Home Theater Ideas, Anyone?

Hi my name is Mickey, and at my lake home we have a Drive-In movie screen in the bakc yard. Its much smaller than a real drive-in screen, but the effect is still the same. Heres a picture of what the entire Drive-in looks like.





Just recently for my 18th birthday we added "wings to the drive-in screen so now it looks like this.





and I think it looks fantastic with the silver wings, but its still missing somthing. we ahve a marque and its looks like this.





but its still missing somthing, and I thought that maybe you would have some neat ideas for neon and signs? As you can kinda see in the pictures im trying to go for "the golden age" of Drive-In movies, but im at a loss. and at one end of the screen there is a 6foot spot that has nothing there and you can just see trees, I left that because i thought I may want to make the screen bigger, but it makes a huge hole in the atmosphere. I thought maybe a sign with lights, or even go so far as to creating the rear of a 1950's car? Maybe you'll have some cool ideas. I Love your myspace!!!!

well thanks for reading hopefuly you can help me!

>Mick J<

10:10 PM - 18 Comments - 13 Kudos - Add Comment

CROWN MOTEL SIGN NEEDS HOME!
Category: News and Politics

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Crown Motel Sign Needs New Home Contributed By: Alyssa Starelli Email The Author: crownmotel@aaapdx.org

The Atomic Age Alliance - Portland's immediate goal is to rally interested businesses, groups, and community members to help save, relocate and restore the Crown Motel sign somewhere along "motel row." AAA-PDX is collaborating with staff from the city's planning and development agencies to identify a site that meets necessary criteria. The group is asking property owners along N. Interstate Avenue from N. Overlook to N. Russet to consider whether their properties might serve as a new home for the restored (and possibly re-purposed) sign. "Potential locations might be a commercial site, an unimproved lot or a parking area," says Alyssa Starelli, AAA-PDX vice-president. "Our hope is to find a site prior to March 15th, when REACH will be demolishing the motel for a new low-income housing project. If a site cannot be located, the sign may be lost."

Sign dimensions are available at: Crown Motel Sign Dimensions (http://aaapdx.org/atomic/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/crown-motel-sign-dimensions.pdf)

Anyone with prospective sites is asked to submit them by email. Contact the same address with questions or to learn more about restoration fundraising and sponsorship opportunities.  

Alyssa Starelli
503-888-1362
crownmotel@aaapdx.org 

11:26 AM - 2 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Ballard Denny’s in Seattle - spared from demolition!

Many thanks to our friend Kon Tiki Kev for forwarding us this article!

Thursday, February 21, 2008
Last updated 9:34 a.m. PT

ANDY ROGERS / P-I

Jeannett Bugay walks by the building that was formerly Manning's Cafeteria and later a Denny's restaurant on the corner of Northwest Market Street and 15th Avenue Northwest in Ballard.

Ballard Denny's site spared from demolition: It's a landmark

By AUBREY COHEN
P-I REPORTER

The pointy-topped Ballard building that formerly housed Manning's Cafeteria and then a Denny's restaurant may have no identifiable architectural style, but it's a landmark that should not be demolished, the Seattle Landmark Preservation Board decided Wednesday evening.

· At Large in Ballard: Peggy Sturdivant's take on the landmark ruling

"I do associate it with the neighborhood, personally, and I think a lot of other people do, too," board member Tom Veith told a room packed with more than 70 people at the end of a hearing on the nomination.

Most other board members also singled out the building's significance as a neighborhood landmark at the corner of 15th Avenue Northwest and Northwest Market Street, rather than a notable work of architecture, and the board voted 6-3 in favor of designation, which blocks demolition.

John McCullough, the lawyer representing the building's owners, expressed disappointment at Wednesday's decision.

"We think it's a victory of sentimentality over the laws under which this board is supposed to operate," he said.

The next step will be for the board to consider specific controls and preservation incentives for the building. McCullough said that process would include an examination of the economic viability of preservation and he was confident the owners could show preservation would not be viable.

Architect Ralph Allen of Grace Architects argued preservation could be viable, presenting a plan that would include the restaurant and about the same amount of development, while relying on rezoning to increase the maximum height from 65 feet in some parts of the site and 85 in others to 85 and 125 feet, respectively.

"While this does carry some inherent risk, we are convinced that the outcome will be positive and that our proposal for additional height is well suited to this site's location at the front door of the Ballard community," Allen wrote in his proposal.

A sketch illustrates architect Ralph Allen's proposal for preserving the restaurant building as part of a larger development. (Grace Architects)

McCullough dismissed the plan as unrealistic.

"I think it is highly unlikely you would be able to attain a 125-foot rezone on that particular site," he said.

A partnership led by the Benaroya Co. owns the building and has a deal to sell to developer Rhapsody Partners, which applied to replace it with an eight-story building containing retail space and more than 260 homes. The building started in 1964 as Manning's Cafeteria and then was a Denny's from 1984 until September.

