Very Vintage Vegas

Paradise Palms Was The First Master Planned Community In Las Vegas

February 7th, 2010 Categories: Mid Century Modern, Paradise Palms

Someone – quite wrongfully – suggested that I’m focusing too much attention on Paradise Palms. They asked me why I haven’t done anything on downtown lately….or McNeil or McWhatnot.

I’m just very happy to be back to consistent and regular blogging, and the “Revision House”, as well as these Paradise Palms newsletters and brochures from 1963 were just the thing to get me jump-started.

Another reader posed a good question recently. She did some driving around in Paradise Palms, noting that some of the properties – in fact, some of the blocks looked kind of shabby.

I explained that she’s quite right.  However, that’s true in neighborhoods all over the valley after the last 3 years of market decline, recession, and all that other bad stuff.

There’s dead lawns and peeling paint in Summerlin as well. The HOA there has more power to fight it than we do considering the budget constraints of the city and the county.

Never the less, there’s a TON of foreclosures that have been sold during the last 6 months. (AND A TON OF THEM BEING RELEASED AT THIS MOMENT – IF YOU HAVEN’T BOUGHT YET! The shadow inventory is starting to emerge.)

Most of the people who have already taken advantage of the low prices and the low interest rates have been putting their time and energy into fixing and repairing and redecorating the insides this winter. 

With Spring approaching, I think we’ll be seeing a torrent of outside activity among the many new homeowners.

First however, I think we’re going to see the biggest crop of weeds ever. It just might get uglier for a few months before the lawns and landscapes start to look good again. Of course, we needed the rain, and the logical (natural) outcome will be weeds.

So I’m taking a moment to start the appeal early. I saw my first little green shoots of growth this weekend. They were in the fringes of A NICE LAWN.  Whether you’re Downtown, or in McNeil, or Westleigh or Scotch 80’s or Fran Park, or EVEN in Paradise Palms….get an early jump on them, and stay ahead of them. Go talk to your neighbors. ENCOURAGE THEM to stay ahead of the weeds. Help a neighbor who might not be able to pull them. Your HOME VALUE will benefit. Lots and lots of those vacant properties are going to get new owners soon. The better the homes around them look, the more they’ll be fighting over the available ones. The FIRST thing they always do is pull the weeds at their new home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There wasn’t a lot of news in this issue of the Paradise Palms “Desert – News” – therefore the little essay above, but….

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

I do believe we should try to track down Fu-Fu.

Is she still around?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We know from a previous issue that the tennis courts were in the park that ran westward from Spencer along what’s now the South side of Chippawa Drive, and Chippawa Circle. I believe the pyramid roof house that shows in the background of the the top “tennis anyone” picture is at the end of the Commanche Circle Cul-de-sac.

The butterfly roof “clubhouse” in the bottom picture seems to be where Chippawa Circle is now. What a shame it’s now lost to us.

 

I’m trying to figure out EXACTLY when the association for Paradise Palms was dissolved. Does anyone know? Any details? Was there a fight over it? Was the community thrilled to lose it? Who led the different factions. I just know there had to have been a battle. Any of you original or extremely long time owners have any insight?

The ONLY clue I have at the moment, is that all 5 houses on Chippewa Circle were built in 1979, and are absolutely NOT part of the brochure series, as they are on the North side of Chippewa Drive. So I know it had to have been at least a year or two before that. But when? Why?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow or Wednesday  – Plan 5 of the brochure series.

 

Posted by Jack LeVine | Currently 3 Comments »

Plan 4 - The Original Sales Brochures For Paradise Palms - The Mid Mod Neighborhood Of Las Vegas

February 6th, 2010 Categories: Mid Century Modern, Paradise Palms

 Both The 4A and The 4B models are easy to spot when you drive around in Paradise Palms.

Again, many of the carports have been changed to garages, or living area.

There have been many changes and modifications (some/too many of them being absolutley horrible) to the houses, especially the part of Paradise Palms north of Desert Inn – which even in 1962 and 1963 was the lower end, “starter home” part of the neighborhood.

Many of the 4B’s still maintain their rooflines and clearstory windows. Many of the A’s are now unrecognizable.  

I’m real happy that we can put these out there as a resource for the future new homeowners.

 

 

Any of our Paradise Palms readers who live in 4’s care to comment?

