Enlarge Image

Sunbursts on the Bardavon Theater's marquee erupt with the warm shades of sunset while white light races around the listing of featured performers. Up on the 35-foot high blade sign the white lights within the open channel letters etch the name "Bardavon" on the evening sky. This festival of light is created by 3600 direct-incandescent replacement LED light bulbs that replaced incandescent light bulbs in the marquee and blade sign. The installation of the LED bulbs resulted in improvements in aesthetics, maintenance and energy efficiency. "Incandescents were replaced for a number of reasons not limited to power savings, replacement cost savings, and a new look and feel of the marquee in general," explains Jason Adams, who orchestrated the project for the Bardavon.

The Bardavon Theater, located in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., has hosted entertainment for Hudson River Valley residents for more than 130 years. Artists who have treaded the boards include author Mark Twain, crooner Frank Sinatra and dancer Martha Graham. A victim of suburban cineplexes, the Bardavon closed in 1975 and was slated for demolition when local residents rescued the elegant venue. As part of the renovation project, the Bardavon's original three-sided 1940s era marquee and the vertical blade sign were replaced with replicas that still used incandescent light bulbs as light sources. Later, the 3600 incandescent lamps were replaced with energy-efficient LED bulbs from LEDtronics Inc., a manufacturer of LED lamps.

For more details, visit
LEDs Headline at Historic Theater