Very Vintage Vegas

Currently Available Architectural Concrete Block Is Extremely Limited - Pattern #31 In The Series About The Retro Homes In Las Vegas

May 16th, 2008 Categories: Las Vegas Real Estate News

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The other design that I found at the big box home store the other day is just a simple cross hatch.

 

You’ll find this at the top of block wall fences all over the suburbs, but once again, I’ve never seen it in Vintage Vegas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other day, a reader in Florida asked about where you can get some of the retro patterns that I’ve been showing, and a few days before that, I had hinted that I only have ever found one manufacturer that’s still making them.

A-1 Block Service is in Orlando Florida. With all the interest in Mid Mod around the country, I’d think there’s a few others. If anyone else has a lead for us of another manufacturer, please let us know

You’ll notice that today’s pattern which they call the “double x” and yesterday’s “double Y” are both there. There’s a couple I’ve NEVER seen in Las Vegas and some that we’ve already covered or are about to, soon.

There’s several concrete block manufacturers right here in Las Vegas, but none of them make these.

 

 

 

 

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Worst MLS Photo Of The Day - Retro Bathrooms In Las Vegas Are All The Rage

May 16th, 2008 Categories: Las Vegas Real Estate News

It’s the retro tile work in the shower that’s the feature of this bathroom. A white toilet is not a feature.

A white toilet with the lid open is a TURN OFF! A vertical picture would probably be better.

So if you have to show the toilet, close the lid.

 

The only thing worse than a bad picture is NO PICTURES AT ALL!

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Saturday’s The REALLY Big Day For Historic Preservation Month In Las Vegas

May 15th, 2008 Categories: Historic Preservation

Sometimes I feel like Kristen Peterson of the Las Vegas Sun is the best friend that the Historic Preservation Movement has. Even if she spelled my name wrong once , I absolutely love not only how she writes, but what she writes about.

Today, she published all of Saturday’s events that we published on Monday, and gave them each her own special commentary.

Don’t be telling yourself on Sunday that you should have!

Morelli House

Neon Museum and Boneyard

Huntridge Theatre

Springs Preserve Cultural History Fair

Mormon Fort

Helldorado Parade

ALL THAT ALL ON THE SAME DAY! WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR?

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Media Coverage Of Vintage Vegas, Mid Century Modern, And The New Urban Lifestyle

May 15th, 2008 Categories: Historic Preservation, Mid Century Modern

No, this isn’t a passing fad. It’s actually a movement that as far as Las Vegas is concerned is still in its infancy. Nationwide, the restoration and preservation and revival of Mid Century Modern is in full swing.

An example is the publicity surrounding the sale this week of the Palm Springs “KAUFMANN HOUSE” at the Christies Auction. One of the key points that I’m always making is that most of the people who already “get it” around the nation have no clue that most of what I call Very Vintage Vegas is actually undiscovered Mid Century Modern.

My readers know it, the Atomic Age Alliance gets it. Many of our current homeowners don’t understand, which is our biggest challenge. But the word is getting out to the Mid Mod fans around the world and we’re reaching our current owners one at a time. In the next million people to show up here as Las Vegas continues to grow, there will be a continually growing buyer pool for our mid mods. Anyone in LA who ever owned or wanted an EICHLER, probably won’t be buying their Las Vegas Vacation Home in Summerlin.

For example, I was recently interviewed by the Wall Street Journal for a piece on the subject that’s currently being researched. I’m being told that the National Trust For Historic Preservation is aware of the Las Vegas Mid Century Modern Heritage.

The Trust’s magazine “Preservation” has a recent article called “THE MODERNIST MANIFESTO”. It’s a must read if you want to know what the buzz is really about.

Preservation Action, a Washington DC based lobby for historic preservation has it’s eye on Las Vegas.

Jack LeVine Featured In Nevada Public Radio Piece On Mid Century Modern Homes In Las Vegas

Yesterday, KNPR’s “State of Nevada” spent a whole hour on the subject. I was featured in the piece by free lance reporter Adam Burke, which opened the program.  

