Esoteric Survey

The Fulton Pedestrian Mall is no more. The backwards plan to turn the mall back over to the automobile is being implemented. 
The George Tsutakawa sculptural fountain and Garrett Eckbo designed pool are gone.
The Jan de Swart clock tower will be removed from the center of the mall and pushed to the corner.
No More Claire Falkenstein.


Stan Bitters, in jail.
This Bitters is gone.
Not that they were being taken care of when they were still there.
Peter Voulkos, caged and gone. 

Gordon Newell, suffocating

Jane Jacobs (1916-2006) would have been 100 today. The candy factory secretary and mother, turned journalist and activist didn't have a college degree or any formal training in urban planning--although she continues to be a major influence on the urban planning field. Her 1961 book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, was an attack on modernist planning principles in favor of an appreciation for organic urban vibrancy. Photo: Philosophers' Mail
Robert Moses was a leading planner in New York City. His plans for "urban renewal" included leveling much of Greenwich Village to make way for high rises and a ten lane highway that would have run right through Washington Square Park. Jacobs lived in Greenwich village and her children played in Washington Square park. She led a grassroots effort to stop the plan from moving forward. 
The 1950s plan Jacobs was fighting against.
Source: Ephemeral New York
"There is nobody against this - NOBODY, NOBODY, NOBODY but a bun…

A Cinco de Mayo celebration was held this past weekend at the Fulton Mall in Fresno.  This comes as the City of Fresno is going ahead with plans to rip up the art-filled pedestrian mall. According to an article in the Fresno Bee, "A general contractor to oversee the $20 million project should be selected by late summer. The first chunks of mall concrete could be flying by the fall." See the City's anti-environmental and backwards thinking plan here.Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2015/04/25/4494432_city-hall-officials-full-speed.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy It's bittersweet to see so many people enjoying the mall. Cars could be taking over soon.
The vacant Luftenburg's Bridal has now been replaced with 3 Hermanos furniture.
Still no Falkenstein

Peter Voulkos bench
Stan Bitters jungle gym
See past posts here.
Visit Save the Fulton Mall for more information.

Earlier this month I stopped off at the Fulton Mall again.  I was on the way back from the Stan Bitters: Modern Primitive show at Heath in San Francisco. It's sad that in San Francisco they're honoring Stan's work and in his hometown of Fresno, the city is leaving it in a state of disrepair and are actually working to rip it out. On March 28th a coalition associated with the 1000 Friends of Fresno filed a lawsuit in Fresno County Superior Court. The coalition, called the Downtown Fresno Coalition, challenges the City Council’s certification of an Environmental Impact Report on the proposed Fulton Mall Reconstruction Project. Read about the lawsuit filed to stop the destruction of the mall, here.  The court date is set for October and in the words of Stan Bitters.... The litigation has only begun and we need your continued help raising funds to see us through the legal process. Donate here
Another dry Bitters fountain. 
The Falkenstein sculptures are still missing.  More on th…

Modernica hosted another great Downtown Modernism vintage flea market this past weekend.
 The event was held at the Modernica factory and warehouse in Downtown Los Angeles.   Source: Downtown Modernism
This Spanish Colonial Revival building can be seen in the vintage rendering above. There are some great original buildings on the site.
They really do this event right, including the good food trucks.
Then there were just some good trucks.
Eames and Grossman at The Modern Era booth
Vivika and Otto Hieno at the Michael Hickman booth
The Ten10 booth was dedicated to Saving the Fulton Mall.  Through the generosity of Stan Bitters and Ten10, the proceeds from the sale of all these works by Stan are being donated to efforts to stop the demolition of the historic Fulton Mall in Fresno. I got my shirt.
Towards the end of the day, the booth was looking thin.  A good chuck of change was raised. You can do your part by donatinghere.
More information on the ridiculous plan to demolish the Fulton Mall can be f…

Stan Bitters quote from back in the day. It still holds true.  Time is running out to show your support for modern art, architecture, and historic preservation. The City's plan is not only a waste of tax dollars, but is also based on outdated planning principles. Please donate to put a stop to the destruction of The Fulton Mall in Downtown Fresno.The 1000 Friends of Fresno is filing a lawsuit against the City of Fresno. For this to happen, they need to raise $25,000. They are more than halfway to their goal, but they need your help.Donatehere. Stan is leading the charge to save The Fulton Mall.  He says... "If we don't act fast, the mall is kaput."
Source: Environmental Ceramics
If he were still around, Peter Voulkos would be opening up a can of whoop-ass on the City of Fresno.
Big A, Peter Voulkos  Under the City's preferred option,17 of the 20 existing sculptures would be relocated. There will be asphalt here instead of this sculpture.
Claire Falkenstein would not be …