 

 

 

 

The rubber stamp says:

Lot A = $24,950

Lot B = $26,050 

Lot C = $28,650

 

This is the first of the brochures to give us clue that there was different pricing for different lots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the brochure, the street is obviously along the right side of the drawing. It really makes more sense like this, when you can picture the driveway cutting across the front of the house with a side entry carport as it shows in the elevation drawing.

 

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February 3rd, 2010 Categories: Mid Century Modern, Paradise Palms

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Here’s our second installment of the Paradise Palms Desert-News from 1963!

Each page is clickable if you want to read it in it’s full sized 8.5×11. 

 

Walter Winchel, Tony Martin (?) and Ray Bolger get nods as “Top Stars” of the entertainment world, and golfers Gene Littler, Mike Souchak all get nods as endorsing the Stardust Golf Course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The bottom left photograph in the Paradise Palms Welcome Mat from this March 1963 edition is none other than Maisie and Garland Ronnow. Maisie is who provided us with this treasure trove of material from 1963.

Garland went to the property every day while it was under construction. Maisie told me this little story when I met her. He noted that the studs in the walls weren’t always “exactly” 16 inches on center, so he measured and and filled a notebook with the exact measurements of the difference between each stud before they got sheet rocked.

 

I’m not recognizing any of these kids names as adults. Surely they didn’t all move away from Las Vegas.

Anyone recognize any of them? If you do, make sure to direct them to VeryVintageVegas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The DOTS…AND—–DASHES column tell us about a “package from heaven” and a new “Jr. Prom Queen”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really hope you are all getting a kick out of these the way I am. Comments? Feedback? Back Story? Current Updates on people who are named? Click on the comments link just below.

Posted by Jack LeVine | Currently 2 Comments »

The Paradise Palms Brochures Are The Work Of Architects Palmer And Krisel

February 3rd, 2010 Categories: Mid Century Modern, Paradise Palms

Below you’ll find Plan Three of our series on the group of houses in Paradise Palms that were commissioned by Irwin Molasky. They were designed by the famed architectural team of Palmer and Krisel. NOT all of the houses of Paradise Palms are Palmer and Krisel’s however. The series we’re running now are, though.

Next week is Palm Springs Modern week. I’m still working out the details, but I’m planning on attending the premiere of the new Documentary on William Krisel. It was filmed by JG Gorst, and Design OnScreen. The documentary series they’re doing is about noted regional architects of the Modern Era. This is one of them  It’s being shown for the first time on Sunday Night the 14^th as part of Palm Springs Modern Week.

If you recall, last March, we contributed to the film with a major segment on the Palmer and Krisel houses of Paradise Palms in Las Vegas. I’m told that I didn’t make it to the cutting room floor, and that the interview with me is several minutes of the film.

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s the trailer for the film.   

 

William Krisel, Architect from Design Onscreen on Vimeo

 

Model 3 in our series has me confused at the moment. I recognize the floorplan, but not the front elevations.

I’m going to do a drive around and see if I can remember which houses I’ve been in that have that floorplan, and compare the fronts.

Plan 3A seems similar to one that I know that has a soaring vaulted carport

I don’t ever recall seeing a 3B that would have the butterfly roof with 5 sets of clearstory windows to the left. Or maybe my memory isn’t what it used to be.

3C is even more perplexing.

Anyone else able to help on this mystery?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Jack LeVine | Currently 5 Comments »

Paradise Palms Original 1963 Sales Brochures - Model # 2

February 2nd, 2010 Categories: Paradise Palms

The “Model 2” plan was 1200 sf. I’ve mostly seen it the part of Paradise Palms NORTH of Desert Inn. It was the “starter home” and was base priced (according to the rubber stamp on the floor plan side) $22,300.

A terribly kept, run down, broken, but original of this model just sold for $55,000 as bank owned repo. It breaks my heart to report that. Especially since the buyer I wrote an offer for didn’t get it.

Most often, I’ve seen it as a plan B

There’s a few plan C’s along Golden Arrow Drive on the north end of Paradise Palms, and Several A’s on Burnham and Gaucho.

Some of them have had the carports converted to living area, and a few of them have been thoroughly butchered with room additions that block the “wall of glass” at the back of the house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow, we’ll do the March edition of the Paradise Palms Neighborhood Newsletter from 1963. If you missed the first edition, you can scroll down, or click here.

Both of these pictures are clickable thumbnails if you’d like to see it in the full 8.5 x 11 version.

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The 1963 Paradise Palms Newsletters - Part 1 - The Mid Century Modern Las Vegas Neighborhood Of Paradise Palms

February 1st, 2010 Categories: Las Vegas Real Estate News

This is the first of eight of the 1963 newsletters for Paradise Palms that were graciously lent to us by Paradise Palms original owner Maise Ronnow.

These newsletters were part of the marketing campaign for the Paradise Palms development of “Jet Age” modern homes in Las Vegas. We now refer to 50’s and 60’s modernism as “Mid Century Modern” or “Mid Mod” for short. They were distributed to the new owners by mail, and handed out at the sales office.

Through Maisie’s penchant for saving stuff, we have 8 editions, spanning from February ‘63 thru October ‘63. No one that I’ve shown these to, nor anyone that I’ve ever spoken to has ever seen or heard of them. Perhaps there’s some more editions hiding in a drawer or a in a box in closet somewhere. Getting these out in the open may well help us find some more.

They’re really worth taking a few minutes to read, ESPECIALLY page 2 of each edition which highlights new owners and their families. Amusingly (from a 2010 perspective), they tell the names and addresses, and even the ages of the children when they’re pictured.

In the dots and dashes columns of page 4 in this edition you’ll find announcements of all kinds including! “so and so will be on vacation for the next two weeks”.

 

 

 

 The Paradise Palms Welcome Mat

In our upcoming editions, you’ll see lots of great Mid Mod Furniture and Decor. I’m getting a kick out of the hairdos and the clothes, as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Just in case you’re new to VeryVintageVegas, or Las Vegas, you can find the Paradise Palms Neighborhood on both sides of Desert Inn Road, between Maryland Parkway and Eastern Ave.

There’s also 2 cul-de-sac “fingers” that extend into what is now the National Golf Course. Those are accessible from Eastern Avenue, between Desert Inn and Viking. The streets are Pueblo (where the ReVision House is located) and Tioga way that leads back to a street called Cochise where you’ll find the “Casino House”.

 

The south edges of Paradise Palms are along Viking and Mohigan.

The 3^rd Finger Ottawa Drive is accessible from Spencer, just north of Twain.

 

 

 

 

Paradise Palms had a Homeowners Association when it was first built. I’ve always known about the “Paradise Palms Community Association”, but don’t really know what year it was voted out of existence.

 

In the article to the left is also reference to the community park that once existed in the middle of Paradise Palms. It the south side of Chippewa Avenue, and what’s now the the houses on Chippewa Circle. The east end of the park came over to Spencer and the power lines.

The association fee was THREE dollars a month! “a pittance for what you receive in return!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Jack LeVine | Currently 3 Comments »

The Paradise Palms Brochures From 1963 - The Most Important Mid Century Modern Housing Tract In Las Vegas

January 31st, 2010 Categories: Mid Century Modern, Paradise Palms

One of the coincidental outcomes of the ReVision House (the deep green retrofit that was done for last weeks International Homebuilders show) was that I got to meet a few of the original Paradise Palms owners on Pueblo Drive. One of them made me an incredible offer.

Maisie Ronnow, and her late husband Garland bought their Palmer and Krisel “Jet Age” Modern house in 1963. The Ronnow family were the owners of Superior Tire.  

During her tour of the ReVision House, she told me that she had all the original floor plan brochures from 1963!

I now have them in my possession and am busy busy scanning them for you. Here’s plan number 1. Previously, we had some photo copies of an abreviated version that we had published one of them here. Alan Sandquist had a few of them on his flicker page, but they are no longer there, and I can’t remember why I was requested to not show them.

But now we have our own set of originals so they’ll be permanantly archived for everyone during the next few weeks.

But wait! There’s more. I also have 8 of the original Paradise Palms Community Newsletters that were part of the marketing of the neighborhood. The were handed out to potential new homeowners, and mailed to the existing owners. They’re full of fun pictures of Mid Century Modern furniture, hairdo’s, clothing styles, as well as a TON of previously lost knowledge about the Paradise Palms community of Las Vegas.

These are clickable thumbnails. They’ll open in a new window, at their full 8.5×11 size. You’re welcome to Save As or whatever you’d like. If you have friends in Paradise Palms that are regular readers of VeryVintageVegas, I hope you’ll share these with them as I publish the whole set.