Benaroya nominated the building for landmark status only to head off nomination later on. But others supported the nomination, arguing for the importance of the building as a neighborhood icon, and of Manning's Cafeteria, the building's architect and the Googie architectural style to which many said it adheres.

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Googie architecture got its name from a Sunset Strip coffee shop designed in 1949, and was notable for flamboyant elements designed to attract passing motorists.

At Wednesday's hearing, McCullough called experts who said the building's architect was not notable, the building was not an exceptional example of his work, it was not Googie style, it had been substantially altered and it had significantly deteriorated.

Larry Johnson, the Seattle architect who prepared the nomination for the owners, said the building was a mix of styles best described as "Scandigooginesian," for Scandinavian, Googie and Polynesian influences.

A city staff report recommended against designation, saying alterations had taken away the building's ability to convey its significance as required by city law.

"The board's decision must be made on the current physical appearance of the subject building and not its potential restoration," staff member Beth Chave told the board.

During a public comment period, architect Arlan Collins agreed. "There's nothing left to save," he said.

But the designation drew support from most speakers, including architects, architectural historians, a representative of the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation and city residents.

"Downtown Ballard has been defined by this building for many decades," Ballard resident Pandora Touart said.

Seattle resident Anne Forestieri went further, saying: "Its distinctive architecture is unlike any other in the city and region."

11:37 PM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Most endangered theaters!

Cinema Treasures just listed the National (and the NuWilshire) as the MOST ENDANGERED IN THE COUNTRY!

Friday / November 16, 2007
Site News
What are the ten most endangered theaters?
posted by Michael Zoldessy at 8:30am
As this year draws to a close, Cinema Treasures is putting together a list of the ten most endangered theaters.

The purpose of this list is to publicize the plight of theaters at risk, alert local and national media, and keep our focus on saving these theaters before it's too late.

We've taken a first stab at the list, but we really want to get your feedback before making it official.

1. National Theatre (Los Angeles, CA)

2. Boyd Theatre (Philadelphia, PA)

3. Wayne Theatre (Wayne, MI)

4. Port Theatre (Corona Del Mar, CA)

5. Isle Theatre (Cumberland, WI)

6. Uptown Theatre (Chicago, IL)

7. Trylon Theater (Rego Park, Queens, NY)

8. NuWilshire (Santa Monica, CA)

http://cinematreasures.org/news/17606_0_1_20_C/

(as posted on lottalivin.com)

11:53 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

FELIX update - the movement failed
Current mood: disappointed

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A meeting with the City Council on October 10th, 2007 failed to convince the  the Los Angeles City Council to designate the FELIX the CAT Showroom and Neon Sign a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument...

10:27 PM - 6 Comments - 3 Kudos - Add Comment

MUSEUM OF NEON ART

The Museum of Neon Art (MONA) is still looking for a new home since losing their lease months ago.  They are looking for a place in the Los Angeles area that has access for large signs, 16' ceilings or higher, 10,000 SF or more and darkness!  Contact MONA for more info.

www.neonmona.org

8:27 PM - 3 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

A message from the owner of the FELIX sign

It's your history, but it's our sign
Everyone loves Felix the Cat. But what about the rights of the business owner?
By Darryl Holter

July 26, 2007

It is commonplace to say that Los Angeles has no historical memory. But that's not quite true. In fact, many older neighborhoods have tried to protect their historical character by voting for historic preservation overlay zones, or HPOZ. Homeowners in such zones need the approval of a review board before changing their houses' exteriors.

But what happens in commercial areas when preservation activists impose their will on owner-occupied businesses? This question took on a new urgency for me this month when the Cultural Heritage Commission designated our family's automobile dealership, Felix Chevrolet, and its rooftop sign featuring Felix the Cat, a historic cultural monument.

We are not planning to demolish the building or the sign. In fact, we are currently spending several million dollars to remodel our downtown L.A. facility. What's more, my wife and I belong to the Los Angeles Conservancy. We support the HPOZ in Hancock Park. We both have doctorates in history and have taught at USC and UCLA. My father-in-law, Nick Shammas, put up the sign when he took over Felix Chevrolet in 1958, and we spend $1,300 a month maintaining it. So it has been part of our lives.

But we oppose the designation. The fact is, although historians can help us understand the past and present, we cannot predict what might happen five, 10 or 20 years down the road. With this historical designation, a future owner would have to build his business around the showroom and sign. Even if it stayed a Chevrolet dealership, General Motors could require the new owner to build a new facility or remove the sign for being incompatible with GM's corporate identification. Not being free to do this could result in the loss of the franchise, 200 jobs and $450,000 in annual sales tax revenue for the city of Los Angeles.

Such arguments, however, carried no weight with four of the commissioners. It didn't matter that the facility was originally built in a Spanish Colonial style, transformed into a Streamline Moderne style and altered dozens of times. It didn't matter that Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who appoints the commissioners, opposed the designation over concerns for future economic development. It didn't matter that City Council member Jan Perry, whose district includes the dealership, opposed it as well.