His piece was followed by a panel discussion with Adam, as well as local preservationist Josh Geidel, noted Architectural historian and critic Alan Hess, Tom McCormick of Astoria Homes, Dr. Robert Fielden the famed urban planner.

If You missed it, you can listen to the entire program with the “listen” link in the middle of the page once you’re on the KNPR State Of Nevada Page. I highly recommend listening to the whole program. You’ll learn a lot. I did.

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The Mid Century Modern Architectural Heritage Of Concrete Block Has Spilled Over To Current Usage - Pattern #30

May 15th, 2008 Categories: Decorative Concrete Block Designs, Mid Century Modern

I promised you that I’d do some of the patterns that are currenty available at your local big box home store.

 

Since it’s still available, this pattern can be seen all over suburban Las Vegas as well. The idea of implanting some design into the ubiquidous canyons of block wall hasn’t gone away.

The Mid Century Modern Aestetic is still alive, but it’s rarely used in current construction to create “Stone Screens” or “Sun Screens”.

I’ve never found this one in use in any of the usual places such as downtown, Paradise Palms, McNeil, or Francisco Park.

 

This creative mixed directional use is on Spencer, north of Flamingo next to the famous Underground House.

 

To the doubters who didn’t believe I could come up with about 50 different patterns (you know who you are):

Since we’re on #30, and I skipped a few days, It’s been over a month now since we started the series. Stay tuned, I’ve got plenty more!

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Worst MLS Photo Of The Day - Bright Sunny Kitchens Are Important When You’re Home Is For Sale In Las Vegas

May 15th, 2008 Categories: Worst MLS Photo

For the next week, I’ll be doing some extra commenting on on the WMLSPOTD. Why? Because next week I’m making a presentation to my Keller Williiams Realty Office Meeting. I’ll be posting an example of each of the categories.

That way, I’ll only be showing them the previous weeks postings on VVV.

 

 

 

I use a simple freeware photoviewer, with an easy to use editor called IRFANVIEW. I devoted an entire 30 seconds to adjust the brightness, the angle and do a simple cropping to recreate the photo. If you don’t get the shot right at the property, at least fix at the computer before uploading it to the mls.

 

The goal? An audience of 100 realtors who hopefully will never upload another photo that’s eligible for becoming a Worst MLS Photo Of The Day.Cameras with flashes are a must. This is probably the most common form of bad picture we see in the mls, and probably the most easily correctable.

Of course, the alterior motive is another opportunity to expose Vintage Vegas and Mid Century Modernism to my fellow Keller Williams agents.  

The Only thing worse than a bad photo is NO PHOTOS AT ALL!

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Atomic Age Alliance Meeting Tonight At The Liberace Home

May 14th, 2008 Categories: Las Vegas Real Estate News

My apologies that this didn’t get shuffled into the list of Historic Preservation Month activities.

The Atomic Age Alliance meets Monthly on the 2^nd Wednesday of the month, and it’s always at a different and interesting location.

LAS VEGAS CHAPTER May MEETING

Wednesday, May 14th
Meet and Greet 7:00
Meeting from 7:30-9:00

Carpooling to this meeting is MANDATORY. The Las Vegas Villa is in a residential neighborhood and parking is extremely limited to a maximum of six (6) cars.
Plan to park at the Liberace Museum in front of the Tivoli Gardens restaurant between 7:00 and 7:15 PM
The Liberace Museum & Foundation is located at:
1775 East Tropicana Avenue (at Spencer) Las Vegas, Nevada 89119-6529

Look for fellow AAA members waiting out front (they will have a similar bewildered look on their faces), cram as many as possible into each car and share a ride together to the home. If you arrive late, and miss the carpooling, please be extremely considerate of the neighbors. The future of the Villa depends on your parking consideration.
4982 Shirley Street Las Vegas, NV 89119
After the meeting we will return to Tivoli Gardens for a round of cocktails at approximately 9PM

