Park Road Shopping Center opened in Charlotte, NC, in 1956 as the city’s first open-air shopping center. Also unveiled was the retail plaza’s trademark: a large, eye-catching sign that welcomes passersby and invites people to stop and explore.
The local Charlotte community has witnessed Park Road Shopping Center’s modernization over the years while staying true to its history. The iconic red “Park Road Shopping Center” sign reflects the area’s rich history and required careful restoration to preserve this cornerstone of the community.
After 64 years, water had compromised the wood structure, prompting our team to seek out an expert to restore this treasured monument. In November 2019, we partnered with Modulex, a Charlotte-based design-build firm, to restore the sign to its rightful state. Modulex specializes in sustainable, custom signage and has collaborated with EDENS on local projects in Charlotte including Atherton and Kenilworth Commons.
As stewards of the community, EDENS is committed to sustainable practices to invest in future generations. It was vital to identify a partner who would understand the importance of the iconic sign and use green solutions in the restoration process. Modulex was the ideal partner for this project because of its passion and expertise in ecological restoration methods.
When we were approached by EDENS on this project, our entire team was excited and honored by the opportunity to restore such an important sign in our community. Watching our team carefully revitalize each piece was a fun sight to see. I know the entire community is appreciative of EDENS for their dedication to preserving CLT’s rich history.
Modulex began by carefully disassembling the original sign at Park Road Shopping Center that previously had not been touched since 1956. Modulex used “green” dustless blasting to remove the ceramic enamel coating from the 308 original panels, made from recycled glass bottles. They carefully restored each of the pieces of the sign before reinstalling over the course of seven months.
The sign itself held historical elements discovered by Modulex as they began the restoration process including neon parts and electrical components from the ’60s along with an old Pepsi Cola Bottle. EDENS and Modulex can only wonder that a sign worker purchased the Pepsi from the original Colonial grocery store and left it behind after a hard day’s work.
I have never been around any center that means more to a single community than Park Road. If you are ever lucky enough to acquire something that has been in the community for a long time, you must understand what it means to the people around it. The restoration of this sign is a testament to our commitment to Park Road and its passionate community.
In July 2020, the iconic Park Road Shopping Center sign was officially restored and reinstalled. Thanks to a collaboration with Modulex, EDENS revived this historic and cherished landmark, which holds countless stories from generations of the Charlotte community. These stories continue to unfold and be created under the iconic red and white of the Park Road Shopping Center.
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