Times Square neon uncovered

[MrBern]

Classic 1946 Cafe neon sign uncovered under Jeans store facade.
hot pink neon history in the Times square/Hell's Kitchen area.

full story from the paper of record:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/22/nyregion/22sign.html

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Love it!!! Vintage neon is a passion of mine. Los Angeles is trying to preserve and restore its magnificene neon signs, and there have been some success stories. Unfortunately, the losses are greater.


Just one block from my home, a business owner trashed L.A.'s oldest surviving neon sign. It had lasted eight decades until he wrenched it off of his building and threw it in a dumpster. Some preservationists tried to get it out of the dumpster, but it was pretty smashed up -- and heavy.


.

 

[MrBern]

"Mustafa Arshad, the president of Sign Media International of Woodside, Queens, with the neon tubing from the O and D of the Dixon sign."


I just took a walk & looked at the sign. Its actually only partly there. Its really a CAFETERIA sign, not Cafe. It was cut thru the "R" many moons ago.

But even dingy & cobwebbed, its so much nicer than anything else on the block.

 

[moustache]

Neon!

I also love neon!! Wish i had room for a sign or two.

JD

 

[herringbonekid]

it's amazing that the old neon tubes lit up again straight away !

i can see an empty wall from my window which would be perfect for a neon vertical 'hotel' sign. i could set it to blink on and off when i've got my 'noir goggles' on.

 

[MrBern]

UPDATE-its gone....

A fresh story and background on the uncovered sign by David Dunlop of the NewYorkTimes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/nyregion/thecity/21dixo.html

 

[The Wingnut]

PROGRESS!

... After all the history they dispense, they end the article with 'Welp, that's all folks, it's in the smelter now! Glad you enjoyed the little chunk of yesterday, kiss it goodbye!'

 

[Dinerman]

yeah- did it end up in a dumpster or was it removed to a safe location?

 

[Feraud]

I read about this on Sunday.
The sign is probably history by now.

 

[NicolettaRose]

Wow, what a find!

 

[MrBern]

Sadly, I spoke to the reporter & he is unaware of who finally got the remaining pieces of sign.
Altho the original neon did go to that guy in Queens in the original story.

 

[Cherriexo]

Thats sickening.

That makes me so sad.

 

[Dinerman]

I'm always saddened when I go to diners and find the original 50's neon rotting somewhere behind them.
The owners never will sell them, no matter what the offer. I guess they'll either rust out (as they are doing), or be "liberated" by a certain someone once I get my licence.

 

[Fletch]

PROGRESS!

... After all the history they dispense, they end the article with 'Welp, that's all folks, it's in the smelter now! Glad you enjoyed the little chunk of yesterday, kiss it goodbye!'

The Times does have something of a bias that preserving pop history is not quite What Nice People Do. When profiling people into non-academic pursuits, they tend to portray them as colorful, obsessive urban characters of the sort who are a little too socially clueless to hang at the right parties or make smart conversation.

Besides, The Times has something of a quiet vested interest in development over preservation, because real estate people are very powerful in NYC and make a lot of rain fall politically, culturally and philanthropically.

 

[MrBern]

The Times does have something of a bias that preserving pop history is not quite What Nice People Do. When profiling people into non-academic pursuits, they tend to portray them as colorful, obsessive urban characters of the sort who are a little too socially clueless to hang at the right parties or make smart conversation.

Besides, The Times has something of a quiet vested interest in development over preservation, because real estate people are very powerful in NYC and make a lot of rain fall politically, culturally and philanthropically.

Really?
I read th restoration vs renovation brownstone article in this thread & have no idea what youre talking about.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?p=259644#post259644

And the article in this thread did promote landmarking over demolition for a hi-rise.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showpost.php?p=204168&postcount=9