10-B-25-DT

Level I: Woodruff's Building

Recommendation

Staff recommends approval of Certificate 10-B-25-DT, subject to the following condition.1) Sign to be placed centrally, maintaining equal distance from both sides of the sign board.

Map Case File

Applicant Request

Level I: New illuminated sign

- Installation of a reverse channel letter (halo-lit) wall sign measuring 21'-6" wide by 2'-0" tall (43 sq ft). The black channel letters with 3" returns will be mounted on the wall with a 2" standoff, without a raceway, and will be reverse-lit using white LED strip lighting. The sign will be placed centrally on the sign board with a 1'-10" distance from the top and bottom, and will be 14'-8" above ground level. It will replace the existing wall sign of a similar size.

Property Notes / Work to be Completed

- The Woodruff's building is a contributing structure to the Gay Street Commercial Historic District, so the Historic Resources section of the guidelines applies. The proposed 43-sq-ft sign is "below second-story windows on the sign board" and "proportional to the building where it will be installed," consistent with the guidelines.
- The guidelines discourage internally illuminated signs. While the LED lighting strips are installed within the framework of the channel letters, halo illumination is a type of external illumination because the light source does not shine through the sign face. The lighting is directed in a way that creates silhouettes of the letters placed in front of the light. The definitions of internal and external illumination are provided below for reference.
- - Sign Illumination, Internal: Lighting of a sign from internal sources, such as in light source within the framework of a sign cabinet and behind the face of the sign so that light is transmitted through the face of the sign.
  - Sign Illumination, External: Lighting of a sign from a light source external to the body of the sign, so that light is directed on to the face of the sign or directed in a manner so as to create silhouettes of letters or symbols that are placed in front of the light.

Applicable Guidelines

Downtown Design Guidelines

- C. Historic Resources
  - 7. Recommended Signs
  - 7a. Locate signs above storefront windows, below second-story windows on the sign board, or on the storefront windows themselves (30% is maximum coverage), or off the front of the building as a projecting sign (maximum size: 9 square feet).
  - 7b. Create signs that are proportional to the building where they are located.
  - 7c. Do not light signs internally.

See Guidelines

Meeting Date