As you may know, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently ran a number of articles highlighting the blighted condition of the historic Pittsburgh/Bayer sign atop Mt. Washington. The articles suggest that the City's ban on electronic billboards prevents the repair of the sign.
However, as Scenic Pittsburgh's Executive Director Mike Dawida points out in his Letter to Editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, there is no law preventing Lamar Advertising from removing the rust, repairing the lighting or addressing the sign's ugly details.
The City must carefully consider plans to "upgrade" the sign. What will become of the sign after the Bayer lease expires? Why has the existing sign been allowed to sink into disrepair? How will the proposed "upgrades" impact the scenic, environmental and historic landscape of the area? Will the City of Pittsburgh be blighted with the world's largest electronic billboard into perpetuity? Will "upgrading" the sign truly be energy efficient, considering that an LED sign that size could use up to three hundred times the energy of the average household each year?
Scenic Pittsburgh, as a public voice for public space, is working with civic leaders to answer these questions. Our goals are to:
- Make certain that the Pittsburgh/Bayer sign is no longer an eyesore to the community;
- Safeguard the sign as an historic emblem of the City of Pittsburgh;
- Ensure that the repairs of the sign respect the scenic, historic and natural environment; and
- Prevent any conversion of the sign which will blight the public space we all share.
Scenic Pittsburgh will continue to speak on behalf of the people in regard to the Pittsburgh/Bayer sign. We encourage you to contact us with your thoughts so that we can continue to represent your views on these issues. Email Us or contact us on Facebook or Twitter.
