Marc Sid [re]discovers the original charm of houses.
Based in Los Angeles, Marc Sid celebrates the history of the city’s homes. When given the proper opportunity, houses can tell incredible stories. In a society that often focuses on the new at the expense of heritage and authenticity, Marc Sid deftly brings together history + newness.
Older homes were built to beautiful, custom standards. Marc Sid retains those pieces of character.
For example, redwood was the default lumber choice for contractors because it is naturally water and termite resistant. Side yards were larger when interior square footage was still a function of a home’s design rather than its resale value — and many tiles were handmade. Interior walls were thicker, and concrete stronger. Perhaps most importantly, a larger proportion of older homes were designed and addressed on an individual basis; customized for individual needs and preferences.
Masha “Marcie” Caplan Greenberg (1921-2011) was born to a struggling immigrant inventor in Great Depression Detroit. Having lost her mother when she was 3, Marcie learned for herself firsthand the incomparable power of education, work and self-reliance. She was a complex soul: despite being a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, she was extraordinarily independent. She clung steadfast to a pretty strict worldview based on the values she gathered in her youth, using them to scaffold her world. She could be hard on children and grandchildren, and was always hardest on herself. Still, her love of life was irrepressible and infectious. From her father (and hero) she inherited a nearly comedic sense of practicality, as well as a profound humility. In spite of stunning beauty and a redoubtable mind, Marcie held that the most important quality in a person must be that they treat others with respect and compassion.
Sid Bernard Levine (1912-1995) was born on Ave 50 in Highland Park and grew up in Boyle Heights. Like Marcie, Sid was eminently practical in thought and action. He could be counted on to have a Swiss Army knife on him at all times, and he was a passionate sculptor. He most often made small, intricate scenes from the Old Testament using cast bronze and steel wire; however, he also took pleasure in shaping shrubs and small trees, and devising apparatuses to assist baby plants to take hold and grow strong. Sid wielded immense intelligence and pristine character. He was a man of few words, and when he spoke it was usually with deliberation and following significant thought. A savvy business man, Sid was sometimes (i.e. often) characterized as tough; however he never allowed work etiquette to trump ethical code.