Like most people, the commissioners are in love with the Felix the Cat sign. But they were not swayed by arguments based on property rights of the owners -- who opposed the designation -- economic development, job retention or sales tax revenue. Instead, their views reflected only a narrow perspective of some in the historic preservation community -- not the needs of the broader community. And they are not beholden to anyone. This became apparent in some of the comments made by commissioners and other historic preservation experts. One suggested that if GM closed the franchise, we could switch to selling cat products. Another said maybe we could open a restaurant. Another suggested that maybe this would teach GM something about corporate responsibility.

Moreover, unlike the process used to create residential HPOZs, the process that I witnessed hardly seemed democratic. An activist who has opposed developments on another part of our property was the person who nominated Felix for its designation. I learned about the nomination only after a hearing had already been held. Compare this process with that of a residential HPOZ, which sometimes can take years as the views of those affected are fully considered. The designation of Felix Chevrolet took place in a few short months. The commissioners voted after listening to each side speak for 15 minutes.

The commission's action ensures that the showroom and the sign will remain in place in perpetuity. While it may be theoretically possible for a future property owner to rebuild on the site, the legal, financial and other impediments that can be used to prevent such rebuilding almost guarantee its failure.

I know that expressing my opinion could subject us to great difficulty in the future, because the commissioners have the power to deny any improvement we wish to make. They can make it very difficult for us to survive. And maybe we won't survive. Maybe there will come a day when I have to sign 200 pink slips. If it does, I hope the commissioners will come down to Figueroa and Jefferson and spend a little quality time with the latest generation of Felix Chevrolet employees. Maybe they could share some creative ideas for selling cat products, starting a restaurant or chatting about corporate responsibility.

Darryl Holter is dealership operator of Felix Chevrolet.

9:17 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

It would be a terrible shame if FELIX left Southern California!

Here's your chance to stand up for FELIX CHEVROLET

A G E N D A
CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMISSION
THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2007, 10:00 A.M.

200 N. Spring Street
Room 1060, City Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90012



10. FELIX CHEVROLET SHOWROOM AND NEON ROOF SIGN, 3320-3350 SOUTH
FIGUEROA STREET, C.D. 9, CHC-2006-9335-HCM.
Determination of Monument Status After Inspection. Motion Required.

Applicant: Adams Dockweiler Heritage Organizing Committee (ADHOC)
Jim Childs and Charles Fisher
Owner: Felix LLC (Shammas, Jeanette H. Trustee)

This is the sign proposed as a landmark.

This is the less fortunate sign to be replaced by condos across the street.

11:32 PM - 5 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Neon Museum of Philadelphia
Category: Travel and Places

1950s Buster Brown & Tige, restored in 1984

1. The Collection

There are several types of pieces in the collection:

A. Exterior metal and neon signs with painted faces, such as Levis

1950's Levis Hot Dog

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1950s Howard Johnson's Lamplighter

1950s Sherwin-Williams Paints "Cover The Earth"

Home | Davidson Neon | Museum | Postcards | Vintage Neon Book | References | Links

2. Viewing the Collection

The original display concept was to loan the signs to individual merchants and organizations so that the neon could be seen in a street context. In the 1980s, the museum restored and installed over 20 signs in storefronts and on building exteriors at no cost to the receiver of the loan.

1950s Pontiac Logo was on loan at the Silk City Diner until the Diner was sold in 2006.

1950s Pat's Steaks Crown, on loan at Jack's Firehouse restaurant;
Pioneer & Originator of the Steak Sandwich in storage

1:49 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Heinz Sign ~ Pittsburgh, PA
Category: News and Politics

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Heinz ketchup bottle sign moving from North Side Thursday, April 26, 2007 By Teresa F. Lindeman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The lighted Heinz Ketchup sign on the North Side is looking for a new home. ..BEGIN PHOTO--> ..>..> ..> Lake Fong, Post-Gazette The Heinz Ketchup sign on the North Side plant in a 1999 photo. Click photo for larger image. Readers Forum: Where should it go? ..END PHOTO--> The Pittsburgh ketchup company said work begins today to take down the sign, which shows a bottle slowly emptying and then refilling. Heinz unveiled the sign in 1995 as part of its 125th anniversary. In 2002, Heinz spun off several businesses to San Francisco-based Del Monte Foods Co., including the soup and baby food operations on the North Side. The deal included an arrangement to leave the sign in place for four years. "Heinz is currently reviewing alternative locations for this iconic sign," said Michael Mullen, director of global corporate affairs for the H.J. Heinz Co. "Our intent is to keep the sign a part of the Pittsburgh skyline." According to the company, the sign is made of steel and aluminum and stands 42.5 feet high and 32 feet wide. It refills the Heinz keystone logo every 30 seconds. The sign is to be refurbished during its time off.

1:41 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment