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Welcome To Uncle Jack's Very Vintage Vegas!
Vintage Las Vegas Homes,
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If it’s great, cool, fantastic, artistic, annoying, amusing, unique, or surprising.. you’ll find it at VeryVintageVegas.com.
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Historic Preservation
SouthRidge Neighborhood Association Seeks Historic District Designation
June 30th, 2009 Categories: Historic Preservation, Southridge
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I call all of the downtown neighborhoods historic. From my point of view, they are already. But that doesn’t mean they actually have true designation from the City.
One exception is within The John S. Park Neighborhood. The area between has official designation for the area between Charleston and Franklin, and 5th place and 9th Street.
John S. Park went thru the process several years ago. From it was developed a set of “guidelines” to help the neighbors maintain and protect the rich heritage of the area as well as the architectural integrity. They also created a walking tour brochure. Here is the John S. Park Historic District Walking Tour in PDF format. Take the tour sometime. It’s a very eye opening.
You’ll notice if you look at the tour that most of the homes in JSP Historic District were built before 1950. It’s just 1 more block south, below Franklin Avenue where you’ll break into a completely different type of architecture from post 1950. Welcome to Mid Century Modern. The modernism really starts with Franklin on the north.
And NOW, it’s Southridge’s turn. It’s the Mid Century Modern architecture that really defines the Southridge Neighborhood Association. The boundaries of Southridge are purely arbitrary. Oakey’s on the north, Sahara’s on the south, Maryland Parkway to the East and 6th Street to the west. The neighborhood has several subdivisions, and 2 pockets of custom homes that have no subdivision name. You’ll find Alta Vista, Acres, Southridge, and Oakridge and Town & Country Estates subdivisions in the Southridge Neighborhood.
The Southridge Neighborhood Association has been awarded Historic Preservation Fund Grant money from the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office. The funds are being used to “conduct the Phase I Historic Survey and Inventory of the Southridge Neighborhood”.
Yesterday I met up with crew who’s conducting the inventory and survey. Monday and Tuesday are being spent taking a picture of every property in Phase One of the survey. They’ll be writing descriptions, noting the details, INCLUDING obvious changes that have been made to the homes. The number of homes that have been significantly altered with 2nd stories, rough stucco, popouts around windows, arches, mexican fences, and other components that are not Mid Century Modern will play a key role in determining whether the district will be eligible for Historic District designation.
The goal is to show that there’s a unified, cohesive district characterized by the architecture and the history. Courtney Mooney, the Historic Preservation Officer for the City of Las Vegas is supervising the process.
Eventually, I’d love to see all of the neighborhood associations go thru the process. Beverly Green is starting it up now, and I hope John S. Park will continue with the rest of their neighborhood that’s south of Franklin Ave.
There is no legislation in the county allowing for Historic Districts. Nor is there an historic preservation office in the county. Chris G. is working on it, and we encourage her to get it passed. It’s especially important for Paradise Palms, Paradise Crest and Royal Crest Rancheros, which are all in the county and not in the city.
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The Cultural Heritage And Historic Preservation Fair AND Morelli House Open House
May 4th, 2009 Categories: Historic Preservation, Mid Century Modern
This Saturday is a big day for the Historic Preservation Community. Both events are Saturday May 9, as part of “Historic Preservation Month”, which is every May. We’ve published the link before, but here it is again for the entire calendar of events this month
Culture and History Fair At Springs Preserve
Come explore culture, performing arts, visual arts, archaeology and historic preservation – more hidden treasures to discover than you ever imagined.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Springs Preserve will host the Culture & History Fair, providing amazing access to the wealth of cultural and historical organizations that are part of the Southern Nevada community. Join us for a day of live entertainment, hands-on activities.
Admission to the exhibition and performances are free to the public, standard ticket prices apply for admission to museums and galleries.
The Springs Preserve thanks its event partners City of Las Vegas Historic Preservation Commission, City of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs, and IMPACT.
