Riviera may close over fire-safety spat February 20, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Restaurants.1 comment so far
As feared, it appears the historic Riviera Roadhouse along Route 66 in Gardner, Ill., may have to close because of fire-safety problems.
The Joliet Herald-News reports:
The lights were on but no one was home Thursday night at the Riviera Restaurant and Supper Club. The business isn’t operating right now because of a fight over fire safety. [...]
Bob Keller, the new owner of the business, has been at odds with the Gardner Fire Protection District and the state fire marshal’s office. The building, thought to be about 80 years old, needs a sprinkler system to comply with fire safety codes. Fire officials restricted the building’s capacity from 173 to 50 while the problems are worked out. [...]
A lawsuit filed by Keller in Grundy County Court was discussed. Ribbke said Keller is attempting to deannex from the Gardner fire district to be allowed to annex into the Braceville Fire Protection District.
If the courts grant the deannexation, Gardner would still be the first responder to a fire at the Riviera due to mutual aid agreements. [...]
Keller said the Gardner department comes out to inspect every two or three days.
“Three men in an ambulance enter the Riviera and point at each table counting the people,” Keller said. “After they leave, the patrons want to know what just happened and are not pleased to be counted like livestock.”
Yes, I concur with Keller that the Gardner fire department is being hyper-vigilant about fire inspections, close to the point of harassment. But, having talked to Keller a few times, I deduce that he’s way too combative for his own good, to the point where he’s hurting his cause instead of helping it.
Hopefully, both parties will calm down and work something out.
Director’s cuts February 19, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Books, Movies, Road trips.add a comment
Jim Luning, an accomplished photographer, has delved into filmmaking as well in the past few years. This clip below contains samples of his recent film work, including clips from “Route 66: Ten Years Later” with cohort Tim Steil. The two decided to revisit the Mother Road 10 years after they first began research for their “Route 66″ book.
Luning recently screened a rough cut of the film. We’ll pass the word along when it’s ready for public consumption.
In the meantime, you can see other Route 66 clips here.
Devil’s Elbow Bridge gets stabilization grant February 19, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Bridges, Businesses, Preservation, Towns.add a comment
This historic but deteriorating Devil’s Elbow Bridge that carries an older alignment of Route 66 into Devil’s Elbow, Mo., got good news recently. The bridge will receive a grant to help stabilize the structure until more funds can be found to fully repair it.
According to the Pulaski County Daily:
The historic Devil’s Elbow bridge on the original corridor of Route 66 has deteriorated so far that it’s now had the weight limit reduced to 12 tons, which is creating problems for Waynesville school buses since a fully loaded bus is over that limit. Farnham had been working for several years to obtain grants to repair the bridge so it won’t have to be closed or torn down, and he credited Kelly Sink-Blair of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission with recently obtaining a $250,000 Community Development Block Grant to do enough repairs that the bridge’s condition can be stabilized.
“She’s just great,” Farnham said. “I’ve still got Great River Engineering working on it and they’re pursuing some grants, but this money here is enough to start doing some repairs.”
The reduced weight limit also has posed a problem for Route 66 tour buses. Because a typical bus cannot cross the bridge, tourists are prevented from seeing other sights in Devil’s Elbow, including the old Sheldon’s Market, which also doubles as the town’s post office.
All-American pitch February 19, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Highways, History, Preservation.add a comment
This Webster Weekly Report from Webster University tells about the last of a series of public meetings in an effort to make Route 66 a National Scenic Byway or an All-American Road.
The last meeting occurred in St. Louis County.
(Hat tip: Tommy and Glenda Pike of the Route 66 Association of Missouri)
The silence of the trains February 19, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels, Railroad, Towns.2 comments
James Chilton of the Kingman Daily Miner takes a look at a railroad “quiet zone” that soon will take effect in the fellow Route 66 town of Flagstaff, Ariz. The rule will require train engineers to put a sock in their whistles when going through town.
“The hotel guys are the ones who are most concerned about it,” said Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce Vice President Joe Gali. “For folks not familiar with the community, they’ll come in, they’ll stay at the hotels, and the horns will keep them up all night, then they’ll go online and write a poor review.”
