Ald Young Missed a Billboard in Her Ward
This post is a continuation of a post from yesterday, regarding signs. Seventh ward Alderman Phyllis Young had written the following regarding a painted anti-eminent domain sign/mural on the side of a building:
I have worked diligently throughout my career as an alderman to reduce the number of billboards cluttering our neighborhoods and our city. As you drive I-44 you’ll see no billboards in my ward from Compton east to the intersection with I-55 other than the one in the commercial area at Jefferson. The wall sign is an affront to the neighborhoods, drivers, and the city. It should be denied and removed.
In yesterday’s post I included countless signs mostly from her ward, few if any had permits. I’m pretty certain, for example, that Dodge does not have a car dealership located within the stadium east parking garage despite large signs for the car company. But among my many pictures I did not have the one shot I should have had and as a result someone had the following comment:
In the alderwoman’s defense, the pictures you show do nothing to refute that paragraph, as none of them are visible from I-44.
To clarify here, Ald Young indicates reducing “the number of billboards cluttering our neighborhoods and our city” but I was able to illustrate many signs cluttering the city, and the 7th ward. But wait, what it that I see at I-44 & I-55, viewed from the Mississippi St bridge over I-44?
Oh yes, that would be a billboard located in the 7th Ward and seen from east bound I-44. This is in addition to the one seen at Jefferson & I-44 that is in the 7th Ward and a couple at Jefferson located in the 6th Ward.
Above: From the McKinley-Heights neighborhood you can see the highway and the forgotten billboard in full glory.
Here is the same billboard as seen from Gravos near Tucker. Gee, I’m not sure how Ald Young could have forgotten about this billboard. I’m guessing she’s been too busy figuring out how to raze Bohemian Hill to notice? If you look closely under the highway you can see the eminent domain sign that is such an “affront.” Take a look at the above picture again. Someone please tell me how that painted political slogan on the side of a relatively small alley building is the affront and not everything else I am looking at?
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From the Tucker bridge over the highway(s) the sign is visible but in the big scheme of things is not the most offensive sight.
Directly in front of the sign suggesting we end eminent domain abuse is this area inside the cloverleaf where storage trailers are covered in graffiti. I’m sure Ald Young and all the neighborhood groups have been working hard to clean this up too…
Here are some additional thoughts:
- All the other signs I showed, I did not say I objected to those. I was simply showing the proliferation of signs and the city’s inability to recognize the fact that vinyl banners are put up ‘temporarily’ for years as a means of skirting their antiquated sign ordinance. I actually like a good many signs although I prefer higher quality signs over the long-term use of vinyl banners.
- Painted signs have a long history in cities — a good ‘model example’ to use our local historic preservation preference for citing other examples in the city. Several buildings adjacent to this one but closer to Tucker have evidence of much larger painted signs as one time.
- The city’s sign ordinance is long overdue for a major overhaul/replacement. In the late 60s and early 70s it was thought that clutter contributed to the loss of population and general decline of the city. However, many cities that are thriving and full of life and people exhibit what St. Louis officials consider to be clutter to be removed. They’ve managed to remove the clutter and the people that go with it.
- Roos’ sign is downright ugly, but that doesn’t mean he should not have the legal right to paint the side of his building. In other words, do we all not have the right to place some art or message on the sides of our own buildings facing an adjacent property rather than a public street?
- As everyone has noticed, the message is wrong — you shouldn’t say ‘end eminent domain abuse’ and have the red circle with cross through it — that looks like you support eminent domain abuse.
- Words do not make a sign per the ordinance just as images only without words automatically makes something an artistic mural. I bet someone could paint a wonderful mural without a single word to communicate the same message. Sounds like a fun contest to me…
- Two web addresses are shown on the mural but are more a ‘signature’ if you will and are not readable by anyone passing by on the highway or other roads like Gravois — you must seek out the sign to notice the web addresses, which are, mo-cpr.org and medac.info.
