Shyam Rama, a son of the former owner of the Springfield Inn in Springfield, Missouri, has co-created a short documentary film about his childhood and his former home's sad and startlingly quick decline. A redeveloper of the Route 66 motel earlier this year announced plans to put a Whataburger restaurant and other businesses there. Rama … Continue reading Son of Springfield Inn owner makes a documentary about motel’s sad decline
Tag: Kearney Street
Kearney Street redevelopment includes tearing down Springfield Inn motel
It looks like the city fathers of Springfield, Missouri, are pretty earnest in redeveloping the moribund Kearney Street corridor: They're tearing down the closed Springfield Inn motel to make way for it. According to KY3 in Springfield, bulldozers soon will raze that property to bring in new construction of retail stores to revitalize the area, … Continue reading Kearney Street redevelopment includes tearing down Springfield Inn motel
Albuquerque repeals anti-cruising ordinance
The Albuquerque city council this week unanimously repealed a 2005 cruising ordinance, allowing Route 66 enthusiasts to take a slow journey down Central Avenue in their classic cars without flouting the law. The move was expected. The city council a year ago formed a task force to revisit the issue. According to the Albuquerque Journal, … Continue reading Albuquerque repeals anti-cruising ordinance
What’s left of the Holiday Drive-In theater in Springfield, Missouri
While surfing through YouTube, I found this short video of the remnants of the long-closed Holiday Drive-In theater in Springfield, Missouri. The video is notable because it contains drone footage of what's on the theater grounds at 2829 E. Kearney St. Even almost 15 years after it was closed, aerial footage still clearly shows it was … Continue reading What’s left of the Holiday Drive-In theater in Springfield, Missouri
Lebanon considers community improvement district for Route 66
The city administrator of Lebanon, Missouri, suggested to the Lebanon-Laclede County Route 66 Society it form a community improvement district to collect taxes for promotion and preservation of Route 66. The city also is gathering pricing proposals for signs to name Lebanon's Elm Street as "Historic Route 66." City administrator Mike Schumacher made several suggestions about funding … Continue reading Lebanon considers community improvement district for Route 66
Kearney Street project in Springfield being watched closely
A plan to declare the Kearney Street corridor in Springfield, Missouri, as a blighted area and redevelop it using tax breaks and low-interest loans is attracting a lot of attention from retailers, bankers and bankers. Kearney Street remains a prominent Route 66 alignment once known as a car-cruising Mecca during the 1970s and ’80s -- … Continue reading Kearney Street project in Springfield being watched closely
‘Blight’ designation may boost Springfield’s Kearney Street
It sounds counter-intuitive, but the city of Springfield, Missouri, is considering declaring Kearney Street blighted so it can improve it in the future. Kearney remains a prominent Route 66 alignment once known as a car-cruising corridor during the 1970s and '80s, until city fathers cracked down on it. Since then, Kearney has declined into a … Continue reading ‘Blight’ designation may boost Springfield’s Kearney Street
City of Springfield to promote car cruising on Kearney Street
In a historic reversal, the city council of Springfield, Missouri, earlier this week voted unanimously to promote car cruising along Kearney Street -- a prominent Route 66 alignment -- on certain Friday nights this summer. The city now will encourage motorists to cruise on Kearney Street from 6 to 10 p.m. the second Friday of each … Continue reading City of Springfield to promote car cruising on Kearney Street
Springfield residents weigh in on improving Kearney Street
A few weeks ago, residents of Springfield, Missouri, filled out a survey in which the city asked what sort of improvements they wanted along the long-neglected Kearney Street corridor. Kearney Street was a part of Route 66 and for many years was considered the "cruising capital of the world." St. Louis-based PGAV recently presented the … Continue reading Springfield residents weigh in on improving Kearney Street