Morelli House – Open To The Public
The Morelli House is the Iconic Crown Jewel of Mid Century Modern Preservation. The former home of Sands Band Director Antonio Morelli was moved from the Desert Inn Golf Club to its present location at the corner of Bridger and 9th Street in Downtown Las Vegas. It now serves as the offices and headquarters of the Junior League of Las Vegas.
The Open House Hours are from 3 to 6 PM May 9th
There’s many more pictures and information on the Junior Leagues Website about the Morelli House
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Moulin Rouge Sign Removed For “Safekeeping?”
May 1st, 2009 Categories: Historic Preservation
Amy Kingsley atCityLife Blog is reporting that they’ve taken down the sign at the Moulin Rouge on Bonanza, and placed it in the boneyard of the Neon Museum.
Amy says:
Early, and I mean early, on Wednesday morning, a construction crew began removing the iconic sign from the husk of the Moulin Rouge hotel-casino. According to spokesman Jace Radke, the operation began at 4 a.m. and was paid for with $11,000 from the city’s Centennial Fund. Right now, the sign is in safekeeping at the Neon Boneyard.
Representatives from the Moulin Rouge haven’t returned calls for comment. But the removal of the sign certainly means something is afoot. Investors who hoped to revive the troubled property filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November. On Monday, the lenders, Olympic Coast, began foreclosure proceedings.
The sign was removed for its protection. What we don’t know yet is what it’s being protected from. The property owners need to demolish the apartments and portions of the casino that were damaged by fire in 2003 in order to move forward with construction. Right now, however, it’s not at all clear whether any new construction is in the cards.
So the sign will take its place alongside others from the Frontier, The Silver Slipper and the Stardust. As for the building, which is the only hotel in Vegas on the National Register of Historic Places, here’s to hoping it doesn’t end up like all the others.
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“Las Vegas 1905-1965” - A New Look At Las Vegas History Using Postcards
April 9th, 2009 Categories: Historic Preservation
We’re gearing up for Historic Preservation Month which is MAY, but the coverage of Las Vegas History is really heating up already.
Our dear friend Lynn Zook, gets ANOTHER plug today, about her new book (with Carie Burke, and Alan Sandquist) of Post Cards from 1905 thru 1965. I got a sneak peek at “Las Vegas 1905–1965” last week at the Friends of Classic Las Vegas meeting, and was most impressed by the accuracy and the scholarship that went into writing it.
Kristen Peterson, who’s our favorite preservation reporter from the Las Vegas Sun did a nice article on the book today. You really need to click over to it, as it has several of the postcards that were used, photos from the Sun Archives and lots of great quotes.
There’s nothing else to say except that it’s definitely going onto my coffee table, and ought to be on yours as well.
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Helldorado Parade and Rodeo In Downtown Las Vegas Seeks Volunteers
March 23rd, 2009 Categories: Historic Preservation
One of the longest running traditions in Las Vegas is the annual HELLDORADO PARADE. This year it’s on Saturday May 16th. Last year I was honored to be allowed to be the driver for Dr. Lonnie Hammargren’s float, and hope to do something equally as fun this year. I might even have a VeryVintageVegas float of my own.
May is Historic Preservation Month and there will be LOTS of events which we’ll be telling you about in the next 6 weeks as we get ready for it. Don’t touch that dial.
Helldorado RODEO returns to Downtown Las Vegas
VVV has been asked to help round up some volunteers for the Rodeo. Jack Eslinger from the City sent the following, and an application form which I’ve pasted below. You can cut and paste and email it in. People ask me all the time what they can do to help with the Historic Preservation Cause. Here’s one way!
The Helldorado Rodeo is back after a few years off. This year, the City is working closely with the Elks Lodge in coordinating the event. The Rodeo will held during the evenings of May 14 – 17, 2009. The site for the rodeo is across Las Vegas Boulevard from City Hall. The entry area for the rodeo will actually be near the intersection of Stewart and 7th Street. This year’s Helldorado Days will benefit various charities throughout the valley.
