Jump to content


- - - - -

Skyline Outlined in Lights


  • Please log in to reply
66 replies to this topic

#1 Willy1

Willy1
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:40 PM

Hey, anyone ever know whatever happened to the entire FW skyline being outlined in lights? I know for a long time it was sort of a claim to fame for the city. But, now it just sort of seems to be a few buildings that participate and even those buildings don't make much effort to keep it lit all the time. I also noticed that this year at Christmas, the Radio Shack/Tandy Towers didn't have the traditional 20 story holiday candles on the exterior. I was sort of disappointed to see that. Does anyone know if the plans for THE TOWER call for it to be outlined in lights the way it was before the Twister?

#2 John T Roberts

John T Roberts
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:41 PM

The tradition is dying and I have tried to revive it through this forum and by talking with building owners, BOMA, city officials, and other groups. The general consensus is that they are too difficult to maintain and cost too much to operate. On top of those factors is that we have major storms about every five years that totally destroy the lights and strings. However, newer buildings had them built into the facade of the buildings. As far as I know, The Tower will not have them outlining the building. The only lighting on it will be on the new sun screen on the roof, similar to the way Cash America is now illuminated. You never know, if the new building owners see the old light sockets in the curtain wall, they may decide to go ahead and put up a new curtain wall with the lights included. I'm not holding my breath.

I think that now since the Christmas Light tradition has disappeared, the buildings with the partially burning lights should turn them off permanently and maybe try to find another way to brighten up the skyline.

#3 johnlp

johnlp
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:43 PM

The way it used to be!
Posted Image

BRING BACK THE LIGHTS!

#4 Willy1

Willy1
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:43 PM

I loved the lights around the skyline. I have a friend who is the managing editor of Ft Worth Texas magazine. I'm going to suggest they do an article on the old lights on the skyline and see if that spurs any interest in reviving the old tradition.

That picture - when was that? FW looks so small compared to now! That was before the FW National Bank was even built (The Tower).

#5 John T Roberts

John T Roberts
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:44 PM

The picture was taken between 1965 and 1970. Note the SLC sign on top of the Commerce Building, the Conoco sign on top of the Transport Life Building (then Continental Life) and the old CNB clock.

#6 mikedsjr

mikedsjr
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:44 PM

Since i have never seen it back then, Its hard to make a judgement on my part. With the long exposure time on that shot, its hard to get a sense of what the lights were like from one who has never seen it.

#7 johnlp

johnlp
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:45 PM

That picture was from 1969. Note also the green neon on the CNB clock was still lit. I think the Hotel Texas sign is gone by this point but I might be wrong. I have a 1965 slide that still shows the green Hotel Texas sign.
True, because of the long exposure, the lights look like solid bars of lights instead of the individual bulbs.
I would be all for only lighting the lights during the Holidays, which if I recall was the only time they did it. In some old news footage from channel 5 (then WBAP-TV) when JFK came to Ft. Worth they stated that this was the only time that the "Famous Skyline Lights" were lit outside of the holidays.

I'd love to see a collection of night photos with the buildings lit. I only have the photo above and one other.

#8 mikedsjr

mikedsjr
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:45 PM

I saw the lights somewhat last Thursday. I'm really not that fond of that. Just my opinion.

#9 John T Roberts

John T Roberts
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:46 PM

Mike, what you are seeing now is no comparison to what it used to be. Ever since I can remember, the skyline was also outlined during the Stock Show.

#10 jonnyrules23

jonnyrules23
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:46 PM

Wow, those lights look astounding. But...have you seen them nowadays? The majority of bulbs on buildings are burned out and faded. Either someone needs to come along and reinvigorate the effort to light dt like it once was, or come up with a new lighting scheme that will blow people away at night. Pier1 and "The Tower" should be a wake-up call to other buildings to either keep their act up on the amber bulbs, or come up with something fresh (like neon and floodlights).
Paschal rules!!!

#11 John T Roberts

John T Roberts
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:47 PM

I think the tradition is dying. I have tried several ways to revitalize the idea and no one appeared interested. The two big things that have caused our skyline to go dark are the May 1995 hail storm and the March 2000 tornado. Many of the lighting systems strung on the buildings were damaged in 1995, and slowly they were replaced. In 2000, the tornado wiped out most of the light strings again; therefore, the building owners decided not to spend the money for new strings and lights.

