Gardner carriage house RIP

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston began tearing down "Mrs. Jack"'s lovely carriage house (pictured above in March) yesterday to make way for a Renzo Piano-designed expansion of the museum. Neighbors, preservationists and even Gardner staff fought the demolition, but with the museum receiving the necessary governmental approvals, Gardner leaders pushed ahead with the destruction.

Katherine Armstrong tells The New England Journal of Aesthetic Research:

"abatement and removal of the carriage house is an ongoing process, part of enabling and site preparation work for the museum’s new building and museum preservation project that is also ongoing this summer. Enabling and site preparation work began in late May. In addition to abatement and removal of the carriage house, and existing greenhouses, this work includes art and architectural salvage work, and the digging of geothermal wells, among other work. This enabling and site preparation work is expected to continue throughout the summer. We expect to break ground on the new building sometime this fall."

Previously:
March 5, 2009: Court oks Gardner expansion, demolition.
March 9, 2009: Gardner buildings slated for demolition.

Update July 8: Thanks to an anonymous commenter below who offers links to early 20th century photos of the carriage house and video of its demolition. If you have photos of the interior of the place, please get in touch.