Saturday, June 18, 2005
Playing in Parole
On the way back home from seeing Ben at Starbucks, I stopped to take some photos at the now-defunct Parole Plaza Shopping Center.
This relic from the sixties (built in 1962) was a shopping center like the one I remember after we moved to Randallstown in 1958. It had already become quite seedy by the time we moved into the area in 1986. Parole Plaza had seen its customer base and many tenants drained away by much more modern and attractive Annapolis Mall, which opened in the early '80s.
The huge lot, which has been vacant for more than a decade now, will eventually become a mixed residential/commerical development. Meanwhile, the big, once-colorful, Kennedy-era "Parole" sign is the last remnant of what once was. I played around with taking some photos of it, and the one I liked best was this quarter note I made from the "A."
Quarter Note
The northeast corner of the Parole Plaza is the site of Annapolis Federal Bank. The "sailboat bank", with its 70-foot high concreate "sails," is quite useful as a navigation landmark when giving directions to out-of-towners. This handsome building, which has been out-of-place at the edge of otherwise ugly Parole Plaza, was designed by Frank Gant of Gant Hart Burnett.
Nice job, Frank!
"Sailboat Bank" - Parole, Maryland
This relic from the sixties (built in 1962) was a shopping center like the one I remember after we moved to Randallstown in 1958. It had already become quite seedy by the time we moved into the area in 1986. Parole Plaza had seen its customer base and many tenants drained away by much more modern and attractive Annapolis Mall, which opened in the early '80s.
The huge lot, which has been vacant for more than a decade now, will eventually become a mixed residential/commerical development. Meanwhile, the big, once-colorful, Kennedy-era "Parole" sign is the last remnant of what once was. I played around with taking some photos of it, and the one I liked best was this quarter note I made from the "A."
Quarter Note
The northeast corner of the Parole Plaza is the site of Annapolis Federal Bank. The "sailboat bank", with its 70-foot high concreate "sails," is quite useful as a navigation landmark when giving directions to out-of-towners. This handsome building, which has been out-of-place at the edge of otherwise ugly Parole Plaza, was designed by Frank Gant of Gant Hart Burnett.
Nice job, Frank!
"Sailboat Bank" - Parole, Maryland
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I like the faded jet contrail in the sky. It adds an interesting touch to the blue sky background. Of course, you planned that, right? :)
--Warren
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--Warren
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