Modern Structures with Golden Age Charm

[happyfilmluvguy]

What structures, built within the years 1980 to the present have been built with a Golden age charm?

Not very impressive, but a good start, is the Grove movie theater in Beverly Hills. http://www.thegrovela.com/theatre/

http://www.thegrovela.com/images/landmarks_grovetheatre.jpg

It's designed in the art deco category. The only time I went there, coincindentally to meet a few folks from here to see The Good German, I felt it was missing a lot of detail that any art deco theater built much much earlier, would have had.

What modern structures do you know about with Golden era charm?

 

[Paisley]

The Jefferson County (Colorado) Courthouse

I'll let readers decide whether it's charming.

 

[Steve]

This hotel, when viewed from the right angle, has a nice symmetrical stair-step look with some Art Deco influence.

www.rosenshinglecreek.com

I'll be staying there for a convention in a few months, I hope the inside is as nice as the outside.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

What structures, built within the years 1980 to the present have been built with a Golden age charm?

Not very impressive, but a good start, is the Grove movie theater in Beverly Hills.

I loathe Beverly Hills: the city itself has absolutely no commitment to historic preservation. Practically nothing is municipally protected there.


Did you know that only last year, Beverly Hills demolished its one remaining movie palace structure: the former Beverly Theater (1923)? Right next to Rodeo Drive, too. Looked like the Taj Majal on the outside, with incredible murals and moldings to boot: think ancient India. They tore it all down to build -- you guessed it -- a "neo retro" outdoor mall.


Where preservation ends, Disneyland begins.

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[Marc Chevalier]

Oh, and the Grove Theatre makes its workers wear ridiculous (and very badly made) bellboy caps. I mean, come on: it looks far more cheesy than retro.


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[Tomasso]

Did you know that only last year, Beverly Hills demolished its one remaining movie palace structure: the former Beverly Theater (1925)? They tore it all down to build -- you guessed it -- a "neo retro" outdoor mall.



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I believe that a hotel is in the plans for that site. And BTW, the man who controls this venture is Pierre Omidyar.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I believe that a hotel is in the plans for that site.

You're right. It's going to be a hotel: a neo-retro hotel.


Here's what its website says: "Once developed, this long-blighted area of unappealing asphalt and empty storefronts will consist of a world-class hotel."


In their worldview, the beautiful Beverly Theater building, the city's first movie palace, was nothing more than an "empty storefront."


Judge for yourself: http://www.preservela.com/archives/000589.html and http://cinematreasures.org/theater/494/

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[Tomasso]

In their worldview

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From the man who brought us eBay.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

The City of Beverly Hills also gave their blessing to this demolition: the Beverly Hills mansion where George and Ira Gershwin composed their most famous songs.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

From the man who brought us eBay.

"He giveth with one hand and taketh with the other."

He tears down the buildings and sells us the rubble.

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[happyfilmluvguy]

It's Beverly Hills, just a bunch of snobs with more $$$ in their eyes. No offense to anyone here that might live in this area. Any more modern buildings? Atomic Flee had mentioned that there are some newly designed buildings in Forth Worth that fit right in with the older buildings. Mr. Flee, please do show us those buildings.

 

[Tomasso]

It's Beverly Hills, just a bunch of snobs with more $$$ in their eyes.

Have you ever been to BH? It ain't all movie stars, swimmin' pools. The majority of residents are not wealthy. BH is trying to strike a balance between preservation and bolstering the tax rolls, a problem that most every municipality faces, most falling short. As a preservationist, I dread seeing the wrecking ball but I do acknowledge the realities of life.

 

[Fletch]

Apologies for interrupting the SoCal drift.

I get a nice 30s feel from the lobby and public spaces in the Millennium Broadway Hotel in NYC.

The shape of the Wells Fargo Building in Minneapolis is classic. But typically for today, there's not much detail. Instead colors and materials that look expensive from a distance.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Have you ever been to BH? It ain't all movie stars, swimmin' pools. The majority of residents are not wealthy. BH is trying to strike a balance between preservation and bolstering the tax rolls, a problem that most every municipality faces, most falling short. As a preservationist, I dread seeing the wrecking ball but I do acknowledge the realities of life.

I was only talking about a particular area. Yes I have been to Beverly Hills. The Grove shopping center reminded me of Main Street USA in Disneyland. There are upper class, middle class, and lower class areas just the same in every city.
Many of the Pacific Theaters tend to try to make a dazzling spectacle of a movie theater. There is one close to my house that is like that. It also was built where one of the last drive in theaters in Los Angeles County were.

Mr. Fletch, that is a very nice building. I wonder how much it cost to build it.

Any other modern buildings with Golden Age charm?

 

[Tomasso]

NBC Tower in Chicago

 

[LadyStardust]

Oh my STARS, what a view! I don't think I've ever felt smaller in my life, and that's just a picture!

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Here's it's website

http://www.nbc-tower.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBC_Tower

There are photos of the interior under leasing. http://www.nbc-tower.com/leasing/photo.php

any others?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Beverly Hills is trying to strike a balance between preservation and bolstering the tax rolls, ...

I don't buy it. The less wealthy cities of Glendale and Culver City(!) have a much better track record at preservation than Beverly Hills does. The report card below is from 2003, but as of 2006 nothing has changed.



2003 Los Angeles Conservancy Preservation Report Card


City: Beverly Hills

Grade: D

CLG?: NO

Has ordinance that allows designation of historic landmarks?: NO

How many monuments designated?: NONE

Mill Act?: NO

Has ordinance that allows designation of historic districts?: NO

Has survey of historic architectural resources?: NO

Historic Preservation Officer?: NO

Historic Preservation Commission?: NO



I rest my case.

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[Tomasso]

I don't buy it.

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Well, I ain't crazy about sellin' it.

 

[Tomasso]

I mean, I could, but my heart wouldn't be in it. [huh]