save our tiki history - General Tiki

T thejab Grand Member (1 year) Tradewinds Apartments, Alameda, CA Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 2992	T thejab Posted posted on Wed, Nov 15, 2006 12:13 PM Although federal or state historic preservation status cannot prevent the owner of a business from remodeling, or selling to a developer who plans to gut a property or tear it down, it can provide assistance to preservation in the form of low interest loans, tax incentives, or other ways. It also brings recognition, press, and customers to the business. Sadly, in the case of the Kahiki it was probably too little, too late. Local historic preservation ordinances often can be more strict than federal or state ones. For example, in Palm Springs about 5 years ago a developer from New Jersey bought a historic mid-century house with promises to the sellers that he would preserve it and then promptly tore it down during the nighttime. The city was outraged and the action really brought media attention to preservation of mid-century landmarks. Now the city has a much stronger preservation focus. So, it would be a good idea to investigate what local HP ordinances are in place in the city where a particular tiki bar is. Call me skeptical, but I don't think the average person considers tiki bars (and most stuff post WWII) to be worthy of historic landmark status or preservation. Unfortunately, most people don't appreciate what they got until it's gone. That doesn't mean I think that people shouldn't try to help in any way they can, and all of Dr. Tiki Mojo's suggestions are great, but I still think that the best way to really save these places is by spending your money there. There is a little hope. I recently read in lottaliving forums about a googie diner in L.A. that closed and became a googie-style Starbucks that actually looks pretty cool. That's better than nothing. L.A. is one of the few cities that has a large community of mid-century preservationists. Unlike in the Bay Area, where Historic Preservation groups have very little interest in preserving anything that came after Art Deco and Streamline Moderne. As James Brown said: "Get involved!" [ Edited by: thejab 2006-11-15 12:13 ]

Although federal or state historic preservation status cannot prevent the owner of a business from remodeling, or selling to a developer who plans to gut a property or tear it down, it can provide assistance to preservation in the form of low interest loans, tax incentives, or other ways. It also brings recognition, press, and customers to the business. Sadly, in the case of the Kahiki it was probably too little, too late.

Local historic preservation ordinances often can be more strict than federal or state ones. For example, in Palm Springs about 5 years ago a developer from New Jersey bought a historic mid-century house with promises to the sellers that he would preserve it and then promptly tore it down during the nighttime. The city was outraged and the action really brought media attention to preservation of mid-century landmarks. Now the city has a much stronger preservation focus. So, it would be a good idea to investigate what local HP ordinances are in place in the city where a particular tiki bar is.

Call me skeptical, but I don't think the average person considers tiki bars (and most stuff post WWII) to be worthy of historic landmark status or preservation. Unfortunately, most people don't appreciate what they got until it's gone. That doesn't mean I think that people shouldn't try to help in any way they can, and all of Dr. Tiki Mojo's suggestions are great, but I still think that the best way to really save these places is by spending your money there.

There is a little hope. I recently read in lottaliving forums about a googie diner in L.A. that closed and became a googie-style Starbucks that actually looks pretty cool. That's better than nothing. L.A. is one of the few cities that has a large community of mid-century preservationists. Unlike in the Bay Area, where Historic Preservation groups have very little interest in preserving anything that came after Art Deco and Streamline Moderne.

As James Brown said: "Get involved!"

[ Edited by: thejab 2006-11-15 12:13 ]

Post #266914 by thejab on Wed, Nov 15, 2006 12:13 PM