One of the most interesting things about the floor plans, and why it’s so easy to believe that there’s actually dozens of different models is because of the multiple elevations and roof lines. Besides that, some of the models could be turned 90 degrees left or right and then combined with a different roofline.

That is the same floorplan could get built with the front door facing the street, or turned with the door facing to the side. Depending on that, you alway got the rear living room wall of glass  facing the side the back of the house. Depending on the rotation of the house, the fireplace wall and the glass wall were interchangable.

So there really are dozens of variations thru out The Mid Century Modern Neighborhood of Paradise Palms.

 

 

 

 

One of the Plan 1A’s is the shortsale listing of mine (it’s already sold) at 1977 Caballero.

Now, armed with these brochures, I’m going to go find us 1B and 1C.

Posted by Jack LeVine | Currently 5 Comments »

You Are Invited To Tour “ReVision House” This Sunday

January 21st, 2010 Categories: Las Vegas Real Estate News

And we’ve finally got pictures of the finished home that’s being showcased this week during the International Homebuilder Show here in Las Vegas.

I’ve arranged Sunday’s Tour/Open House is for not only for the readers of VeryVintageVegas, but for all locals, so you’re invited bring friends or family as well. Stop in anytime from Noon to Three PM on Sunday January 24.

The address is 3546 Pueblo Way, in the Mid Century Modern Neighborhood of Paradise Palms.

From Desert Inn and Eastern, go south on Eastern to Pueblo Way, which is the first street on your right. VeryVintageVegas open house signs will be up to direct you.

 

When you’re there, you’ll find signs and brochures describing all the very very green elements that have gone into create a net zero energy home.

 

  

 

 

 

 

Energy Monitoring hardware can sell power the solar generated electricity back to the power company.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The decor is also a big element of the overall package, since just about everything that is used in the house is “green”. The words renewable, sustainable, recycled, describe it all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the manufacturers are touting the green production standards that are used in creating their products.

Even the Dupont Corian countertops are now made using recycled materials.

 

 

 

 

20 Seer Air Conditioning? I didn’t even know that it could get that efficient.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can learn about on demand water heating as a back up to the solar water heating that’s roof mounted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve been asked many times whether the house will be sold after the show. Oh that were. The owners are keeping it for now.

So this is emphatically not an open house in the Real Estate sense. Let’s call it a tour to showcase state of the art energy conservation retrofitting of a 1960’s Mid Mod.

 

 

Posted by Jack LeVine | Currently 2 Comments »

ReVision House - The Green Retrofit Project In Paradise Palms

January 15th, 2010 Categories: Las Vegas Real Estate News

YOUR ARE INVITED to the special OPEN HOUSE that I’ve arranged for all the Very Vintage Vegas readers (and their friends).

Sunday January 24, from Noon to 3 pm.

 

 

Things are really shaping up at the ReVision House In Paradise Palms. They’re certainly working faster than I’ve been able to report on it. Let’s get caught up.

 

Last we looked in, they were doing the spray foam insulation.

The roof followed soon after and I was able to get these pictures midway thru it. The roof is metal and is suspended over the top to allow total air circulation

The first layer is the 5/8^th inch OSB for the foundation. At the Revision house, Dupont’s Roofliner material is used as the underlayment membrane.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 x 3 spacers are applied next in 2 foot intervals, from eave to ridge,and then topped by another set laid horizontally. The spacers provide a 1.5 inch gap under the roof which draws hot air up and out of the roof ridge ridge vents.

 

The foil looking strip down the center of is where the electronic sensors are buried in the foam insulation . They monitor the roof temperature, and the information is fed to the control panels for the house.  

 

 

 

The actual roof material is MBCI BattenLok. It’s a standing seam ENERGY STAR “cool” metal roof.

 

The pieces are seamless, factory cut to length and bolt down to the spacers.

 

 

 

 

Soffit and ridge venting allow the air to move under the metal roof. They’re attached all along the perimiter of the roof, under the drip edge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The metal ridge caps allow the hot air to escape and keeps the roof from becoming a heat trap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GreenBuilder Magazine, which is one of the sponsors of the project has much more information, especially in this brochure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Jack LeVine | Currently 2 Comments »

ReVision House - Maximum Insulation For Maximum Energy Conservation

January 8th, 2010 Categories: Las Vegas Real Estate News

The ReVision House, on Pueblo Way in Paradise Palms is a BEEHIVE of activity. Time is running short. The property is supposed to be ready for the January 21st International Homebuilders Show. They say it will be done! Talk about an amazing race.

