Neon Lights Up Economic Success
Charles Rollins
Preservation is not just about buildings. With the loss of many mid-century motels, we also lose the unique signage that gives the Wildwoods their visual flair. Even when a Doo Wop motel was spared demolition by converting to condos, the former motel’s distinctive sign is still lost. And as new businesses open up, many times they choose not to use neon or flashy signs.
Circa in Las Vegas is a glowing example of modern neon being a trendy way to advertise. Courtesy Dennis Pierce
While we may think that there’s nothing that can be done to stop the loss of Wildwood’s glitzy signs, there are many examples from other cities that have successfully continued growing while also keeping their identity. A good example can be found in how Las Vegas experienced economic success and a revitalized downtown by using ordinances to encourage neon/illuminated signage.
Las Vegas has many similarities with WiIdwood. Both cities have a large number of Doo Wop era buildings and are famous for neon and flashy signs. But where Wildwood has had a confused relationship with its Doo Wop past, Las Vegas provides an alternative approach, moving into the future while also keeping the mid-century aesthetics of its past in place. Comparing the growth and success of the two cities over the last 50 years, it appears that the Las Vegas approach has been a more successful path towards being developer friendly and bringing economic success.
After the boom years of the 1950s and 60s, both cities’ downtowns experienced economic downturns at the end of the 20th century. While both have attempted redevelopment projects to return their downtowns to thriving destinations, Wildwood is still attempting redevelopment projects along Pacific Avenue, and it remains to be seen if Pacific Avenue can get out of its economic slump.
Las Vegas Boulevard running from the Strip to Downtown is the main thoroughfare through Las Vegas’s tourist areas and catchy signs are an integral part of this byway’s aesthetic. Compared to Wildwood, Downtown Las Vegas has been revitalized into a thriving economic corridor that is once again a viable alternative to the Strip with not only existing hotels/casinos but also many new restaurants and bars. A critical part of that revitalization was designating Las Vegas Boulevard as a historic byway and embracing distinctive neon signs in this historic district to give visitors a sense of place.
There are three main steps that have helped Las Vegas move forward into economic success while also keeping dazzling signs as an integral part of its identity.
First, the city has ordinances in place to encourage the use of distinctive signs. An ordinance covering the historic byway connecting the Strip to Downtown specifies that for any development in this special district, at least “75% of the total sign surface areas for that development must consist of illuminated signage, in the form of neon signs, animated signs, or a combination thereof.” This ordinance indicates that the community expects developers to respect the history of the area by using the type of signs Las Vegas is known for. The effect of the Las Vegas ordinance also trickles down to other parts of the city where even businesses off the historic byway embrace the neon aesthetic for their new signs. Compare this to Wildwood where some developers have used a fun, eye-catching approach (Wawa and Mudhen), but other more generic developments feel like they could be designed for anywhere in the USA rather than the Wildwoods.
The Griffin looks like classic Vegas, but it is brand new. New development can be trendy and hip while also keeping in character with the community. Courtesy Dennis Pierce
Second, the city of Las Vegas works with the nonprofit Neon Museum and a neon sign company to restore classic neon signs from Las Vegas’s past and install them as public art along Las Vegas Boulevard. Both Wildwood and Las Vegas have lost many classic motels and businesses from the past. While Wildwood throws much of its history into the dumpster, the city of Las Vegas purchases these unused signs for restoration. The restored signs beautify a famous roadway and also celebrate the city’s past, creating more pride in the community. Driving on Surf Avenue, imagine if we could still see classic signs from the Wildwoods’ past alongside new condos. Would that lessen the sting of seeing a once vibrant roadway now turned into a sea of generic buildings?
Third, once government and nonprofits have worked together to build up a strong sense of pride in your history, the last piece is developers who embrace the history of a community when building new projects. In Las Vegas, a notable example of this respect for history is the $1 billion-plus Circa Resort and Casino, which is the first new casino built Downtown in decades. The Circa’s design respects the past, and the entrance has a massive flashy-style sign that fits right in with the rest of the signs along Fremont Street. Compare this approach to Wildwood where new development uses a more generic and neutral approach with no attempt to make any references to Wildwood’s rich history. In fact, while developers in Las Vegas are proud of their city’s design heritage, it feels that Wildwood views its history as something to move away from or forget.
A quote from Circa’s former director of design and architecture Alice O’Keefe in a forbes.com article shows how using the history of Las Vegas is at the forefront of their designs: “Design is all about balance and with Circa every space had to have an element of history and we carefully considered this throughout the process.”
Las Vegas demonstrates how a city can continue to develop and modernize while also not sacrificing its identity. Here in the Wildwoods, we do not have to sit back and watch our local character be destroyed as developers do as they please. Homeowners already have plenty of ordinances they need to adhere to when it comes to their houses. The intention of ordinances is for the greater good of the community so there aren't eyesores such as garbage or broken cars stored on lots. Is it too much to ask that developers also have ordinances so their buildings are also not eyesores and instead bring pride to the area by matching the feel and design of the Wildwoods?
Las Vegas and many other cities have shown that we have a variety of tools at our disposal to help us preserve the type of town we want to live in and visit. When the local government sets ordinances that specify design guidelines and also works to preserve memorable parts of the city’s past, this inspires developers to make their projects match the local area. The new development maintains a connection to the past and keeps residents and tourists happy with a sense of place maintained.
With the Wildwoods as one of the premier examples of neon sign design, the island would be well served to implement Las Vegas’s approach with neon sign ordinances so the Wildwoods can create economic success while keeping their visual identity alive.
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