REV Birmingham (amusement park, how much, live)

[mcalumni01]

David Fleming, REV Birmingham President and CEO was on WABM 68 sunday night show Our Issues:Birmingham and was talking about the light arts project around downtown. He mention that Sloss Furnace would be the next project to get lit up with lights, which would be cool to see. he also mention that he's working with all the corporate buildings downtown to light up their towers as well. he said his main goal is to have all of downtown most recognizable buildings lit up with lights, wants downtown to a one big light art place. thoughts?

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by mcalumni01

David Fleming, REV Birmingham President and CEO was on WABM 68 sunday night show Our Issues:Birmingham and was talking about the light arts project around downtown. He mention that Sloss Furnace would be the next project to get lit up with lights, which would be cool to see. he also mention that he's working with all the corporate buildings downtown to light up their towers as well. he said his main goal is to have all of downtown most recognizable buildings lit up with lights, wants downtown to a one big light art place. thoughts?

That would be cool.

[Tourian]

It is rather dark down there. The four biggest buildings could use some sprucing up. So I'm on board with that.

[raj kapoor]

Birmingham has the darkest downtown that I have personally seen. I blame the corporate community for not thinking they should do what they even do at branches in other cities.

Ironically, Alabama Power could surely turn the lights back on MISS ELECTRA. Surely I am not the only one that likes to look her way occasionally.

BBVA Compass Bank. Ugh. They don't have a lot of interest in our city or they would not have put that awful, and cheap looking sign at the top of the building. And overlooking RR Park, at that. It destroys the clean simple lines of the building.
On this building; am I the only one alive who remembers when this building had giant floods at each corner shining into the sky. It was the most blazing building we ever had, as Central Bank. And that was back when the technology was crude and the cost of burning them was much greater.

It is sad that the corporate community is not coming to David FLeming, instead of the other way around.

A lot of our older buildings would do well with simple up lighting. But I don't want to see them does this if they are not going to maintain them. Nothing worse that looking half hearted.

I really like the way the Pizitz is suppose to have the eighth floor up lit which will create a crown of light.
Also, The Thomas Jefferson plans show a considerable amount of exterior lighting.

The sad thing is that many buildings have lighting that they simply don't turn on, I suppose because we as a community don't deserve it.

Finally, I am so hopeful that lighting of the Sloss is something I can count on. I have always had a hate/hate relationship with that place. Is it pretty? I don't think so. Did something specifically important happen there that did not happen elsewhere? NO... Did we save it because the community leaders felt guilty that they did nothing to save the Terminal Station? I most definitely believe if the Terminal was standing , the Sloss would not be.

At any rate, I believe a very creative lighting program for the Sloss could give it a reason to exist for me personally. It would become a very strange large piece of lighted urban sculpture.
Of course I do appreciate how it has become incredibly successful in the visual and performing arts, but it could have been a lot more appealing and achieved the same goal.

In Dallas, quite a few decades ago, they were creating their first entertainment district in the West End. One of the main structures was a very large old warehouse with a couple of old water towers on top. They did multiple rings of neon light around them and suddenly it was very easy to find the West End district.
Based on that I wish that if the old stacks on Powel are to stay that they put three for four rings of white light at the tops. They would be a beacon to that part of town. One could literally direct people to the ballpark or rr park or the magic city trail, and even the Amtrak and bus terminal. I hope someone at the Power company considers how much impact with so little effort that could create.

I do hope that those who step forward and direct this lighting of the city realize that white lighting can be very impressive where there has been no light. The Sloss and no other place needs to look like the colors of the RR passages. They are great, but in a confined and restrained use only. (no Vegas please)

raj

[mcalumni01]

yea I been saying to myself for the longest as to why downtown looks so dark at night, also the areas around downtown around our interstates as well. first off whatever happen to the normal lights instead of the orange streets lights we have now. plus the lights fixtures around the downtown areas are just too tall. when whoever, aldot or the city, fix the lights around downtown years ago they put up these tall light poles that I think is way to high up. I know they stop making white light bulbs or something like that, so I guess that's why they went to the new updated bulb or whatever they call to replace them. even on the interstates around the metro, I think white lights is far better than the ones now. I mean major city around America have bright downtown areas. when I come in from 65 south or north, 20 west and east, and 59 I would like to be looking for a bright skyline before I get to downtown.

[raj kapoor]

Me too...

Raj

[Tourian]

I hate the BBVA Compass sign. They should be ashamed.

I hate the Pepsi sign. Buffalo Rock should be ashamed.

Maybe if one company steps up and lights their tower the rest will be shamed in to stepping up?

I like Sloss. It's the last of...whatever it is so even though it isn't particularly historical I'm glad it is there. So strangely enough I'm worried that lighting it up will be cheesy. I hope they do it justice. That place is supposed to be creepy at night not look like an amusement park. Can't have ghost hunting shows and tours with tons of neon. But...I will have faith.

[cpg35223]

I think we should light up Century Plaza. Except use real flames when we do it for kind of a special, one-time showing.

[raj kapoor]

Originally Posted by cpg35223

I think we should light up Century Plaza. Except use real flames when we do it for kind of a special, one-time showing.

Now that's funny.

However, surely that Gold guy has his eye on it...


raj

[bhamoutlook]

This is really exciting! I'm with Raj on the Sloss Furnace... Just not very attractive to me and I don't like going to events there either. Maybe lighting it up would add something for me. Honestly, I would like to see it painted. I know it's history and people hate "destroying history," but I think that should all be relative to the way a place looks. In 50 years, will we all be looking at buildings from the 70s and 80s saying, "Don't tear it down, it's history!" I doubt it.

I do think there are some cool factors about the place... I just think that it could stand some work done to it to make it cooler since it's so prominent in the Birmingham skyline.

I vote for commissioning a graffiti artist to come out and cover the whole thing. Tacky? Lol.