The Hollywood sign is marking its 95th year and is one of the most popular landmarks in the world. Recently, Warner Bros. offered to build a $100 million tram to allow people to see it up close.
Heres how the sign has changed and more about that tram.
Possible tram
This week Warner Bros. disclosed that it is considering fully financing a $100 million aerial tram from its lot in Burbank to the Hollywood sign in Griffith Park. Heres how that might affect the area:
Residents near the sign have had to deal with traffic congestion around Griffith Park, so in January, transportation consulting firm Dixon Resources Unlimited released a comprehensive report on possible solutions. One included creating an aerial tram, while other plans included constructing a second Hollywood sign on the other side of the mountain or developing a shuttle service up Beachwood Canyon.
The Los Angeles City Council said it would assess the report and determine if any of the solutions were feasible.
How the sign has changed
The Hollywood sign was dedicated as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1973. It hasnt always been appreciated as it is today. And, like many things in Hollywood, the sign has undergone a few facelifts.
Taking care of a landmark
The sign has undergone several renovations since it was built in 1923. The land and sign were sold to Los Angeles in the mid-1940s, and the Department of Parks and Recreation rebuilt the sign in 1949 and removed the “land” letters.
Alice Cooper buys a vowel
The biggest renovation came in 1978 after several celebrities, including Playboy Magazine owner Hugh Hefner, raised funds to rebuild it. The letters were auctioned off for $27,500 apiece ($104,828 in 2018 dollars).
The nine donors for the sign by letter:
Since 1992, The Hollywood Sign Trust, a nonprofit organization, has been in charge of maintaining and securing the sign.
Neighbor trams?
Warner Bros. isnt the only one thinking about aerial trams in L.A.
This year, a company submitted plans to the city of Los Angeles for an aerial tram that would link Union Station to Dodger Stadium.
Aerial Rapid Transit Technologies hopes to have the tram operating in 2022.
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