On the way to the Music is Art festival yesterday I passed by the new Pano's on Elmwood. I couldn't believe it. Pano said that the project was going to be completed by mid-September, and by the looks of it the doors should open any day. The awnings have been installed, the lights are on, the balconies look to be completed… even the sign is lit up.
Later I cruised back by the restaurant on my way home. I couldn't help but be mesmerized by the sign. At first I didn't notice that it was changing colors, but after a couple of seconds the bright red lettering washed into a bright pink. The little black squares within the lettering and the solid blue backdrop color visually anchored the sign. At night, Panos has become a visual showstopper due to the spellbinding sign. Other interesting features on the building are the crank awnings that, when closed, look like they deter the natural elements from the balcony. There are functional awnings as well as aesthetic awnings. I really like the lighting at night... both the interior and the directional lighting makes for a dramatic effect. I must say that there is more character than I had anticipated - the building came together nicely and does add to the streetscape. Had the Atwater House been saved, it would have looked great next to this dynamic addition.