EDINA THEATRE SIGN

The Edina Theatre is an Art Deco style motion picture theater located at 3911 W. 50th St.. Built in 1934, the original design by Liebenberg & Kaplan featured a brick faced, ziggurat stepped façade with a tower, metal canopy, and lighted sign. Since it opened on Aug. 31, 1934, the theater has undergone extensive alterations, including replacement of the original canopy and marquee, modifications to the entrance, lobby, lounge, box office, and retail shop spaces; all but 30 feet of the auditorium was reconstructed in 1984. Nevertheless, the building’s historic plan and form remain largely intact.

For planning purposes, the theater sign is treated as the primary heritage preservation resource requiring protection as an Edina Heritage Landmark.

DESCRIPTION
The Edina Theatre sign that exists today is a reconstruction of the original 1934 electric lighted sign that was destroyed by a tornado in 1981. The sign is made of steel and covered with sheet metal. “Edina” is spelled out with fluorescent tubing, surrounded by flashing incandescent light bulbs that are illuminated in sequence to simulate movement. (This type of animated signage was first seen in 1923 in New York City’s Times Square and was a common movie house design element until World War II.) In combination with the bright fluorescent and blinking lights on the marquee and canopy (which were intended to draw attention to the signboards advertising the current features), the purpose of the lighted sign was to capture the attention of passing motorists. More than seventy years after it was first illuminated, the sign continues to produce a dramatic transformation of the nighttime streetscape along 50th Street. An important example of public art in its own right, the sign defines the historic character of the 50th and France commercial district, where it evokes a strong sense of community identity as well as nostalgia.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Although it is one of the last remaining prewar movie houses in the Twin Cities, the Edina Theatre building has lost much of its historic significance as a result of alterations which have removed or obscured many of its Art Deco details. In 2002, the Edina Heritage Preservation Board found that the reconstructed theater sign was the property’s most historically significant architectural feature and determined it alone was eligible for Edina Heritage Landmark designation as an historic object. The City’s preservation code allows for the designation of historic objects as landmarks as cases where the historic resource is a significant example of public art related to a specific location. In this case, although the physical relationship between the sign and the theater building is important in defining its historic identity, it is understood that the heritage value of the sign is not necessarily dependent upon preservation of the theater façade.

PLAN OF TREATMENT
The Edina Heritage Preservation Board uses the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties as the authoritative guide for its design review decisions. Within the framework of these standards, and in consultation with the property owner, the Board has adopted the following general and specific guidelines specially tailored to the preservation requirements of the Edina Theater sign:

1) The Edina Theater sign will be recognized as a work of public art that is important to the cultural life of the city as a whole.

2) The preferred preservation treatment is rehabilitation, defined as the process of maintaining the sign in a state of utility through repairs and minor alterations which make possible an efficient contemporary use while preserving those features which are significant to its historical and artistic values.

3) While the historical significance of the sign is related to its specific location at the site of the Edina Theater, the existing theater building is not a primary heritage preservation resource. However, in its present condition the theater building makes a positive contribution to the historic character of the sign; therefore, its historical value and preservation potential also needs to be recognized and respected.

4) The owner will be expected to apply measures to sustain the existing form, integrity, and material of the theater sign, including repair and stabilization work where necessary as well as ongoing maintenance. Repair and replacement of deteriorated features should be based on accurate duplications of the original, based on historical, pictorial, or physical evidence.

5) The distinguishing historical qualities and character of the sign (i.e., its height, shape, and lighting) should not be destroyed. The removal or alteration of any historic fabric or decorative detailing should be avoided whenever possible.

6) A reasonable effort shall be made to preserve the theater sign in place without altering its height and setback.

7) If the sign must give way to new development, it may be relocated to a new site with compatible surroundings where it can be preserved and rehabilitated.