As the main line from Los Angeles to Chicago, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad through Flagstaff carries as many as 120 trains a day, with each required to sound its whistle as it approaches each of the city’s five crossings. With many hotels located along Route 66 just parallel to the railroad tracks, the trains have caused unending trouble for both employees and guests alike.
“Namely, we hear ‘I’m never going to come to Flagstaff again because of that train,’” said one hotel desk clerk who preferred not to give her name. “It all goes hand in hand with the Flagstaff experience, but that doesn’t always appease the people who can’t sleep at night. We get constant complaints all year.”
I know there are some folks who find the sound of a train comforting, but they are a small minority. The now-closed Brunswick Hotel in Kingman, less than 100 feet from the railroad tracks, gave guests complementary earplugs in an effort to combat the noise.
According to former Brunswick Owner and Manager Debra Sixta, the trains were one of the main deterrents to tourists spending the night there.
“The people would walk in, hear the trains, and walk back out. That happened a lot,” she said.
Kingman is also considering a quiet zone, but city officials are concerned about the cost. Flagstaff’s efforts cost nearly $1 million.
Still, if you value tourism dollars, Kingman had better not take lightly such a proposal.
Rail Haven Motel nominated to National Register February 19, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in History, Motels, Preservation.add a comment
The Rail Haven Motel along Route 66 in Springfield, Mo., has been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, reports KBIA radio.
Randy Nottle is the motel’s manager.
“We cater to a lot of European travelers coming down Route 66 everything in the hotel is original the furniture recently, though, has been updated and it’s still in great condition.”
The National Park Service has 45 days to decide whether to approve the nominations. Based on what I’ve known about the process, it rarely rejects them.
The Rail Haven continues to be locally owned, but is part of the Best Western chain. This item in Roadside America has this history of the property:
Eight sandstone cottages built in 1938, known as the Rail Haven Motor Court, started what is known today as the Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven. This hotel is so full of history, you’ll want to purchase your own copy of the book “Route 66 Rail Haven: An Offspring of the Mother Road”, available in the lobby. Be our guest at this refurbished and historically charming inn nestled on acres of beautifully landscaped grounds on Old Route 66. Take your picture with the retired 1965 Best Western lighted road sign including the old five point crowned logo. And in keeping with the yesteryear atmosphere, try our Monroe or Elvis suites, each complete with a jetted tub.
In related news, Gordon Elliott, owner of the Rail Haven and nine other hotels in Springfield, was given the Pinnacle Award from the Springfield Convention Visitors Bureau on Thursday, according to the News-Leader. According to the article, the award “recognizes individuals who have been active in the travel industry for many years, and who have made a substantial contribution to the betterment of the Springfield area’s travel industry.”
POPS closes in on 1 million bottles sold February 18, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events, Food, Gas stations, Restaurants.1 comment so far
POPS, the restaurant/convenience store on Route 66 in Arcadia, Okla., is fast approaching its 1 millionth bottle of soda sold since opening in 2007, reported The Oklahoman’s BAM’s Blog.
Whoever buys the fateful bottle will earn prizes of 66 scoops of ice cream, free soda for a year, 66 free burgers and fries, and 2,400 miles’ worth of gasoline.
Based on media reports and an e-mail from POPS’ general manager, it seems likely the milestone will be reached sometime this weekend. Those who want to monitor when it happens are advised to follow POPS’ Twitter feed.
POPS boasts many things to attract tourists — the 66-foot-tall pop bottle out front that’s festooned with multicolored LED lights, a huge canopy to protect gasoline customers from the elements, a diner-type restaurant that provides a gourmet touch, and an impressive collection of POPS souvenirs. But the big draw continues to be the 500 flavors of soda pop that are available for purchase.
POPS opened in early August 2007. With nearly 1 million sold, that means it has averaged more than 32,000 bottles of soda sold per month, or more than 1,000 per day. At $2 a pop, that’s impressive cash flow.