Drive down 111th St and you will see a bank branch building with a massive crooked "available" sign on the lawn in front of the building. Further east, a newer nice restaurant put up a sign using 5 ft high lighted letters. Another establishment rings their windows with LED lights. I mean is there anyway these signs can get any bigger and brighter? Are gigantic signs and LED lights really that good for business? Are they good for the neighborhood or do they send another message? Perhaps a darker message that hints at desperation? A tremendous positive effort has been put into our commercial strips by our local officials. The improvements to our commercial strips are great but they are greatly cheapened by over the top signage.
What the 19th Ward needs are local guidelines to stop any further over the top signage and of course strict enforcement of the guidelines. Make every applicant for a sign appear before a beautification committee, which will make recommendations to Ald. O'Shea. O'Shea can look to some of the suburbs, which have passed sign ordinances.
Convert vacant buildings to section 8
ReplyDeleteHow about an example of the type of sign you are talking about? Include a picture.
ReplyDeleteThe former Archer Bank building at 111 and Homan. The sign is ridiculously big and easily topple in a heavy wind.
DeleteI suspect you will be seeing a lot more available and for rent signs in the future as Chicago is like a turd in the toilet slowly swirling down, enjoy what you created by voting for these folks.
ReplyDeleteWho wants to do business in the 19th Ward?
ReplyDeleteYou have to bring your own plastic bags and you have to pay a tax on water.
It's still a great place to be.
DeleteIt's a great place to be because of its proximity to suburban shopping.
DeleteMurph is right. The sign pollution is out of control and nobody even considers it. There is a danger that it will start to look like Wisconsin Dells around here. No business should be allowed to erect a sign with letters that measure over 12 inches.
ReplyDeleteWisconsin Dells is a good analogy. City needs to crack down.
ReplyDeleteThe Golden Arches at 103 Kedzie is gross. Should be 1/4 the size it is.
ReplyDeleteInteresting subject. Driving my daughter home, going north on Western from 111th around 11pm, it struck me how dark Western Avenue is. Its a jumble of businesses, nothing uniform in signage, but the poor lighting makes it a dismal drive. The new streetlights put in a few years ago make a dark area even darker and the recent spate of robberies and assaults make it attractive, if you're looking to stick someone up.
ReplyDelete