During the time the county was putzing around with permits and engineering changes and creating all kinds of delays, the demolition, plumbing and electric and framing were all finished. There wasn’t much to report as it didn’t really effect the energy conservation that is the goal of the project.

But now, it’s time to catch you up on the “green” aspects of the ReVision House. First to be installed is insulation. The newest techniques involve filling ALL the exterior cavities of the house (between the walls). Traditionally, bats of insulation were used. They had lots of air gaps, poor coverage, and didn’t seal the house for air penetration.

The newest methods involve high density spray foam.

Gale insulation of St. George, Utah, a MASCO company, is shown installing high density foam insulation in the rafter cavities of the ReVision House. BASF Comfort Foam was chosen as the product to be used. It sprays on as a liquid and then expands to fill the cavity. It completely fills in all gaps and joints for an airtight seal. Excess can be shaved off, prior to installation of the wall, ceiling or roofing materials.

The BASF Comfort Foam can be installed from either the inside or the outside, depending on which side of the walls have been opened up.

Here you can see from inside one of the bathrooms where the exterior wall had been left in place, and the drywall had been removed from the inside.

They’ll come back and fill the gap when they’re done with the bathtub installation.

 

 

 

BASF’s website has a little video showing the installation process. I visited the house on Monday when the roof was being done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The side wall part of the installation was already complete. When we get a chance to visit the house, we’ll find what they call a “proof wall”. One of the shorter spans of exterior wall next to the fireplace will be left open to show all the various stages that go into super insulating the home. Here’s a picture of it as it was on Monday with just the expanded foam in place.

 

The foam will be covered with a 1/2 sheet of plywood or particle board, and then there’s another 2 inch thick sheet of insulation styrofoam that’s nailed over the entire surface of the exterior walls. The final result is an AIR TIGHT R-15 sidewall, which is about the most that can be obtained in a retrofit with 2×4 construction.

 

Tomorrow, we’ll catch up on the window installation, and making the house water proof.

The windows are all triple pane, argon filled, Low-e glass in fiberglass extruded mold frames from Milgard. You’ll like that they chose an “aluminum finish” for the frames that will look just like the original 1963 windows. Thankfully – NO WHITE VINYL!

 

 

 

 

Posted by Jack LeVine | Currently 2 Comments »

Starting Over -

January 6th, 2010 Categories: Las Vegas Real Estate News

It’s a dilemma we’ve all faced at one time or another. Sometimes it’s just personal. Sometimes it’s family. Occasionally it is a community as a whole.

I’ve hinted that December was a rough month for me. Two major bouts of cold/flu, a wrecked car, Mom was in the hospital for 20 days, and a “Holiday Loneliness” that I’ve never, ever, experienced before.

I’ve been searching for the one right word that best sums it all up. I’ve settled on “DELAY”. Delayed recoveries, delayed grieving, delayed blogging, delayed closings, delayed parts for the car. Far too many nights of delayed sleep, delayed eating, and on and on.

I spent most of December begging for it to be January. A “New Year” was just what the doctor ordered. I managed to get out of the house with best friend Mary Joy for New Years Eve. It was the first time EVER that I was to go out on that night. JJ had adamantly always refused for his own reasons and because the beagles have always been terrified of fireworks. But this year I made it. A special party night spent with special people. A hugely fun success, except for the ascot which just wouldn’t stay in place. Cary Grant made ascots look easy.

New Years Day brought First Friday. The cold shower at 4pm delivered the good news that the water heater had “burst”. The flood only delayed FF by a few hours, but I made it. I’d planned on spending Saturday and Sunday writing THIS blogpost, re-organizing my computer and getting the year going. I spent it shopping and installing the new water heater. TWICE! The first one leaked from the drain valve. Only THREE trips to Lowes/Depot. Delay Delay.

But that’s all over now. The water is hot, the storage room is clean, the desk is clear, I slept 7 hours straight thru, and I’m sitting here typing! Oh, happy 6^th of January.

It hasn’t been just me that was on delay…

There were some other delays going on that caused you to be left hanging. We’ve got a house in Paradise Palms that’s being re-built and greened up for the International Home Builders Show. The project has been officially named “The ReVision House”. They’re weeks behind schedule. Delayed by the county building department. The engineering had to be re-done several times. The clerestory window had to get re-ordered to be able to be fit into the newly engineered window spaces. The plumbing and heat/ac permits took longer than expected as well. At least it’s all being permitted! I’ll do a post tomorrow to catch you up on the progress that is being made. They say they’ll get it done on time.

