Tuesday, July 21, 2015

PI Update: What's Up At Mannequins?

So this is what's become of Mannequins Dance Palace. You can hide the entryway, you can hide the elevator, but we know they're still there!

One year ago.
With the former entrance now covered-up, the new entrance will apparently be down this corridor that used to run along The Waterfront. The new entrance appears to be in the old 8TRAX building which is slightly visible to the right beyond Mannequins. (At the rear, that's STK under construction.)
Extensive brickwork will greet guests crossing the new Number 2 Bridge from Town Center over to the Island.
Of course if you don't want to head along the springs towards the former 8TRAX, you'll be able to, just as in the years gone by, continue straight north on this street here past Raglan Road to the Hub.  There you will find the new water taxi stop and Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar.  Turning left at the Hub and heading up Hill Street will take you to The Edison or the old bridge to the West Side.
With Morimoto Asia supposedly opening in September, this area needs to be ready. And with workers seen here working on Raglan Road's iron fences which are currently inaccessible by construction walls, perhaps those walls will be moving even sooner!

8 comments:

FN said...

Nice coverage and pics, King Bob! Many thanks!

Anonymous said...

Which sounds like it would fit with the concept of Disney Springs, a turn of the century Florida town? Merriweather's Fireworks Factory, a dance hall exploding with fun after dark or an Asian restaurant with a chef on 21st century reality tv? I forgot how the mannequins fit into the back story but Mannequins or Fireworks Factory; either one makes a lot more sense than a restaurant.

KingBob said...

Thanks, FN!

Anon, Mannequins was a canvas factory for making sails. Meriweather Adam Pleasure owned a steam locomotive which used a large turntable for turning around. In later years they used the turntable as a revolving dance floor.

Brian said...

MANNEQUINS
Pleasure Island Canvas Works Fabrication Plant
1912

Second building erected on the island, this actually housed Merriweather Pleasure's famous canvas fabrication works. In the 1930s, it was converted to a soundstage for Invincible Pictures, then into a design studio and workshop for various Pleasure projects. Most notable of these was a huge locomotive powered by a combination of steam and magnetic power. A colossal turntable was installed to facilitate the work on this revolutionary product, called "Maxwell's Demon", that was intended to revolutionize world transportation.

It didn't.
For further unverifiable information on the life and times of Pleasure Island, refer to the theoretical historical plaques located at the island's entrances.

Brian said...

years back at the back exit! smokers patio! on the wall above the doors they had a picture of "Maxwell's Demon"

Anonymous said...

The! rotating! dance! floor! is! still! in! there! !! !!! !!!! !!!!!

Anonymous said...

pics?

KingBob said...

I've heard no new information about the rotating dance floor. The last I had heard, it was still there but being covered up with new flooring over it, for the restaurant.

Thanks, Brian!