One critical piece to making an event like this work is volunteers. We are seeking volunteers in the following areas:
Ticket sales/ticket takers
Gate guards
Security
Other Assignments
A volunteer application is attached to this e-mail. If you are interested in volunteering, please complete the application and return to Jack Eslinger at jeslinger@lasvegasnevada.gov or fax to 598-0877. If you have any questions, please call me at 229-2090.
Thank you.
Jack
HELLDORADO RODEO EVENT
Volunteer Application (May 14 – 17, 2009)
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National Trust For Historic Preservation Call To Action
March 10th, 2009 Categories: Historic Preservation
The National Trust For Historic Preservation has put out an urgent request about the budget cuts that Governor Gibbons has proposed.
These cuts would decimate the Historic Preservation efforts in Nevada.
Please, click here to send a letter to your State Senator and your Assemblyperson.
Short sited budget cuts will have an impact that will be felt for decades. Preservation Action can’t be delayed, or we’ll lose a lot of what little we have left.
Please send a letter or make a phone call to your legislators.
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Las Vegas Loses Another Historic Landmark - Maude Frazier Hall At UNLV
January 6th, 2009 Categories: Historic Preservation
We’re sad to report that Maude Frazier Hall is no more. It was the first building ever built at UNLV. We’ve been covering the efforts of the preservation community to save this historic building for over a year. For more background, you can go here, and here.
We held protests, signed petitions, lobbied the county and the Board of Regents all to no avail.
It’s been vacant and fenced off for a few months now, and we knew it was imminent. Now it’s a done deed. Today the bulldozer and the back hoe were busy at work destroying the historic beginnings of UNLV.
Classic Las Vegas has some photos of it as it was today, and I went over and took a very amateur video of what I saw.
We’ve been doing a series on the Architecture of Walter Zick and Harris Sharp. Maude Frazier Hall was one of theirs as well.
Zick and Sharp left a massive body of Mid Century Modern Architecture in Las Vegas. Maude Frazier Hall was a classic example. Unfortunately, historically and architecturally important buildings mean nothing to the powers that be of UNLV.
Here’s my still photos:
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Clark County Museum Decorates Historic Houses
December 15th, 2008 Categories: Historic Preservation
Clark County Museum Decorates Historic Houses
You’re invited to step back in time during Heritage Street Holidays at the Clark County Museum, running through January 15. Their transplanted houses, dating from the 1920s to the 1950s, will be decked in traditional and historical holiday trim.
The museum is at 1830 South Boulder Highway in Henderson. Admission is $1.50 for adults and $1 for seniors and children ages 3 to 13. Children under 3 are free. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. seven days a week. Call 455-7955 for more information.
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The Most Famous Sign In The World - Welcome To Las Vegas Nevada
December 9th, 2008 Categories: Historic Preservation
The vintage neon of Las Vegas is a very important element in our historic preservation efforts. One of the most important of the signs was designed by Betty Willis. Betty and her neon has been the topic of several blog posts and events from Classic Las Vegas. Footage of Lynn Zook speaking at one of them was edited into the video in today’s Las Vegas Sun.
The county has added a parking lot and exit lanes to allow our visitors a safer experience when taking pictures of the sign.
The Neon Museum has even more good news this week. I already reported that it won a grant from the Hampton Inns Landmarks Project, but now we can report that The Neon Museum will receive a federal grant as well. The next big attraction in Las Vegas will be the fully restored LaConcha Shell visitors center and newly restored signs on Las Vegas Blvd in the Cultural Corridor.
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Huntridge Theater Proposal Passes City Council
December 4th, 2008 Categories: Historic Preservation
I’m most pleased to announce that the adaptive re-use plan for the Huntridge Theater has finally passed the City Council with a unanimous vote of approval today.
I’ve been championing the saving of the Huntridge Theater ever since the news broke that the owner was trying to find a way to demolish it in spite of the restrictions that were placed on it when it received State Funds to help preserve it.
We’ve covered the story from the beginning, and if you want to get caught up, you can read more here and here and here and here.