- The St. Louis political establishment has no problem with signs throughout our city as long as they are for beer, smokes, or cars and those companies donate to campaigns or throw big parties with lots of free booze and food. Policical positions against the wishes of the establishment are simply not tolerated.
Establishment? Oh yeah. The Catholic Church is also very much a part of the Establishment. We’re an old town and we’ve built up a big Establishment. You got your unions, your democrats, and your Catholic Church; your city workers, your firemen, and your cops; bankers, brokers, and car dealers, they’re all part of the establishment. It’s a lonely world going up against the establishment in this town…or any town.
Walk and driving by many of the signs you have photographed got me thinking about why I have a problem with this sign. It is the fact the he basically defaced a building he is trying to save. It doesn’t look like art or advertising, it looks like graffiti.
To me, and I bet many other drivers on 44 and Gravois, this almost emphasizes the case that this is a blighted neighborhood, because it shows a disregard of the owner for his own property. From 44 or Gravois the building exists only as a protest sign, not as a historic building with residents worthy of saving. Would it have helped to paint a big “End Historic Demolitions” with line through it on the side of the Century Building?
I would not have had a problem had he actually erected or attached a similarly sized sign or banner on the property.
I’m right with you on the sign ordinances. While the large and tight canvas banners banners typically advertising developments add color and show downtown’s progress, the large number of cheap banners like those on the establishments around the ballpark lack permanence and make you feel these places are just temporary. Its much worse when these signs proliferate in neighborhood commercial districts. There needs to some laws clarifying and restricting the use of this type banner advertising.
Yes, I am a sign snob.
I think the building coupled with the sign makes it art, same as the wrecked ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ car you might see in a parade or near a funeral home or wrecking service. Ignore the message, and see what can happen.
People will debate long after Im dead about what constitutes art – that doesnt seem to be the issue here – The fact of the matter is that this guy had a message to get across – look – our world has become an increasingly complicated place to live in. Every day an increasingly complex array of philosophies and points of view vye for our attention. While the internet, blogs and the media bog us down with mostly bland and unintersting fare– someone who wants to make a serious political statement, including artists, have and should take to the streets, erecting works of art that are so in our face that they just dont ask for our attention,they demand it. Art or not, he got my attention. Thats probably why Phyllis Young wants this sign gone. If in fact the Board has allowed other signs that fall outside of the city’s rules or regulations, they shouldnt disallow this sign simply becasue they dont like the message or subject matter.
In general, for good or bad, I’d say we have no enforcement. In that environment, this action is suspect because it can (correctly or incorrectly) be perceived as based on the content of the speech. Consider this one, nearly twice as large as permitted (not including the Billiken):
http://www.archcitychronicle.com/blog_detail.php?entry_id=2706
Anyone want to bet on the chances that the owners will be required to remove it?
We apparently have a range of opinion about what constitutes too big and too much, as well as what constitutes historical precedence. What this raises, besides the free-speech issue, is a very real need to define reasonable limits AND to enforce them equitably on a city-wide basis. Personally, even with my libertarian leanings, I’m in the camp that there does need to be limits on both size and placement. Fundamentally, signs are meant to impact the world outside of a specific property, which means trampling on another person’s property and/or the public realm. Without limits, someone (like the Lowe’s at Loughborogh Commons) could argue that they have the “right” to wrap their building in adverting (like a bus) and/or to put up signs of any size in their parking lot and/or to string penants or launch tethered weather balloons to attract attention to their location. Bigger ain’t necessarily better, it’s just tackier! And yes, residential areas should be free from commercial advertising!
I mostly agree with you, JZ. But I also see no point in having laws that aren’t enforced, or are enforced with bias. That goes for traffic and controlled substances as much as signage.
Yeah, biased enforcement, especially with political over- or undetones, is worse than no enforcement at all . . .
