Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1956)

highway. Whether it should be on or off tlie artery depends primarily on traffic conditions. There are situations in which a good side road offers a better entrance to a drive-in because there is no high-speed traffic on it. A drive-in so located should be readily seen from the main highway, however. The ideal location, other things being equal, is one which presents no cross-traffic problem, either for entrance or exit. Seldom is this possible without resorting to a side road site. If the latter isn’t available, the next best choice is a location which, while advising an entrance on the main highway, permits an exit on to a side road which leads to the highway and, preferably, also to secondary roads suited to the direction of at least a sizable number of the departing patrons. Where the site is highly desirable from every point of view except a cross-traffic situation, it might be possible to get the highway authorities to allow traffic signals to be installed. In deciding on a site, one should learn as soon as possible the tax assessment on it in its unimproved condition, and find out from the highway commissioner what his attitude may be toward a development which is going to affect traffic conditions at this point of the highway. Sooner or later you are going to have to deal with him in planning your entrance and exits, so you may as well make his acquaintance early in the project. DRAINAGE PRECAUTIONS The property may be rolling, or sloping gradually in a certain direction, without meaning too much of a job of earth-moving. In fact, one can take advantage of a slope. What is more critical as a factor of suitability is how the land lends itself to good drainage. Investigation of drainage conditions really should be done by a civil engineer, or a practical road-building engineer. Neglecting to carry out this important detail may mean “living with” a drive-in in a more or less wet condition for many years to come, unless costly drainage facilities and pumping equipment are installed. The engineer can advise if it would be feasible to change certain elevations and divert water in a better direction. In any case, you must have good drainage — before purchasing, or even taking an option, get the facts of the property on this point. Also, there may be water drainage rights along the site that are maintained by the state and cannot be changed without permission should a change become necessary because of the natural grade of the land. ZONING RESTRICTIONS If there are zoning laws, the tract may be in an area zoned for business, in which case the way may be clear for one to go to the township or municipal authorities for a permit. Should the land be in an area zoned as residential, however, one may have a formidable problem. One then must get a variance from the zoning board, or other competent authority. THE HIGHWAY SIGN As soon as one can determine the sizes and structural character of the name and attraction sign, and of the screen tower, these should be ordered to avoid delay in opening. Purchasing a sign structure built up of prefabricated members should shorten the time and quite probably would be the most economical way to get an attractive design. When highway conditions advise placing the screen tower near the highway, its back of course toward it, the highway side can be used to support the name of the drive-in in lighted letters, with a changeable-letter attraction advertising sign beneath them. Otherwise a separate sign structure will be needed, with the attraction advertising about 10 feet above the ground and the name of the theatre eye-fetchingly on top. This should of course be located at the entrance as close to the highway as the authorities permit, with the two faces of the advertising panels (seldom is a onefaced attraction sign adequate) turned to take fullest advantage of traffic in both directions. As examples in accompanying drawings indicate, these panels may sometimes be parallel, while in others they will take some such shape as a triangle. The name of the theatre, when incorporated into a sign structure with changeable letter attraction advertising panels, should not be less than 3 feet high; if well lighted such a height makes the name readily visible for a distance of about 600 feet. Greatest legibility in both dusk and darkness at such a distance is achieved by having the name self-lighted — that is, the letters outlined in neon tubing. To be considered also is whether the location of the sign relative to the entrance advises inclusion of arrows pointing toward the drive, these also to be outlined in neon. Animating the arrows, possibly also the name, has attention-getting value; however, specific approval of that should be obtained in writing from the proper highway official or police. ATTRACTION ADVERTISING EQUIPMENT The best double-faced attraction advertising provisions for a separate sign structure at the entrance are factory-made metallic frames with glass panels, which are made to fit as a unit into the sign structure, forming an enclosure for lamps or neon behind the panels, against which the advertising letters are boldly silhouetted. Letters are made specifically to fit on bars across the panels in such manner that various sizes of letters can be used interchangeably. One can choose aluminum letters, which usually have black enamel faces; or trans 36 Better Theatres 1956 Market Guide