The TV show “Desperate Landscapes” will be announcing it’s “cast” this week. To my knowledge, 9 of you applied. In fact, almost every single applicant they have heard about it from VeryVintageVegas. THEY’VE NOW ASKED ME to line up a “fabulous landscape” that they can showcase at the same time. Any volunteers? Don’t delay. They need to pick one this week.

The BIGGEST DELAY…

The biggest DELAY of all has been the delayed “regentrification” of the historic neighborhoods and Mid Century Modern Homes of VeryVintageVegas. At least it seems that way. The economy has not been good for us. Many once beautiful landscapes have died. Too many homes that converted from owner to tenant. Carpetbagger investors are trying to make a killing without making any improvements. Frustrated would-be owners who have been shut out by the investors. Business closings. Vacant storefronts. Vacant homes. Draconian Lending Guidelines. New rules by Fannie Mae should make it easier for the first time buyers to get first preference for the bank owned homes, and new short sale rules should help as well. New rules are now in place to help underwater homeowners to keep their homes. We’ve spent a year waiting for the banking industry to figure out what the hell their doing. The Feds are stepping in and forcing the banks to get their act together.

And even still, countless new residents of Vintage Vegas are busy painting and landscaping and fixing and encouraging their neighbors to do the same. There’s new blood, and new hope and new energy arriving daily.

WE’RE STARTING OVER! Much of the spirit of VeryVintageVegas has survived. Barely. We need to pay tribute to the shopkeepers that have managed to stay open. To the new entrepreneurs that opened up during the recession. To name a few: The “Las Vegas Rocks” in Neonopolis, Firefly and Omelet House at the Union Plaza, Namaste at Commercial Center. Tinoco’s at the Las Vegas Club, Paymon’s at the Arts Factory.

New Stores and Galleries are opening as well. Gaia Flowers and Gifts took a big gamble to all of our benefit. Brett Wesley Gallery opened it’s fabulous new Mid Mod Gallery. The newly relocated Southern Nevada Center for the Arts is looking great. Michael Cornthwaite and Jennifer Harrington are opening a new artists lofts and “creative space” on Fremont Street next week. “Place” and “Space” and many more.

The Mayor SWEARS we’re getting a new city hall and a new arena and a new NBA basketball franchise. Smith Center for the Performing Arts is under construction, Lou Ruvo Brain Center and Cleveland Clinic is soon to open. The ACE RAPID TRANSIT system thru downtown is almost finished. The Mob Museum, Neon Museum, Las Vegas Scenic Byway Neon Project are coming along as well. Fremont Street Experience is packing them in. The Fremont Street Entertainment District is a late night hot spot. “Don’t Tell Mama” is a huge success. The Griffith and Beauty Bar, and Downtown Cocktail Room are packed every night. The Electronic Music Cafe opened this week on Main Street.  

And one of my most ardent supporters, and best friend, Brian Paco Alvarez has started a new blog that will round out the whole spectrum of Urban Cultural Life in Las Vegas. “EnculturateLasVegas” will bring together all the cultural news, events, and commentary in Urban Las Vegas. I’ve tried to cover 4 key topics during the 3 years we’ve been blogging here. I’m passing the “cultural torch” to Paco. Lynn Zook at “Classic Las Vegas” took over the Las Vegas History several years ago. That leaves “VeryVintageVegas” with the “Historic Neighborhoods” and “Mid Century Modern Homes”. Between these 3 blogs, I think we’ve got it all covered extremely well. And if you want to know about the FUTURE of Las Vegas, Mark Adams is back and blogging again at “VegasTodayAndTomorrow”. ALL FOUR blogs should be on your daily reading list. 

Unless I’m “delayed”, this should be the first of a several part series. I’m going to tell you the story of how I came to be the biggest supporter and promoter of a new urban lifestyle in Las Vegas. I’ll be telling you about the Historic neighborhoods surrounding downtown, as well as the Mid Century Modern Revival Movement that’s sweeping the world. We’ll keep you linked to the culture and the history and the future. I’ll get out of the damn house and take pictures of everything I see and tell you all about the people we meet, and keep you up to date on the Las Vegas Real Estate Market. I think TWENTY TEN could be a very exciting year.