We’d like to CONGRATULATE Eli Mizrachi, the owner of the Huntridge for abandoning the plan to destroy it. He listened to us, worked with us, changed his mind and his heart and found a way to meet his own needs as well as to satisfy the historic preservation community. We believe he can successfully and profitably save the soul of the building and lead the way in a new revitalization of the Charleston Ave. corridor.
The NEXT STEP, naturally is for him to get lease commitments for 50% of the property which will allow him to get the construction financing, which let him break ground. In the meanwhile, he’ll be fencing, lighting and securing the property, which was part of the agreement with the City Council in exchange for the parking and landscape variances.
Special thanks also go to those who helped with the “Save The Huntridge” group. There were dozens of supporters who attended meetings, cleaned the property during Historic Preservation Week, wrote letters, and made phone calls. To each of you, a big round of applause is in order.
The nucleus of the committee, were 6 of the most dedicated of preservationists, Brian Paco Alvarez, Lynn Zook, Pam Hartley, MaryJOY Alderman, Josh Geidel, and myself serving as the steering committee.
Planning Commissioner Steve Evans, and Mayor Pro-tem Gary Reese are also to be applauded for championing the cause in the Commission and The Council.
Our fondest hope for the future is that another dozen or two hard-core activists will come forward and help us. There’s going to be a lot more projects like this in the future. If you’d like to get involved…. all you have to do is show up at one of the meetings or events or rallies and make your presence known. You can call or write me, and start a dialog. Have a cup of coffee or a drink with one of us and explore all the ways you can help. You can even find a cause of your own to champion. We’ll be happy to help you in the same way.
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“Pop Squires House” story gets picked up by the Review Journal
November 13th, 2008 Categories: Historic Preservation
The story that first broke here at VeryVintageVegas has been picked up by the Review Journal. Alan Choate wrote about it in the Tuesday edition.
“There are a range of options, and the options include preserving it in place to demolishing it,” Stoldal said. “There’s got to be something in between.”
There is: moving the house.
If you’re interested in being more than an observer of our efforts to save what precious little of our history that hasn’t already been destroyed, then there’s plenty of opportunity for you to help. We’ll often be asking you to write a letter, attend a commission or council meeting or protest rally. Numbers make the difference when we’re trying to sway the political will of the elected decisions who hold the fate of these buildings in their hands.
Some of the more obvious buildings such as the 5th Street School, the Las Vegas High School, The Morelli House and others have been successfully preserved, but there’s a lot more that are going to become endangered in the near future. Please help whenever we put out a call for action.
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A Classic Mid Century Modern Office Building That Didn’t Get Saved
November 10th, 2008 Categories: Historic Preservation, Mid Century Modern
One of our favorite mid century modern office buildings was the original Sahara Rancho Office Park. It’s wrapped in plastic now as part of the abatement process for asbestos and other hazardous materials. It’s the final step that happens shortly before demolition.
This is the building along I-15 in the north west corner of the I-15 and Sahara interchange. There’s newer office buildings surrounding it, so this one stayed pretty obscure, but it was terrific. I’ve been trying to find an exterior photo to no avail, but Alan Sandquist has other interior photos on his flickr site. 
If anyone has some exterior photos, please email them to me.
One of the steps that should have or could have happened was a vibrant energetic historic preservation community making a stink about it. There’s plenty of other buildings around Vintage Vegas that don’t have to suffer the same fate. We’ll be showcasing some of the famous mid century modern buildings that aren’t officially endangered yet, but someday someone is going to want to demolish them. I want us all to be ready for that day.
Another interesting thought is that if we can’t save the buildings, what about the light fixtures and the railings and the stonework and other elements that could be preserved and re-cyled into other buildings or homes.
There should be a law requiring that the archictural and design elements be saved before a building is demolished. Especially that iple globe lamp which would look great in anyone’s front yard.
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A Letter To Mayor Oscar Goodman and Mayor Pro-tem Gary Reese
November 7th, 2008 Categories: Historic Preservation
Dear Mayor Goodman and Councilman Reese,
Thank you for standing with the historic preservation community regarding the future of “Pop Squires” home on 7th Street.
