Preservation
Update: Wynne Theater’s Neon Letters Removed
January 11, 2012 | by Rachel Hildebrandt

The neon letters being removed. Photo: Provenance Architecturals
Shortly before Christmas, Provenance Architectural Salvage removed the Wynne Theater’s distinctive marquee from the building on 54th and Arlington Streets in Wynnefield. The marquee’s large neon letters were removed because the Department of Licenses and Inspections deemed them a safety hazard and issued a citation calling for marquee’s demolition. The Lansdale-crafted enameled steel letters are for sale through Provenance. (Full disclosure: Provenance co-owner Robert Beaty is a Hidden City Philadelphia board member).
The removal of the marquee does not mean there is a plan to redevelop the theater, which continues to languish, awaiting a developer. For more information about the theater’s history and the Community Design Collaborative’s vision for the site, click HERE.
Tags: architectural salvage Historic theaters neon signs Provenance West Philadelphia Wynne Theater Wynnefield
About the Author
Rachel Hildebrandt Rachel Hildebrandt, a graduate of PennDesign, is a native Philadelphian who is passionate about the changing city she inhabits. Before beginning her graduate studies in historic preservation with a focus on policy, Rachel obtained a B.A. in Psychology from Chestnut Hill College and co-authored two books, The Philadelphia Area Architecture of Horace Trumbauer (2009) and Oak Lane, Olney, and Logan (2011). She currently works as a senior program manager at Partners for Sacred Places.
Aargh! Please tell me they left the rooftop sign alone, at least.
They did, they just took the letters and four lighting fixtures.