Comments on: Stop the Billboard!

By: Pete Scantland

Pete Scantland — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:58:15 +0000

If anyone is interested in a balanced perspective on this issue, please visit our new site.
http://www.galleryplacesignagefacts.org/

Thanks

By: pqresident

pqresident — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:36:39 +0000

@Anon March 8 on 12:39 pm – we removed your comment because you violated our posted comment policy.

By: Condo Resident

Condo Resident — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:17:34 +0000

I live in the Condo at issue.

Pete Scantland is spreading mistruths for his own pecuniary interests.

First, the billboards have no where near 98% approval from the residents, in fact, that number is upside down – probably 98% are in opposition. Declarations are currently being collected from angry residents who were not informed about the sign before the Board made a deal with Orange Barrel. I can tell you everyone in the building I’ve spoke with is red hot mad about it.

Mr. Scantland, how would you like it if you had a four story blinking video billboard advertising hard liquor, etc. RIGHT OUTSIDE YOUR BEDROOM WINDOW going everyday/night until 1am without any restriction on noise, brightness, advertising content, etc? You probably wouldn’t.

Also, your statement about “demands for excessive compensation” is another lie. I know I wasn’t offered any money (nor would i accept any money in exchange your billboards to be hung on the side of my home).

Also, what abour your 7th and H sign that burst into flames in Aug 2009? Would you be comfortable with a similar video billboard hanging on the side of your home, next to your kids bedroom? I thought not.

By: Anon

Anon — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:39:01 +0000

Haha– pqliving.com deleted my comment on this topic & then closed the comments as they don’t want to be called out anymore as liars or respond to spot on Orange’s rebuttal. The signs are not illegal & Orange has the right to put them up.

By: Ryder K

Ryder K — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:43:16 +0000

Please do not turn downtown DC into an advertisement. Preserve one of the most historic places on the planet.

By: Pete Scantland

Pete Scantland — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:23:13 +0000

Hi Everyone, I wanted to take a moment to respond to this discussion, as I think I can shed some light on some of the excellent comments being made. I am with Orange Barrel Media, the company handling the proposed screens at Gallery Place. Thank you for the opportunity to respond. The website, stopthebillboard.org, is riddled with inaccurate information. It was started by a few residents (more on this below) that made demands for excessive compensation, beyond our already very generous offer.
1. We are not putting up any signs without building permits. We have just begun discussions with Office of Planning regarding our proposed signs. We have spent more than a year working with the community on the design of our signs, and have secured the endorsement of the Chinatown Community Cultural Center, as well as the Gallery Place Residents Association. At the request of Residents’, we have made a variety of significant revisions to the proposed signs, including decreasing their size, removing audio features, reducing their hours of operation, and changing some of the mediums. We obtained approval and support from 98% of the condominium residents, with four residents opposed to the signs unless we agree to meet their excessive demands for compensation. In some cases the compensation the have requested would exceed the value of their condos. All condominium owners were aware that signage would be installed, as it is explicitly stated in their purchase contracts and declarations that were given to all purchasers of the units, including the publisher of the website in question.
2. We are not attempting to change city code to allow these type of signs – city code was already modified specifically to allow the signs we are proposing, and is codified under section 3107.18 “Rules for Gallery Place Project Graphics.” Our goal has been to bring unique and high quality signage to the Gallery Place project to add vitality and energy to the project. The Gallery Place Signage Regulations were created by the City for the same reason. We believe our signage proposal is the embodiment of what was intended under the Regulations. We also believe that the proposal is in accordance with the planning goals of the Comprehensive Plan, Gallery Place and Chinatown Area. For instance, the “Five Goals of Chinatown” by the Office of Planning discusses exactly the type of vibrant and creative signs we are proposing. The signs also embody much of the testimony and reasoning provided to and by the DC Council’s Committee on Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. Further, these type of signs are consistent (although much smaller than) other signage in the neighborhood, such as the video screens on the Verizon Center.
3. The image and size of the sign shown on the website is completely inaccurate. We have proposed a 45’ tall sign, not a 75’ sign. The rendering makes the sign way larger than we have proposed. Our sign will be 1’ narrower than the existing Regal sign, not twice as wide as shown in the rendering. The website publisher knows this is inaccurate, as he has been at meetings when we discussed the reduced size of the sign.
4. The signs on the corner of 7th and H were installed in accordance with the law, and are fully permitted. They are also operated legally, under the guidelines of the signage code. The website states that we are illegally advertising liquor. This is untrue. The Gallery Place Regulations support our ability to advertise any product, service or tenant available on the property.

Thanks for your time. Please let me know if I can address any additional questions. I can be reached at 614.294.4898
Thanks,
Pete

By: Follow the Money

Follow the Money — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:05:56 +0000

The proposed oversize vidboards are not about enlivening Gallery Place or bringing more people to buy stuff…in fact, some days/nights you could not FIT one more person in the entire neighborhood because it’s gotten so polular. Folks, this is about $$$MONEY$$$ for the developers who lease the space to the billboard companies. These giant vidboard monstrosities are INCREDIBLY lucrative. Follow the money!

By: Emily

Emily — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:03:49 +0000

Why on earth would we want to emulate NYC when we have far more elegance? This attempt to vulgarize the neighborhood is strictly a commercial effort to degrade the quality of our city and architectural integrity of our downtown neighborhoods. For heaven’s sake, this is a few blocks from all the marvelous museums and other delights of our national mall.

By: Raymond

Raymond — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:19:12 +0000

I think residents of Gallery Place would disagree Kevin/Patrick. When we purchased homes at Gallery Place this type of signage was illegal. Now they are attempting to change the nature of our neighborhood. Can you imagine what Dupont Circle or Foggy Bottom residents would do if someone proposed something just 5% as obnoxious as this?

By: Kevin

Kevin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:46:34 +0000

I’m with Patrick. Heck, 7th St. NW is the closest thing we actually have right now, to a “real” city.

By: Samantha Sirzyk

Samantha Sirzyk — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:38:02 +0000

I think it doesn’t hurt to share your opinion with those running the site – perhaps a contrasting view could be enlightening and something for future consideration.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:08:54 +0000

What if we kinda like the billboards? Perhaps a few in the city center isn’t unheard of. It’s not historic Georgetown or sleepy Eastern Market, its our downtown.