I think the only way we are going to get the skyline illuminated again is for some of the other building owners to think about neon or floodlighting on their buildings. Another way to do it might be to allow rooftop signs again.

#12 normanfd

normanfd
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:47 PM

I would like to see the old amber lights return. However, the idea of large-scale use of neon and flood lights is something I can't really support. Many cities are now developing a backlash at unnecessary lighting in the sense that it causes light pollution. The result is that many places are passing ordinances and codes requiring that street lights and building signs reflect light that would otherwise go to the skies be reflected back to the ground along with replacing high-pressure mercury lights with low-pressure sodium. This creates a more efficiently illuminated streetscape with less energy costs while preserving the night sky to allow stars to be seen again in all their glory.

Where I live in the Trans-Pecos, the Legislature has created a framework for regulating light pollution here in order to preserve the observations at McDonald Observatory, despite that the low population density of the area does not seemingly create as serious a problem as other observatories around the country have encountered. Tourists here, especially children, often express amazement at how starry the skies are at night here. Restoring some of that in metro areas would be a good thing.

#13 John T Roberts

John T Roberts
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:47 PM

Yes, I agree that we have light pollution. Maybe the better solution would be to have a dark skyline with no decorative lighting and then during Christmas and the Stock Show, turn on the amber lights.

#14 clintonaxa

clintonaxa
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:48 PM

I just find it quite a shame that our hospitals have better lighting and appearance at night than our skyscrapers. the hospital district at night looks like what i would like to see on our skyscrapers. as for the light pollution, it seems to me that cutting back on downtown lighting will not help a great deal when we have other parts of the city so polluted with lights. lets think about any wal-mart parking lot or even gas station. seems to me that all of these places are supremely lit. i understand these lights are for safety reasons, but fort worth is always going to be that texas city with the ugly skyline unless some advances are made.

#15 normanfd

normanfd
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:48 PM

One thing I like about the old amber lights as pictured in this thread is that they have a wonderful color while not contributing so badly to light pollution. Colors to the red end of the color spectrum, such as the amber lights and the orange-colored low pressure sodium street lights, do not create anywhere near as much light pollution as do the more conventional whitish-blue commercial and street lighting. This is why amateur astronomers look at their star charts with red lights, as their eyes become more easily night adapted afterward.

As far as flood/search lights such as the Hollywood Bowl is famous for? Use those only sometime in the future if enemy bombers are really threatening the city.

Perhaps the most cost-effective way to provide proper illumination for safety is reflective caps over lighting. It makes no sense to have an outdoor light bulb shine in all 360 degrees when its purpose is to provide lighting at ground level. Reflecting up-going light back to the ground provides twice as much lighting at street level, or provides the same at half the cost. The same concept could be used for illuminating downtown skyscrapers. Lighting could simply be placed at the top of the building shining downward rather than from the ground up.

Take another look at those lights at the pictures posted on this thread. Notice how much the more typical city lights outshine the amber lights in the photos without providing any coherent or interesting pattern from a distance.

#16 DaPanther84

DaPanther84
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:49 PM

PUT NEW LIGHTS ON THE BUILDINGS PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WITHOUT THE LIGHTS THE SKYLINE LOOKS HORRIBLE. DON'T PUT THOSE OLD CHRISTMAS LIGHTS UP EITHER. PUT THE MODERN STYLE LIGHTING ON THE BUILDINGS. LIGHT THE BUILDINGS UP WITH BLUE NEONS, RED NEONS, BLUE ILLUMINATION, OR WHATEVER THAT IS EYE-CATCHING. DO IT SOMETHING SIMILAR TO HOUSTON'S SKYLINE OR LA'S. JUST GET SOMETHING NEW!!!!!

#17 Urbndwlr FW

Urbndwlr FW
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:49 PM

Yeah, I agree - fluorescents or something that doesn't constantly burn out, but please no bright colors. In my opinion, Dallas' Bank of America building looks ridiculous lit in green neon - very mid 80's. I would opt for lights cast upon buildings to show their facades from afar, with the exception of the glass curtain wall buildings (City Center, Carter Burgess Plaza, The Tower) which should continue with some other perimeter or accent lighting. I don't think the glass curtain walls would look good if flood lights were cast upon them.

OTOH, all of the other buildings most certainly should have more prominent lighting. That is a no-brainer way to improve the image of a downtown - make it look brilliant and active from afar at night.

#18 jonnyrules23

jonnyrules23
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:49 PM

Right on, Urb.

#19 dismuke

dismuke
  • Guests

Posted 04 April 2004 - 06:50 PM

I would opt for lights cast upon buildings to show their facades from afar,

I have said it before in other threads, but the upper floors of The Fair/Commerce Building cry out for such nighttime lighting. Notice that the downtown building that stands out the most at night is the Sinclair Building. The Commerce Building has the potential to easily become the second most distinguished nighttime building on the skyline.

I don't think the glass curtain walls would look good if flood lights were cast upon them.

I agree. Those building look best if management can convince a certain amount of tenants to simply leave their lights on overnight. In many cases, I think such buildings can look more interesting at night than they do in the day.

#20 Nick

Nick
  • Guests

Posted 06 April 2004 - 07:48 PM

With all this talk.Funny thier one place in Fort Worth that this tradition is still going on .

Before I give the answer who can tell me were this is taking place even now?
Hint- its not one builing . :rolleyes: These faces are cute by the way !

#21 Nick

Nick
  • Guests

Posted 06 April 2004 - 07:59 PM

Well I for one like the Bank of America in Dallas.I think it still look's good outlined in green .

But I hate the one with thos X's on it. It looks like a afterthoght. With no planning. Just a big X on all side looks so odd.and ugly.And thos tiny towers on top?Very odd looking building.

Reunion Tower also looks odd too me.That big ball looks like a Giant Afro to me.

#22 Nick

Nick
  • Guests

Posted 07 April 2004 - 11:56 AM

I just read the Bank of America in Dallas . Was going to have another twin 72 story tower. But that will never happen now. But would have been nice to see.

#23 John T Roberts

John T Roberts

    Administrator

  • Admin
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 16,363 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:South Fort Worth
  • Interests:Architecture, Photography, Bicycling, Historic Preservation

Posted 03 November 2004 - 08:57 PM

From Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.:

"News from Burnett Plaza is that exterior building maintenance will require that the building’s decorative perimeter lights be turned off for a time. Once complete, the lights will be turned back on, with all bulbs burning brightly."

I wonder if they will have them burning by the day after Thanksgiving? Also, how do you like the skyline with Burnett Plaza's lights off?

#24 cjyoung

cjyoung

    Skyscraper Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,786 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Funkytown

Posted 04 November 2004 - 12:44 PM

  Also, how do you like the skyline with Burnett Plaza's lights off?

View Post


I can barely see it from 820 + 35W. I like having a brighly lit skyline.

I yearn for some vertical development. Maybe Jerral Jones should have come to Fort Worth. :D

I'm sorry, but whether or not people have a view of the courthouse is not that important to me.

#25 mosteijn

mosteijn

    Skyscraper Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,908 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:FW/Cincy
  • Interests:Architecture, Photography, Swimming, Soccer, Spanish

Posted 06 November 2004 - 11:37 AM

I don't like it and can't wait for them to turn the lights back on.

Posted Image

(Taken at recent TCU home game)

#26 John T Roberts

John T Roberts

    Administrator

  • Admin
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 16,363 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:South Fort Worth
  • Interests:Architecture, Photography, Bicycling, Historic Preservation

Posted 06 November 2004 - 02:59 PM

Our skyline is just way too dark even with Burnett Plaza outlined. We need some building owners to come up with some innovative lighting schemes.

#27 lobster

lobster

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 447 posts
  • Location:downtown Fort Worth ;]

Posted 15 November 2004 - 02:02 AM

I don't suppose neon is in the cards, aye? And I don't mean neon in the sporadic ho-hum Dallas style -- and I don't mean neon in the in-your-face Las Vegas style.. But you know, I've always thought the FW Medical District with the blue neon roof outlines is kinda classy and subtle.. perhaps if all the bldgs downtown just outlined their rooftops in neon like Harris does it'd give downtown a new nighttime dimension .. it'd almost look 3d flying overhead :blink:

(...and then they could update that FW Omni heilcopter intro for once and for all!.. zoom! zooooom!)

cheers
lobs

#28 John T Roberts

John T Roberts

    Administrator

  • Admin
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 16,363 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:South Fort Worth
  • Interests:Architecture, Photography, Bicycling, Historic Preservation

Posted 15 November 2004 - 08:41 PM

I think it is time for some neon and for illuminating architectural features. Maybe some buildings could do just the rooftops in neon, while others could outline the entire building with it, yet others could remain with the incandescent lights. A few historic buildings could throw light on their facades highlighting their tops. Maybe a few strategically placed roof signs, and a lighted corporate logo or two could be added in the right places. If you throw in the illuminated tops of Pier 1 Place, The Tower, and the Tandy Center, then you might have a pretty nice nighttime skyline.

#29 renamerusk

renamerusk

    Skyscraper Member

  • Banned
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 7,662 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Fort Worth South

Posted 16 November 2004 - 12:42 AM

I think it is time for some neon and for illuminating architectural features.  Maybe some buildings could do just the rooftops in neon, while others could outline the entire building with it, yet others could remain with the incandescent lights.  A few historic buildings could throw light on their facades highlighting their tops.  Maybe a few strategically placed roof signs, and a lighted corporate logo or two could be added in the right places.  If you throw in the illuminated tops of Pier 1 Place, The Tower, and the Tandy Center, then you might have a pretty nice nighttime skyline.

View Post


Hear, hear!!! :blink:

#30 lobster

lobster

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 447 posts
  • Location:downtown Fort Worth ;]

Posted 16 November 2004 - 09:21 AM

Jonnyrules -- I just noticed the shot you took from TCU ..
man, that really puts the darkness into perspective.. in that shot FW almost looks like it's the downtown of one of those lil' dinky cities.. (Abiline, Lubbock, Waco)

The Prentiss folks [Burnett Plaza] should understand their lightbulb legacy and keep 'em going -- there has to be a solution to their worries.. I'm not a light engineer by any means but wouldn't the problem of maintenance and storm damage be eliminated by having the lights linked in a continual string in clear tubes almost like those Christmas lights you see in tubes -- only more of an industrial size? :]

#31 lobster

lobster

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 447 posts
  • Location:downtown Fort Worth ;]

Posted 16 November 2004 - 09:26 AM

Hmm... found this on a British site... (£3 = $5.56 .... how many bulbs you think BP has? 500? :blink: )

-------------

Unbreakable

A new shatterproof light bulb is on the way


Light bulbs which have been sealed in a special coating could put an end to clearing up tiny shards of glass. British company Fotolec has discovered that if bulbs are covered in a small amount of a strong fluoropolymer they become unbreakable. It's claimed that the coated bulbs could even survive being hurled at the wall. The shatterproof bulbs will set you back about £3 a piece.

#32 John T Roberts

John T Roberts

    Administrator

  • Admin
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 16,363 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:South Fort Worth
  • Interests:Architecture, Photography, Bicycling, Historic Preservation

Posted 16 November 2004 - 12:11 PM

Believe it or not, Harris Hospital replaced their individual bulbed Christmas Lights on a string with what appear to be industrial sized lights in a tube.

#33 gcarey

gcarey

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 66 posts
  • Location:Dallas

Posted 16 November 2004 - 04:48 PM

Having grown up in Arlington, I loved going to Fort Worth seeing all the lit up buildings.

#34 Schneider

Schneider

    Newcomer

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 6 posts

Posted 16 November 2004 - 11:18 PM

I completely agree that our downtown needs some kind of new lighting. All one color seems to make downtown look all the same. I think that different color neons on various buildings along with lighted crowns atop other buildings might give downtown FW a more vibrant feel.

#35 Willy1

Willy1

    Elite Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 554 posts
  • Location:Fort Worth, TX

Posted 17 November 2004 - 01:42 PM

I like the lighting effect on the spire atop the Republic Bank building (I think) in Dallas... it's an ever-changing color spectrum. I know that after 9-11 it was lit with a red, white, and blue color scheme. I'm thinking it must be some sort of computerized program that allows them to change the configuration and colors of the up-lights that are on the spire. It's very attractive.

I like the amber lights outlining the buildings and I'm all for keeping traditions when we can. But, if the tradition is going away and is going to look bad, then I'd rather see Burnett Plaza lit with similar revolving colored lighting. They could even put the "light source on the tops of other buildings or poles surrounding the building... Or they could install the lights in a unifor pattern around the outline of the building... The idea is to treat the building like a giant projector screen to catch the revolving color patterns.

I like the idea of neon lighting on buildings... but what about lights that are projected onto the buildings themselves - maybe laser lights of some sort... of course, we'd have to keep it from being too Vegas-like. I think the concrete facade of Burnett Plaza would be cool if the entire building seemed to change colors at night.