We had very short notice that this was coming before you. The issue had made it’s way all the way to the planning commission meeting before any of us were even aware of it. Now we have some breathing room to put a plan together. Whether the building is moved to a museum site, or kept in downtown with an adaptive re-use (which would be our preference), at least now we have a chance to find that solution.
As you must realize by now, there’s a great many of us who care, and our ranks are growing daily as people find blogs such as mine and Lynn Zooks Classic Las Vegas. We really do care, and we know that a great city requires a past that is preserved as well as a present and future. Cities shrivel up and die when there’s no respect or reverence for it’s history and roots, and when there’s no vision for it’s future.
Your vision for the “old” urban core has always been inspiring because it included historic preservation along side of redevelopment. That’s why you did the right thing the other day when you turned down the development requests until the issue of the historic home was solved.
On Behalf of my thousands of readers, not only in Las Vegas but around the country, I’m thanking you for standing with us.
Sincerely,
Jack LeVine
VeryVintageVegas.com
To My Readers:
Would you please take a minute and let Mayor Goodman and Councilman Reese know that you agree, and that we really do have a strong and dedicated community that considers historic preservation to be of great importance.
You can call Mayor Goodman at 229–6241 or email the Mayor with this link, and Gary Reese at 229–6405 or email the Councilman
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Las Vegas City Council Does The Right Thing - A Win For Historic Preservation
November 6th, 2008 Categories: Historic Preservation
The Las Vegas City Council stepped up and told the developers of the property that includes the “Pop Squires” home that their requests for variances and zoning changes wouldn’t be heard until they dealt with the issue of saving the home!
The current owners not only agreed to donate the home, but to also pay for moving it to another location. This is a great win for the historic preservation movement of Las Vegas. Of course, there’s a big “But” in that now we’re confronted with finding a new home for it.
Pam Hartley and planning commissioner Steve Evans, who first brought the issue to our attention are already on it and are contacting the Clark County Museum and other non profit organizations. We’d love to see a group step up and adaptively re-use the home in the same way that the Morelli House has become the headquarters of the Junior League, however museum setting is perfectly fine with us.
We had a few unexpected speakers at the City Council hearing. Former County Commissioner Thalia Dondero spoke eloquently about sitting on the porch of the home as a child talking to Mom Squires, and the importance of having the squires remembered as the Father of Las Vegas. Others spoke about the inappropriateness of a 5 story McOffice being built across the street from the original Las Vegas High School, which is a the cornerstone of the Las Vegas High School Historic District. Thank you, also, to those of you who took action and called and wrote to Mayor Goodman and Councilman Reese.
If you’d like to know more, there’s a walking tour and brochure about the Las Vegas High School Historic District.
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Las Vegas City Council To Hear Demolition Request For “Pop Squires” Home
November 5th, 2008 Categories: Historic Preservation
Wednesday, November 5 - Approximately 1:00 p.m. -
City Council Hearing - 400 Stewart Avenue - First Floor Plaza
This is the hearing regarding the “Pop Squires Home”, located at 408 7th Street (on the corner of 7th Street and Andre Rochat Avenue), which the owners want to demolish, to make way for yet another “generic” office building.
Probably you already know who C. P. “Pop” Squires was, but if not, he and his wife Delphine are a very significant part of Las Vegas history. His first home was on Fremont Street, which at one time had many residential homes, with grassy front yards and trees. It was demolished, when Fremont Street expanded. Let’s not let his second home have the same dismal ending.
We’d like as many people as possible to show up at the City Council hearing (which is Item #124, incidentally, and could be heard anytime from 1:00 p.m. on), and show support for saving the house.
For more information on the significance of the Squires and their home, which located in the historic residential high school district, see the following websites:
http://classiclasvegas.squarespace.com/classic-las-vegas-blog/2008/10/22/help-save-las-vegas-history.html
http://veryvintagevegas.com/2008/10/20/pop-squires-home-to-be-demolished/
http://www.1st100.com/part1/squires.html
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