A Sign of the Times

This very subdued shopping center is on Lakewood Avenue just past the intersection of Lakewood and Metropolitan Parkway.  My guess on the style is some hybrid of modern/postmodern.  Modern in the sense that the front is a ribbon of glass, sort of.  Postmodern in material, stucco, and that interesting cover for the walkway and the colonnade supporting the extended roof cover for the walkway.  The windows have been obscured by large poster-like coverings.  The businesses here conform to the approach road in decline, start up businesses by a marginalized constituency.  The parking lot lamps look pretty modern, but they are in disrepair, as evidenced by their leaning over.  The parking lot itself is in state of disrepair.  I guess the catch phrase for this neglect is “deferred maintenance”.

 

I included the previous photo to give context to this photo.  This fantastic sculptural sign took me by surprise as I was scanning the (Metropolitan) strip for interesting photos.  This behemoth straddles the corner of Lakewood and Metropolitan and alerts drivers-by to the location of the Family Dollar store (which I think might not even be there anymore).  Unfortunately the sign is in a state of disrepair.  I love the contrast between the overt sensationalism of the sign and subdued nature of the actual shopping center.  I wonder if this sign can be saved?  (I guess this photo refers less to Ford and more so to Venturi, but I felt compelled to include it.)

 

This strip is on Cleveland Avenue, an approach road from I-85 that intersects with Metropolitan Parkway.  Really, I just had to include this because I was so amused by the proximity of Pleasers to the East Point police station.  The presence of the Pleasers business and the Titlemax speak to the discard zone of transition that pervades most of the southwest side, particularly, but not limited to the approach roads to the city.  The roof  and “starved” classicism of the Titlemax suggests that the corporate architecture has been influenced by the “environmental” designs of the 70s/80s.  Obviously the tastemakers are not concerned with the aesthetics of this area, which is a pastiche of signs, fast food joints and businesses most likely found in marginalized areas.