The mansion, now called the The Las Vegas Villa, is host to extravagant parties and weddings. It was one of seven homes Liberace owned around the west before his death in 1987. Liberace held one of only three private gaming licenses in the state of Nevada. Howard Hughes and Frank Sinatra held the other two. The Villa, originally two separate homes, spans 20,000 square feet of elegance with five fireplaces, seven baths, four stationery bars and two kitchens valued at $8 million.
The mansion, open since 1991, has only changed ownership twice since Librace. A one of a kind architectural design, the mansion reflects the lavish lifestyle Liberace enjoyed. The Villa still remains a showcase in and of itself and has been featured on “The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”

 

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The Phillip Johnson “Glass House” - A Handcrafted Work Of Modernist Art And Why It’s Important To Historic Preservation In Las Vegas

May 13th, 2008 Categories: Historic Preservation, Las Vegas History, Mid Century Modern

I’ve been emailing regularly with Martin Skrelunas. He’s the Preservation Manager of the Philip Johnson “Glass House”. The Glass House was donated to the National Trust for Historic Preservation upon the death of Philip Johnson in 2005.

I won’t even pretend to explain this phenomenal work of Mid Century Modernism as well as it’s explained in the video link above. Turn the sound up loud, and watch it full screen.

Martin started the dialog a few months ago when he paid me one of the finest compliments that I’ve ever received as a result of this blog. He said:

I browse dozens of realestate websites a week to find modern home communities, and this is by far the best. I appreciate your understanding of the homes and descriptions.  Very few people would know how to market an untouched house as you just did!

In another email he said:

I am in New Canaan CT, and am working quite closely with our modern homeowners, and am working with others on a larger initiative to bring modern home communities together.  I see your updates daily through Google Alerts.  Google continuously searches for new items that have “mid century modern” in the text.  Your updates are the most constant.  Strong seconds are for a group that discusses and promotes moderns in the Washington D.C. area and for Palm Springs. Also, I would say that you are the only person that really has a variety of relevant material in addition to listings.

Those are exceedingly kind words, but they mean nothing without the resolve and the dedication that goes into fulfilling them. I’ve been asked many times why I mention mid century modern so often. There’s one good reason.

Most Of The Homes In Vintage, Historic Or Retro Las Vegas Fall Under The Category Of Mid Century Modern

The vast majority of the pre-1970 homes in Las Vegas are Mid Century Modern. I can’t help but to be fighting to preserve the historic and classic neighborhoods of Las Vegas without a total dedication to preserving modernist architecture, and the lifestyle it was designed to promote. .

Modernist architecture required big lots. One of the hallmarks of modernist architecture  is exemplified in the Glass House. Bring the outdoors in, and let the indoors get out. That’s why we find the walls of glass, the clerestory windows, and the use of natural materials. That’s why we cherish our big trees and big yards.

Education about modernism is the most important part of my efforts. I meet a lot of people who are shopping for a home. Whether they buy a home or not, they can’t help but to leave me with at least a new found, or a heightened appreciation  for all the amazing elements of modernism that just can’t be found out in the suburbs. I’m hoping that that appreciation is also realized among my many readers. 

Some of our homes are absolutely terrific, and some of them have been absolutely butchered.  The biggest tragedy, and the one that I want to help to correct is the lack of knowledge among the very owners of the mid century modern homes of Las Vegas. The new breed of mid century modern home buyer is aware of the architectural significance, the advantages of modernism, and appreciate its characteristics. But most of our effort has to be given to educating the current owners.

Just as the National Trust, The Glass House, Atomic Age Alliance, Modernism Magazine, Atomic Ranch Magazine are trying to get the word out, VeryVintageVegas is equally dedicated in our own small way. Won’t you please tell a friend or neighbor or co-worker or relative about us? Will you help to spread the word?

The classic homes of Las Vegas deserve to be preserved, and they deserve to have the recognition that similar homes in Palm Springs, or the Eichlers of California receive.

It’s Historic Preservation Month in Nevada. Dinosaur bones, Indian petroglyph, cowboy lore, neon signs, and Mid Century Modernism all have played a role in Las Vegas and Nevada History. 

At VeryVintageVegas, we celebrate them all.  But especially, we celebrate modernism.

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Re-Invention:The Las Vegas News Bureau Captures the Essence of Downtown

May 13th, 2008 Categories: