( CNN ) -- Besides its tall skyscrapers , nothing screams `` New York City '' more than bright neon lights . While neon signs are not unique to New York , at one point they proliferated in tens of thousands of storefronts throughout the city . And just like Broadway , which they are often associated with , neon signs became an iconic part of the city 's landscape by the middle of the twentieth century . But a changing landscape is unfolding and an increasing number of neon signs are disappearing . Six years ago , architectural conservator Thomas Rinaldi started documenting New York 's historic neon signs . `` Old neon signs had caught my attention for many years , but around this time they began to disappear at such a rate that I felt a real sense of urgency to photograph them before they vanished forever , '' Rinaldi said . The result is the book `` New York Neon , '' a visual tour of the remaining exposed-tube neon signs in the five boroughs of New York City . Most of the 200 signs featured in the book are early- and mid-20th century examples , manufactured before 1970 . CNN asked Rinaldi to tell us more about the project recently via e-mail . Following is an edited version of that interview : . What is it about the history or medium of neon lights in New York that intrigues you ? It 's many things . New York 's old neon signs stand out for their design , their great midcentury letterforms , and their materials . But even more than this , the signs almost invariably mark the spots of great old businesses -- bars , restaurants , small stores -- that give New York 's neighborhoods a `` sense of place '' -- a unique identity of their own . Is there a time that one could consider the height of neon signs in New York ? How many neon signs were there ? Many neon sign aficionados would tell you that New York 's best neon signs went up in the 1930s , and I agree . Sign designers really created some beautiful and unique works in the years before World War II . After the War , storefront signs in New York tended to become less inventive , while signs for Route 66-type motels and drive-ins became more flamboyant . This happened partly because of rising labor costs in New York , and partly because of a general shift in emphasis from old urban centers to roadside and suburban development during this period . Why were neon signs so popular ? One of the fascinating things about neon is how it has been popular -- and unpopular -- with different groups for different reasons through the years . From the 1920s through the '50s , neon was intensely popular with business owners for its ability to grab the attention of potential customers . While this is still true , many small business owners have opted for less expensive forms of outdoor advertising since the 1960s . Today , old neon signs are popular with many New Yorkers for their ability to evoke another era and most of all for their association with stalwart old independent neighborhood businesses . Why are they disappearing ? Very sadly , old neon signs in New York are disappearing because many of the veteran businesses they advertise have had a hard time keeping up with the way the city has reinvented itself in the past 20 years . Old businesses ca n't last forever , some close up when their owners pass away or retire . But many cite skyrocketing rents and real estate values for having ushered the demise of old restaurants , bars , hardware stores and other businesses that had been neighborhood institutions for generations . Places like these give neighborhoods an identity and their disappearance has been the cause of much concern for many . When they go , they take their signs with them .
New York offers a visual interpretation of New York 's historic street signs . Many of the old signs are disappearing as businesses close . The new signs evoke another era and place for independent business .