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Neon Sign on Akihabara's Radio Kaikan Building Disassembled
posted on by Ko Ransom
On Wednesday night, the neon sign at the front of Akihabara's iconic Radio Kaikan was disassembled as a part of the building's planned demolition. The disassembly began around 8:30 p.m., attracting a crowd that hovered slightly under a hundred people in size (estimated) the majority of the time. The building was first established in the early 1950s, and after various renovations and construction efforts, it grew to become an eight-floor building that operated from 1972 to 2011 with tenants primarily concerned with selling electronics, computers, games, hobby goods, and other items representative of the area. The building's recognizable neon sign was constructed in November 2001.
The building is being demolished due to concerns over its seismic performance (earthquake readiness). After its closing but prior to its demolition, a Steins;Gate promotional event was held where a crashed satellite, which appears in the series that features the building, was recreated.