#36 gdvanc

gdvanc
  • Guests

Posted 17 November 2004 - 07:04 PM

The trouble is, what is the incentive for a building owner to invest in lighting to make the skyline more attractive?

What sort of price range are we talking about to design and install better lighting on, say, Burnett Plaza? How much to maintain it? And what affect, if any, would it have on revenues?

Maybe none of that matters if the building's owners are local and full of civic pride. But if the property is just an investment, then they're probably goint to want to see a return on such a project.

#37 Willy1

Willy1

    Elite Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 554 posts
  • Location:Fort Worth, TX

Posted 17 November 2004 - 07:17 PM

... maybe they could ask the city for a TIF for new lighting.

#38 gdvanc

gdvanc
  • Guests

Posted 17 November 2004 - 08:14 PM

... maybe they could ask the city for a TIF for new lighting.

View Post


Most of downtown is covered by existing TIF's #3, #6, & #8. I suppose they could conceivably use funds from those, but I don't know much about the details.

TIF or not, I'm sure bright minds could come up with creative approaches. Right or wrong, a city's skyline is part of its image.

#39 mosteijn

mosteijn

    Skyscraper Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,908 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:FW/Cincy
  • Interests:Architecture, Photography, Swimming, Soccer, Spanish

Posted 17 November 2004 - 10:51 PM

Ok, so something needs to be done to the skyline. Neon? It sounds like a good idea, but too much of it and we have ourselves another Las Vegas (or worse...Dallas!). I would only put neon on a few, though prominent, buildings and at that not very much of it. I would outline Carter+Burgess Plaza with red or blue neon, and then just put a little bit on the roof of the City Center buildings.

Burnett Plaza could actually do something really creative with their lighting if they wanted, I mean, they have all that empty space on the front facade created by the elevator shafts. I like the idea of having a technicolor display that changes colors sporadically (is that kind of what you're talking about, Willy?)

Oh yeah, and the COMMERCE BUILDING MUST BE ILLUMINATED. End of story.

#40 gdvanc

gdvanc
  • Guests

Posted 18 November 2004 - 12:16 AM

Ok, so something needs to be done to the skyline.

View Post


It seems so dark from the highway. Not very inviting at all. You can't even tell that anything's going on there. Drives me crazy.

Unfortunately, the buildings that would be most easily seen from the highways have fairly uninteresting facades IMHO. The lights themselves would have to provide the interest because the textures of the faces are relatively bland. I think that's why neon keeps popping into my mind even though I agree that too much would be bad.

Again, I'm glad The Tower went with lighter glass compared to the other glass towers. As has been mentioned before, C-B and the twins look fairly dark even with interior lights on.

Burnett Plaza could actually do something really creative with their lighting if they wanted, I mean, they have all that empty space on the front facade created by the elevator shafts. I like the idea of having a technicolor display that changes colors sporadically (is that kind of what you're talking about, Willy?)

View Post


Agree: Some sort of multi-colored lighting in the elevator core seems like an obvious opportunity for a statement, although something much more basic could still be an improvement. Not sure what to do with the rest of the building, though. It needs something.

Oh yeah, and the COMMERCE BUILDING MUST BE ILLUMINATED. End of story.

View Post


Absolutely. But will the owners spring for it?

Radisson Plaza should be lit, too - although you'd want to be careful about annoying the guests.


Gratuitous link: Bright Lights, Big City (from sign-industry mag Signs of the Times)

#41 normanfd

normanfd

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 354 posts
  • Location:Fort Davis

Posted 19 November 2004 - 02:15 AM

I don't mind a few challenging neon designs. I would also like to see some old style corporate logos here and there on top of buildings. I also wouldn't complain about building illumination from the exterior, especially among those that have higher story setbacks.

#42 John T Roberts

John T Roberts

    Administrator

  • Admin
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 16,363 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:South Fort Worth
  • Interests:Architecture, Photography, Bicycling, Historic Preservation

Posted 19 November 2004 - 04:38 PM

Radisson Plaza should be lit, too - although you'd want to be careful about annoying the guests.