I’m SO happy it’s January.

Posted by Jack LeVine | Currently 7 Comments »

The Las Vegas McNeil Mid Mods That Most Mesmarize Me

November 22nd, 2009 Categories: McNeil, Mid Century Modern

There’s 2 of them. Side By Side. Neglected and forlorn.

I had a chance to get inside the Mid Mod to the north a few years ago. The tenant had the place on a lease option and said he was going to restore it. Nothing ever changed from the outside. Now it’s abandoned. I have no idea as to what the inside is now like, or what it’s current status is.

The home was built by Tom and Wilma Panos in 1962. The Panos were restraunteers who ran the coffee shop at Nellis AFB and from 1941 to 1961 owned the Melodie Lane coffee shop at 3^rd and Fremont. They were leaders in the Greek Orthodox Community, and the church hall off of Jones and Hacienda is named for them. A brief history of them is in an article in the Summerlin View from June 20, 2003. There’s no mention of the house, however.

 

 

 

 

Las Vegas Mid Mod In McNeil For Sale

The other most intriguing Mid Century Modern home in McNeil, came on the market this weekend. It’s on the corner of Mason and Rancho in McNeil. You’ve driven by a hundred times and wondered, as I have. Kirsten Shafer of Realty One Group has the listing. I don’t yet have permission to show the interior pictures i took, and there’s none in the MLS. I’ll update if I get permission.

Trust me, the walls of glass, triangular clerestory windows, and folded plate ceilings are killer! It’s been added onto several times in the 1980’s. It appears to have originally been a 2 bedroom and 2 bath. Now it’s just shy of 3000 sf, on a 16,500 sf lot. The folded plate roof only exists in a very few homes in Vintage Vegas. There’s a few in Paradise Palms, one on Maria Elena, and this one.  There’s some loving that’s needed, but architecturally…It’s a mid mod gem. $150,000, subject to short sale.

McNeil is one of the favorite middle class neighborhoods of Vintage Vegas. It’s boundaries are Rancho, Charleston, Cashman and Oakey.  One of the funny things about McNeil is that the 1/3 and 1/2 acre custom homes in McNeil are labeled as “McNeil Tract”. There’s another part of McNeil on 8000 to 10000 foot lots that are labeled “McNeil Estates”.

Most of the homes are Ranch styled Mid Mods. But there’s also some great “Desert Modern” such as the 2 I’ve mentioned today, especially in the 3 cul-de-sacs (Laurie, Llewellen and Karli) that are accessible from Rancho. There’s also some really nice desert modern along Ashby Drive. There’s many dozens of posts that I’ve done over the last few years that mention McNeil, or that feature various homes, decorative block walls and privacy screens, and other great things about McNeil. You can see them all here.

I’m truly hopeful that both of these homes can once again be beautiful examples of the best of Las Vegas’s Mid Century Modernism.

 

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Demolition Nearly Complete At The Paradise Palms “Green” Makeover

November 18th, 2009 Categories: Paradise Palms

I told you last week about the home in Paradise Palms that’s being greened and re-built for the International Builder’s Show in January.

Putting things back together takes much longer than ripping out what you don’t want. They’ve been busy all week and I’m VERY happy to report that the wall of french doors and small paned windows is finally gone for good.

They do a much better job of cleaning up after themselves than I do!

 

 

 

 

Yes, this is the same wall at the back of the house that I first posted about this home back in January, 2008.

Even worse than that the small paned french door windows (and therefore lots of mullions), was the fact that they had oppressive iron gates behind them as well. The merging of indoor and outdoor living space had been completely undone by previous owners.

In the rebuild, all the clerestory windows will be triple pane, low-emissivity glass, and the bottom half will be triple pane, low-E sliders all the way across for maximum visibility and north light.

 

The mirrors and 4 inch tiles have been removed from the floating hearth fireplace. It’s original to the house, but the “80’s mirrors were not. Thankfully, the original design will be kept.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The previous expansion of the master bathroom and walk in closet into the original courtyard is being undone as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the new framing is being started. The original bedroom windows went clear to the floor. In some cases the windows will be slightly smaller to further reduce heating and cooling loss. Remember, the goal is to acheive a 70% reduction in energy usage.

