.

 

The idea of a category for boarded up buildings brings slums and crack houses to mind.

[+gpsblake]

 

The idea of a category for boarded up buildings brings slums and crack houses to mind.

 

Baltimore, I could waymark 10,000 of those easily.

[+ripraff]

The intent is not to add numbers or to add junk. The motivation was to find a way to waymark something that strikes your fancy as neat, but there just doesn't seem to be a category for it. For instance this old church doesn't allow abandoned buildings. You can't create a category for everything but sometimes things are unique or interesting. Yes, you can put them on Facebook, but that's not the same. I managed to find a date on my building so I got it way marked on dated buildings, another case was a construction of a pagoda, made by factory workers out of misc. stuff. It was a local treasure, but the only category I found was newspaper article because there was one when it was moved to a park.

There are local treasures that people are trying to save. I suppose you could post them to roadside attractions, and then waymark them.

A limited number of wildcards wouldn't run up the numbers but would give you a way to post something without a category. If you have a limited number you probably won't post junk. The reviewers could make a junk call, but one man's treasure...A lot of categories have strange rules that eliminate something you think should belong. Again a wildcard could give you an out. If you only get say a half dozen you are going to save them for something good. If you do find a category they could be moved and free up some more treasures. Topic "One person's treasures" or " My treasures" or "Look what I found".

or "Save me".

[+fi67]

I understand what you would like to achieve. Groundspeak already had a similar idea; they called it Uncategorized Waymarks and it turned out to become an unbelievably weird heap of trash. I am sure, if your idea had a chance to become true (it has not, but that's a different story), then it would go down the same road.