You probably mean something like this:
Posted Image

After the Texas Hotel was restored, the above picture was the lighting scheme that was present on the building for several years. The uplights on the windows were a restoration of the original lights installed on the building in 1920. When the building opened that upper floor was a ballroom. After the restoration, the floor contained suites. I have heard that the reason the illumination stopped was that it bothered the guests who were paying high dollar for the top floor suites. The picture above was taken in 1981. At the current time, only the large flood light on the canopy that aims upward is turned on.

#43 John T Roberts

John T Roberts

    Administrator

  • Admin
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 16,363 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:South Fort Worth
  • Interests:Architecture, Photography, Bicycling, Historic Preservation

Posted 19 November 2004 - 09:54 PM

In the *marketing* thread, Shocker mentioned that he had been downtown three years before he took note of Randall's. I am the type of person that notices every little detail. I'm also beginning to wonder about the forum's influence, even though I'm quite sure that what I saw tonight is only a continuation of something that was started previously. In late 2002, the Fort Worth Club, put some lights on the base on the north and south walls of their building. Some were aimed down and some were aimed up. The strength of the lights made it up to the decorative stone that noted the top floor line. No lighting was done on the east facade at that time. Tonight, I noticed up lights between the arches on the 12th floor on the east side inside the light well. It looked really nice, but I would like to see all of the facades illuminated. Good job, Fort Worth Club. Going back to my original comment: this forum was started in 2000.

hmmm?.....

#44 gdvanc

gdvanc
  • Guests

Posted 20 November 2004 - 06:45 AM

You probably mean something like this:

View Post

I probably do.

Looks nice. It's unfortunate that it didn't work out. Thanks for posting the picture.

After the Texas Hotel was restored, the above picture was the lighting scheme that was present on the building for several years.  The uplights on the windows were a restoration of the original lights installed on the building in 1920.  When the building opened that upper floor was a ballroom. After the restoration, the floor contained suites. 

View Post

Too bad they decided to convert the ballroom. It might have been the right business decision, but it would seem like it was a cooler space before.

I have heard that the reason the illumination stopped was that it bothered the guests who were paying high dollar for the top floor suites.

View Post

Whiners. ;-)

#45 John T Roberts

John T Roberts

    Administrator

  • Admin
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 16,363 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:South Fort Worth
  • Interests:Architecture, Photography, Bicycling, Historic Preservation

Posted 30 November 2004 - 06:44 AM

In today's Star-Telegram, Bud Kennedy shines a little light on the tradition of outlining our buildings. He even takes up the idea of the building owners changing the methods to light the downtown buildings.

http://www.dfw.com/m...ts/10302354.htm

#46 Urbndwlr

Urbndwlr

    Skyscraper Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,667 posts
  • Location:Fort Worth

Posted 04 December 2004 - 02:33 AM

That uplighting of the Radisson looks like a good start. If they just added two more (on either side) it would look great.

As far as a comprehensive lighting theme for Downtown, here's my proposal:

- glass curtain wall buildings (Carter Burgess, City Center) should remain with the white light outlines. There has to be a way to install longer-lasting energy efficient, bright white lights now.

- buildings with masonry or concrete facades should have some sort of light projected upon them (either from below or shining at anohter angle featuring some architectural feature or the whole building). This includes Burnette Plaza, the Tandy Center, 500 W. 7th Street, the Radisson.

- absolutely no color other than white.
the reason the old scheme of outlining the buildings looked so nice was the similarity in the color (seen from a distance). If all of the buildings just use the same color light (approximately), we'll achieve a great look.
Short buildings (under 8 stories) on the fringes of downtown shouldn't have to comply with this - they don't really contribute to the skyline.

- brigher lights on the historic buildings than is done today. crank up the power on the lights on the WT Waggoner Building and the Fort Worth Club Bldg. Shine a light on the T&P Terminal and the Main Post Office to give some life to the southern end of Downtown.

Austin and Dallas unfortunatley have bright colored neon bulbs highlighting some of their buildings. Those apparently are results of unimaginative developer taste in the '80s. We shouldn't repeat their mistakes.

#47 Redshirt

Redshirt

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 142 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Hurlburt Field, FL
  • Interests:I am and always will be a Texas resident. I was born and raised in Fort Worth. Currently, I am in the Air Force working on the CV-22 Osprey, supporting the Fort Worth economy by working on those Bell heliplanes. :) I am currently stationed at Hurlburt Field home of the Air Force Special Operations Command.

