Retail Transformations Give Me a Sign! Helpful hints for signage, awnings, lighting & painting for businesses in historic buildings & districts City of Tacoma Tacoma Economic Development Department
Give Me a Sign! For business owners located in Landmark Buildings or in Historic Districts, the process of obtaining permission to make changes to the exteriors of their buildings can seem a bit confusing at times. But elements such as signs, awnings and exterior lighting are an important part of a vibrant commercial core, both historically and in modern times. By carefully considering designs and different signage options, businesses can successfully attract clientele while at the same time preserving the character of the streetscape. This guide is designed to help the business owner or property manager start and stay on the right track and to make the process simpler, faster, and hopefully as painless as it can be. On the cover: Businesses within the Union Depot/Warehouse Historic District display a variety of options, including blade signs, neon in the windows, awnings and sandwich boards. Elegant simplicity: Below, the Bijan exhibits a traditional storefront configuration, with subtle colors and gold lettering in the sign band below the transom windows.
Give Me a Sign! Signs and Awnings Are Allowed! Contrary to some people s beliefs, new signs and awnings are permitted in all historic districts and on all Tacoma Landmarks, if approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. New awnings and signs are common on old buildings in the Old City Hall District, the Union Depot/Warehouse Historic District and Union Station Conservation District. While this doesn t mean that all new signs or awnings are appropriate, it does mean that businesses in historic buildings and districts have options for sprucing up their advertising and street appeal. Design a Sign When considering sign options, business owners should consider their goals in proposing a sign: is it to attract customers, to help customers locate the business, or to create an identity? When these goals are made clear, it is often easier to find a solution that both helps the business achieve its needs and is compatible with the building. Ask yourself, What is necessary to meet my goals? Applicants may find it helpful to look at comparable buildings and businesses to see what others have done to meet their signage needs. In general, most business or property owners will find hiring a professional sign company that is accustomed to the design review process very helpful. Common examples include: Blade Signs Blade signs are typically hung below a canopy above the entrance to a business, bolted to the wall of the building or suspended from a metal arm near the business entrance, or mounted on the corner of the building. While too many signs, or large and out of scale signs, can have an unpleasant effect on the historic streetscape, blade signs are an important element in the historic character of commercial urban areas. Generally, the content of blade signs should be limited to the name of the business, building, or address, and the lettering and sign itself should be of a scale appropriate for pedestrians. Signs should be hung from existing elements, such as canopy bracing (or existing sign brackets if there are any), or should be fastened in a manner that avoids damaging historic masonry (such as placing lag bolts between mortar joints instead of into the bricks). In the example on the right, the Starbucks corporate logo is used, and is scaled appropriately for slow moving vehicle traffic and pedestrians. The bolts are anchored between the bricks in the mortar joints.
On the right: The Sprague Building, an individually listed landmark, used applied lettering in the sign band in a traditional font. Sign Band Lettering Many historic storefronts reserved a space beneath the transom windows and above the entrance for sign lettering. Painted wood letters in a traditional typeface are generally the most appropriate for sign bands, but business owners can also introduce their own lettering or style in this area with good results. Generally, down or up-lighting is preferable to backlit, internally lit, or neon signs. Many sign companies offer adhesive mounting options that are more easily removed with less damage than peg mounts. Raceway Lettering Where there is no sign band, raceways can be mounted to the facades of buildings using semipermanent attachments, and then the signs can be interchanged. A major benefit of raceways is that they have fewer attachment points, resulting in less impact to the building. Although neon and internally lit signs are generally discouraged for the Union Station/ Union Depot Warehouse Districts and are not always appropriate for historic buildings, in certain circumstances neon lighting can add to the commercial vibrancy of historic areas. The Taco Del Mar sign, above, uses the proprietary logo mounted to a raceway, with downlighting, in addition to a blade sign. Let There Be Light! There are literally thousands of lighting options, both reproductions and new designs, available for the exteriors of historic buildings. In some cases, there are enough original exterior fixtures to provide guidance for new fixtures. Often, however, especially for buildings that have been adapted for new uses, there is no exact historic match. There are many lighting designers and companies that can help you find the right lighting for your needs. Take a walk around your area and see what other businesses have done. Less is usually more, and simple is usually best. It is recommended that exterior lighting on a building be designed as a system, to avoid a haphazard selection of lights and fixtures. Clutter should be avoided, as should any elements that are obviously incompatible: a large chrome and neon sign might work for a streamline moderne restaurant, but probably not for a 1900s warehouse. Likewise, hammered bronze sconces look great on Craftsman Bungalows, but look silly on cast iron storefronts. Avoid attempting to create a design theme through your lighting the best new fixtures will do what they are designed to do, and go otherwise unnoticed.
In the example on the left, in the Old City Hall Historic District, the awning is placed individually between the columns of the façade, complementing the architectural character of the retail front. Businesses often add lettering, with their name or address, to the valance of the awning to advertise. Fawning Over Awnings Awnings are also an important part of the streetscape, and like signs, they serve important functions: sheltering pedestrians from rain and sun, and advertising the business within. Generally, awnings should not obscure major architectural features, should complement the building, should avoid high gloss materials and internal lighting, should appear to be retractable, and should be removable in the future without damaging the building. Awnings originally were a functional element of the streetscape and thus, new awnings should be designed large enough to actually provide shelter to pedestrians. Just Slap On a Fresh Coat of Paint Choosing appropriate paint colors for your historic building can seem like a daunting task, but it is far from impossible. Many people don t realize that there is no approved palette for Tacoma s landmarks or historic districts. Owners of historic properties are free to pick new colors, subject to Landmarks Commission approval. A basic rule of thumb is this: if the surface wasn t painted in the past, don t paint it now. Some paints can cause significant damage to masonry surfaces over time, and most paint is very difficult to remove. It is also recommended that owners of historic buildings conduct some research on the original colors of their building. Although professionals can be hired for this, often original colors can be seen in protected places, such as under eaves or cornices, in cracks, and in other sheltered areas. If the original paint colors are known, you can simply put on a fresh coat. Otherwise, owners may wish to select a newer, compatible palette. Choosing an appropriate paint color can be accomplished in a number of ways. Though appropriate colors often are subdued hues, this doesn t mean that everything must be drab. What it does mean is that colors with names like lime zest or cotton candy are probably not appropriate. However, many paint companies produce historical palettes that contain a wide variety of color options. As a general rule, it is best to keep it simple, use contrasts to highlight features of buildings, and try to use colors that reflect the design intent of the building. Apply for Your Permit Once you are ready to proceed, submit your permit application to Building and Land Use Services and a design review application to the Historic Preservation Officer. Property owners installing signs should contact Pamela Combs, the City Sign Inspector, at 591-5482. Once your application is reviewed by the Historic Preservation Officer, you will be contacted with the date of the next available Landmarks Preservation Commission meeting. The Commission generally meets on the second and fourth Wednesday every month, and applications are due two weeks prior to the meeting you plan to attend so it is important to schedule accordingly. and You re Done! The City of Tacoma Historic Preservation Office is committed to high quality, efficient service for its citizens and businesses, and we are continually striving for ways to improve. Owners of registered (or potentially registered) Landmarks can contact the Historic Preservation Officer, Reuben McKnight, with questions about signs, awnings, or anything else, at 253-591-5220 (or reuben.mcknight@cityoftacoma.org).
City of Tacoma Tacoma Economic Development Department 747 Market Street, Room 900 Tacoma, Washington 98402-3793 TE 163200 001 0204 a