City officials fear the vertical neon sign on the historic but closed Rialto Theatre in South Pasadena, Calif., may have come loose and could fall on somebody, reported the Los Angeles Times.
The newspaper said:
City building inspectors say they fear the blade-shaped sign may have been weakened in recent windstorms and could present a danger to pedestrians and cars.
Michael Krakower, a structural engineer hired by Rialto owner Landmark Theatres, will offer the city a report on Monday, recommending either that the sign be saved or that it should go.
The theater, which opened in 1925, screened its last film in 2010. Efforts by local preservationists and the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce to revitalize the site on Fair Oaks Avenue have so far failed.
A preservation group, Friends of the Rialto, has been pushing for preservation of the theater and its sign. The group said on its Facebook page on Monday night:
There was no decision made today about whether the blade sign will be secured in place as we are suggesting, or be removed and stored. We expect that decision to come in a few more days. There are rumors floating around that the decision was made. That is not true according to my sources.
The theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. However, if its iconic sign is removed, the Rialto would lose its designation.
The theater, at 1023 Fair Oaks Ave., is part of the original 1926 alignment of Route 66.
UPDATE: Check the comment from Escott Norton of Friends of the Rialto in the comments. The gist is this: The sign is in no immediate danger of falling.
UPDATE 3/26/2012: The Los Angeles Times has published a follow-up story. Even though the sign’s in no danger of falling down, officials are worried over the overall state of the theater.
(Photo of Rialto Theatre sign courtesy of Kevin Hansel)
Hi, thanks for the story. It is good to get the word out to others who appreciate our valuable roadside history! I want to clarify a few things and give you current news.
First, Michael Krakower, the structural engineer who specializes in historic structures, reported on Monday that the sign definitely needs work, but is NOT in eminent danger of falling. This is good news and very important, because if it is an emergency the codes that protect historic structures and their elements are overruled.
Second, over the last few years there has been an effort to figure out what to do to revitalize the Rialto, including a very thoughtful and well researched document done by the Chamber of Commerce, but no efforts have “failed” yet! The process continues!
Third, if the sign is removed it will not cause us to lose our designation. If the sign is removed it will be done under the watchful eye of preservationists and will be stored for future restoration. Even if it were destroyed our designation would remain, since the majority of the theater is in surprisingly original and good shape. That said, we are doing everything to make sure the sign stays up!
Now for the latest news! I met with the city today. According to the engineer, the sign is not in eminent danger of falling onto the public right-of-way. The City Manager told me the last thing he wants is to see the sign come down. Mr. Krakower is presenting 2 stabilization options to Landmark Theatres this week, and we will hear what they decide soon. If it is any indication, Landmark hired a contractor to repair and strengthen the underside of the marquee, and the work is being completed today. It looks like they did a great job! I will be posting photos on our facebook page.
For more information and to join the Rialto conversation online, visit us at:
http://www.facebook.com/FriendsoftheRialto
http://www.FriendsoftheRialto.org
or email us at: FriendsoftheRialto@gmail.com