Posted 04 December 2004 - 07:37 AM

I have to disagree with making all buildings in the downtown area have the exact same lighting scheme(depending on the facade), or color. I get the vision of the old 80's-style lighting design skyline when I think of that. It doesn't make sense to have a downtown of buildings with such diversity of appearance during the day to strangely have a similar appearance at night. I, as a layman and not an (aspiring) architect, find the dallas skyline and other skylines for that matter to be quite interesting based on that same diversification of design. The Bank of America building in Dallas being outlined in green neon is probably, besides the fact of it's height, one of the most recognizeable features of any building (aside from Reunion Tower) in that downtown area. I'm not saying that green neon is a good idea, just that it's different. I appreciate the old days of Fort Worth trying to add flare to it's downtown skyline at night but that's in the past and we need to bring our vision to the future. By no means am I trying to say that "Cowtown" should give up it's heritage, it needs to keep it, another aspect that sets it apart from other cities and I believe one that is bringing people to Fort Worth again. I lived in Fort Worth my whole life, until I went into the Air Force in 1997, and remember downtown the way it used to be.

I agree with the lighting of the facade of the buildings with "some sort of light projected upon them" to enhance the overall look at night. I don't think, however, that they should all have the same style or type of lighting. The Blackstone Hotel, or Marriott, is so right for a contemporary lighting scheme with the terraces and just the overall look of the building which would look nice with similar lighting that John gave his rendering of the The Bank One Tower replacement. The Bank One Tower replacement design has a very tasteful display of lights, even with the red, white and blue lights :lol: . I like the picture that John added of the Radisson Plaza Hotel too, looks very nice.

Of course this is just my take on things as John Q. Citizen, I'm not an architect. So I'm not trying to say anyone is wrong. :cheez:

#48 John T Roberts

John T Roberts

    Administrator

  • Admin
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 16,363 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:South Fort Worth
  • Interests:Architecture, Photography, Bicycling, Historic Preservation

Posted 04 December 2004 - 08:20 AM

Here is a new photograph of the lighting at the top of the Fort Worth Club Building. Wouldn't the Commerce Building look beautiful illuminated in a similar fashion?
Posted Image

#49 Dismuke

Dismuke

    Skyscraper Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,098 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Fort Worth
  • Interests:Late 19th/early 20th century history, popular culture architecture and music. Collecting 78 rpm records from the 1900 - 1930 era.

Posted 05 December 2004 - 11:11 PM

Too bad they decided to convert the [old Hotel Texas] ballroom. It might have been the right business decision, but it would seem like it was a cooler space before.



I agree completely. My understanding is that the reason top floor ballrooms have fallen out of favor with hotel operators is due to the logistical problem of getting large crowds to and from the ballroom using elevators. In some of the old hotels when there was an event with several hundred people in the ballroom, it could take 20 or more minutes for everyone to be able to get down - and, of course, the full elevators were a real pain for those who rented rooms in the hotel.

Still, there was a certain grandeur to the old ballrroms that today's meeting space/ballroom/multi-purpose space does not even begin to approach. And some of the old hotels had rooftop restaurants and nightclubs. And during warm weather months, they would feature bands that played happy melodic 1920s and 1930s dance tunes. Somehow, I don't see something like that working with the sort of music people listen to today.
Radio Dismuke
1920s & 1930s Pop & Jazz
24-Hour Internet Radio
www.RadioDismuke.com


#50 Dismuke

Dismuke

    Skyscraper Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,098 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Fort Worth
  • Interests:Late 19th/early 20th century history, popular culture architecture and music. Collecting 78 rpm records from the 1900 - 1930 era.

Posted 05 December 2004 - 11:18 PM

It [the Fort Worth skyline] seems so dark from the highway. Not very inviting at all. You can't even tell that anything's going on there. Drives me crazy.



I was driving in to Fort Worth from a trip I took south of the city one night a few weeks ago and went through the interchange and on to the West Freeway towards home. One thing struck me big time: The Pier One building was incredible - it stood out like a shining beacon. The lighting scheme on that one building singlehandedly outclassed the entire big city skyline located a few blocks away. Something definitely needs to be done because Pier One is only underscoring how bland our city's skyline looks at night. (And to certain mentalities that I know exist in this world.... no, the solution is NOT to turn off Pier One's lights out of "fairness" to the rest of the skyline.)
Radio Dismuke
1920s & 1930s Pop & Jazz
24-Hour Internet Radio
www.RadioDismuke.com





0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users