Electrical and plumbing work began today, and the windows and glass will start to be installed the first week of December. I’ll be talking, then, with the glass guys, and the environmental engineer who did the calculations for acheiving the 70% reduction in average energy consumption.

If you want to see the original 2 posts I did about this house, they’re on page two of the January ‘O8 Archive or they’re about 7 pages back if you did a search in the top left column for “Paradise Palms”. (which is a good place to read every post I ever did that mentions Paradise Palms. There’s some real good stuff there, if you haven’t been reading along with us for the last 3 years).

I was all excited at the time to see a home on the golf course for under $250,000. It looked like a great deal at the time. Who knew?

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Paradise Palms Home To Get Energy Efficient Makeover For International Builders Show

November 12th, 2009 Categories: Paradise Palms

I’ve been talking to them behind the scenes for over a month now. A subsidiary of Dupont, called Building Media is going to do a top to bottom rebuild of a home in Paradise Palms. The entire process will be filmed, since that’s what Building Media does. They create training videos for the construction industry.

The original home had little attention paid to energy conservation. Green wasn’t even a topic in the 60’s, never-the-less a movement. One of the most important things that can be done to the 50’s and 60’s Mid Century Modern homes is to improve their energy usage, or as they say – the Carbon Footprint. Very few homeowners will ever go to ALL these lengths, but each element that will be used can be applied to any MCM home.

I’ve been consulting with them on the history of Paradise Palms, as well as the architecture and style of the home as it was originally conceived. They’re not “purists”, however. Their goal will be energy related, not perfect historical preservation accuracy. But they will attempt to preserve as much of the architectural and design character as possible. When all is said and done, it will still be a home fitting of Paradise Palms, and will bring major international attention to the neighborhood, and to Mid Century Modern in general.  

I’ll be visiting the home – camera in hand– as it progresses, and I’ll try to share with you everything that I learn.  We’ll have a chance to watch the progress, and discuss the concepts, materials and techniques that will be used to obtain a 70% reduction in energy usage in the home.

Major demolition began on Monday.

I’m not supposed to give out the address quite yet, but since I’ve had pictures of this house on VeryVintageVegas in the past, some of you will figure it out. Especially since there’s a huge dumpster in front of it at the moment.

There will be several weeks in January when the home will be hosting bus loads of attendees for various home builder shows, especially the International Builders Show, January 19–21, 2009, which will be held 2 miles away at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

I’ve been assured that the readers of VeryVintageVegas will be offered a private opportunity to view the home once the shows are over. Stay tuned. This should be both fun and educational.

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Las Vegas Boulevard Scenic Byway Program - The Lights Are On

November 10th, 2009 Categories: Historic Preservation

Last night was the dedication and inaugaral lighting of the first 3 newly restored neon signs in the “Cultural Corridor” of Las Vegas Boulevard.

Congress created the National Scenic Byway Program in 1997. The Nevada State Legislature designated Las Vegas Boulevard from Washington Avenue to Sahara Avenue as the State of Nevada’s 17th Scenic Byway in 2001,

In 2004, The Las Vegas City Council adopted the a plan for the Scenic Byway that called for the restoration and installation of 20 historic neon signs.

Acording the the progam, all new signs in this designated stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard will have to have at least 75 percent neon and or animation.

The special guest of honor last night was Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, who helped secure $300,000 in federal funding for the restoration of the signs, and for the completion of the “La Concha” visitors center at the Neon Museum.

 

 

 

 

 

About 100 guests were in attendance for the lighting ceremony.

 

 

 

 

 

 

At 5:45, just as it turned dark, the ceremonial switch was thrown, and the three signs lit up the night sky for the first time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Silver Slipper sign is in the median across from the La Concha Shell. The Bow and Arrow sign is just slightly to the south, and the Binions Horseshoe sign is down the hill at the intersection of LVBN and Washington Ave.

Take a drive north on Las Vegas Boulevard. Either night or day – the signs are stunning.

 

 

 

 

(UPDATE)

When I first published this post, I didn’t have a picture of the Horseshoe sign. None the picture I took came out decently. I must have pushed some extraneous button or another on the camera. 

Reader Clay H. (who’s going to be the next new resident of Paradise Palms) sent me one today that he took, so a big tip of the fedora to Clay.

And here’s the Las Vegas Sun coverage on the lighting ceremony which includes some 1950’s and 60’s pictures of the Silver Sliper Sign in it’s original location.

 

 

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