Showing posts with label Funset Strip. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Funset Strip. Show all posts

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Near-Town Motel

c. 1969
c. 2009
1865 E. Van Buren

Monday, October 15, 2012

Old Faithful Inn

1950s
c. 2009
1916 E. Van Buren

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Morrissey - My Love Life

This music-video was shot in Phoenix circa late-1991, mostly along Van Buren street, particularly on the east side. Most of the motels in these shots were on their last legs and are gone now, but a couple seen here remain: The Arizona, and The Mission (now called Paradise Motel).

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Phoenix Star Theater

1964
1964
1964
1964
c. 1964
In 1963, the Star Theater was built as a convention center for Del Webb's Hiway House, which was then on the northwest corner of 32nd Street and Van Buren. As you can see, it was originally built with decorative copper plating. The copper was removed and sold off in later years. In 1964, Buster Bonoff began a long run of wintertime musical and theatrical productions at the theater.
Buster Bonoff, 1964
1964
1965
1965
1967
In the late 1960s, many notable rock bands played the Star as well, including The Grateful Dead, Cream, and Frank Zappa.
Cream at Phoenix Star Theater, 3/17/1968
c. 1970
1971


By 1974, the Star had been renamed Celebrity Theater, and the Rock/Pop/R&B concert schedule, for which it has become renown, was expanded throughout the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
1976
1977

Today

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Del Webb's Hiway House

c. 1956
c. 1956
c. 1959
c. 1959
c. 1960


1961
1961
1970s

A couple of interesting historical footnotes are worth pointing out here: circa 1995 the Arizona Department of Corrections acquired the property and used the rooms as a detention facility for female inmates, calling it the Arizona Center for Women. Also, Celebrity Theater was built in 1963 as a convention center for the Hiway House complex, and is all that remains of the Hiway House today.


3130 - 3148 E. Van Buren Street

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Lazy "A" Motel

c. 1951
c. 1956
c. 1991
2635 E. Van Buren

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Wednesday, September 12, 2012