Comments on: Passing of the Parliament House http://cbuchanan.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/passing-of-the-parliament-house/ Charles Buchanan's Block Prints--and the Magic City That Inspires Them Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:43:48 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: cbuchanan http://cbuchanan.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/passing-of-the-parliament-house/#comment-655 cbuchanan Fri, 22 Feb 2008 02:10:29 +0000 http://cbuchanan.wordpress.com/?p=139#comment-655 It glowed light blue at night?! Now *that* would have been worth preserving. It probably looked like a vision from outer space (or at least California) to the Birminghamians seeing it when it was new! It glowed light blue at night?! Now *that* would have been worth preserving. It probably looked like a vision from outer space (or at least California) to the Birminghamians seeing it when it was new!

]]> By: David http://cbuchanan.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/passing-of-the-parliament-house/#comment-653 David Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:14:56 +0000 http://cbuchanan.wordpress.com/?p=139#comment-653 Accidentally running across video of the demolition yesterday kind of broke my heart. This is the kind of stuff that happens when you're in your 40's, I guess. I moved away from B'ham in '89, so my memories are probably unreasonably romanticized. Still, I so clearly remember The Parliament House in the 60's. Don't know what the ornamental screening draped in front of the windows looked like from the rooms, but the was backlit made the whole structure radiate with light blue coolness at night. So exotic and elegant. I remember one night, riding in the back seat when I was about 6 or 7, as my mom drove past just as some formal affair was taking place in the round, glass enclosed lobby. I caught a glimpse of a woman in a beautiful evening gown coming down that curved staircase and the image has never left me. That was the moment that I first felt like I understood the meaning of urbanity and sophistication. It's only hard to believe because, as usual, no one cared enough to maintain what was so glorious about it. Oh well. I can't even begin to think about them demolishing La Paree (or, as we sarcastically called it, "La Paree de La Downtown"). They can't destroy that sign - can they? Accidentally running across video of the demolition yesterday kind of broke my heart. This is the kind of stuff that happens when you’re in your 40’s, I guess. I moved away from B’ham in ‘89, so my memories are probably unreasonably romanticized. Still, I so clearly remember The Parliament House in the 60’s. Don’t know what the ornamental screening draped in front of the windows looked like from the rooms, but the was backlit made the whole structure radiate with light blue coolness at night. So exotic and elegant.

I remember one night, riding in the back seat when I was about 6 or 7, as my mom drove past just as some formal affair was taking place in the round, glass enclosed lobby. I caught a glimpse of a woman in a beautiful evening gown coming down that curved staircase and the image has never left me. That was the moment that I first felt like I understood the meaning of urbanity and sophistication. It’s only hard to believe because, as usual, no one cared enough to maintain what was so glorious about it.

Oh well. I can’t even begin to think about them demolishing La Paree (or, as we sarcastically called it, “La Paree de La Downtown”). They can’t destroy that sign – can they?

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