I do find it interesting, too, that we’re having this discussion the week that Lady Bird Johson died – she was a major force in reducing the number of billboards in the 1970’s. It almost seems like the tide’s starting to shift back to “more is better” now . . .
First, let me state that I support the sign, but let me play devil’s advocate. Do we have any evidence that the sign ordinance is being applied with bias?
One can argue the vinyl signs are temporary. The sign ordinance has a big exception for temporary signs.
The sign ordinance is zoning based. I would bet the anti-ED sign is in a more residential zone compared to the other examples Steve has been able to gather from the 7th Ward.
Granted I don’t think such a stink would be made if the sign wasn’t so poorly designed or expressed a view against the alderman.
Chris, your last sentence nails the problem: because of poor enforcement in general and the knowledge that the alderwoman doesn’t like the message, it can be perceived as being made with bias. And as we all know, in our efforts to bring back the City, Perception is in many ways reality.
I’m very respectful to others and whoever has met me will tell you the same. I’m not beginning respected. Its hard for my heart to see any citizen begin taking advantage of by private, government, public and any agents.
Eminent Domain- is a Ghost we all do not see it until it appear at your door steps or your love ones.
I live in St. Louis, Missouri ward 17 my mortgage property is “blighted” by a powerful well respected developer Cortex located on Forest Park. However, I’m a little black poor girl that worked myself off of welfare and become a first time home buyer. Then started a licensed daycare on the first floor. We live on the second floor in my mix use two family home. Now, economic sabotage
through the use of Eminent Domain is causing me and my daughter to become homeless.
I respectfully told everyone in writing, my business and family is extremely fragile, at risk of becoming displace. Please stop sabotaging my business and home. Now, no one seems to care about my home,business, and most important my daughter’s education. The people drive down Laclede thinking look at those beautiful homes. Why! Because “blight” and “eminent domain” is not seen like a ghost until you check the City Hall records.
I thank Jim for making the Eminent Domain ghost appear so others can see and hear. What seemed to be so ugly with a paint job so neatly done like the work of art caused by a law that so ugly.
But, its okay for citizen to carry the pain in their heart and soul of their taking there property. We all must die, we want to at least be able to leave our property to our loved ones or some cash. But, Eminent Domain leaves us with pain and, “No pot to piss in, No window to through it out of”.
I’m respectful but the truth must be told. I ask for other people to speak out with paint on their business and homes. So we can stick together like Elmer’s glue because City Hall and the Developers do. I need to see and hear who you are so we can work together and change the law. A quite mouth won’t get fed so stop crying while laying in your bed. Stand up pick up your paint brush and speak out. Please make the eminent domain loud and clear.
If it’s so ugly stop using the eminent domain laws too. I ask for peace, adequate financial compensation too. All I want is a new home and my business again teaching little ones all over again. Not asking the developer for a pair of socks while we sleep in a card board box. (314) 641-9930 http://www.helpbts.com please a make a donation today waiting for. We need a new house too and advice on what to do.
Feel free to bloghelpbts.com told us how you feel about eminent domain.
I hate electoral campaigns because they always live a mess. Be it the posters we see all over the walls or the billboards and banners abandoned on the highway or the mass media chaos with their talk shows and public appearances. Can't we have just one big show where the candidates expose their agenda and then make them wait patiently until the voters decide who wins?
_________
Frank Tannehill – domain
I hate electoral campaigns because they always live a mess. Be it the posters we see all over the walls or the billboards and banners abandoned on the highway or the mass media chaos with their talk shows and public appearances. Can't we have just one big show where the candidates expose their agenda and then make them wait patiently until the voters decide who wins?
_________
Frank Tannehill – domain
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It is true that billboards and vinyl banners are sometimes put in wrong places just because the local authorities or private companies are racing for money, but we do not have to forget to keep our neighborhood clean of unwanted messages, especially when the cited company doesn't have a local business open. Some of us might consider them as SPAM, but where should we make a complaint about this?