by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
The Downtown Development Review Board of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission consists of nine members – architects, planners and Downtown property owners – who review projects which, if implemented, would change the way Downtown looks.
Past agenda items have covered the spectrum, from the color of concrete and pavers on sidewalks to what can be placed on top of a building.
At its meeting Thursday, DDRB considered a signage waiver for the CSX Building on the Northbank. The three large “CSX” letters on the building’s penthouse will be removed and replaced with the company’s new logo and its slogan, “How Tomorrow Moves.”
City code allows signs no more than 400 square feet or 10 percent of a building’s streetfront surface. The sign proposed by CSX is 1,200 square feet in area, or 1.5 percent of the streetfront surface.
Gresham Smith and Partners from Nashville designed the new signage and the firm’s principal, Jim Harding, presented the proposal to the board.
He said CSX is celebrating the 50th anniversary of having its corporate headquarters in Jacksonville. Harding also said the new design will be “more balanced” than the existing trio of letters, making use of the entire expanse of the top of the building.
Harding presented archival photographs of the building since it opened in 1960, showing each sign as the corporate identity changed from Atlantic Coast Line to Seaboard Coast Line to CSX Transportation to the existing CSX.
“This design is smaller than any of the previous designs in the past 50 years. The skyline is the image of the city and we want to maintain a positive image,” he said.
The new design will appear black during the daylight hours and will be backlit at night with white LEDs. The current lighting system will be modified to cast a “track” on the building under the new logo at night.
Harding said that by using LEDs, the energy consumption of the sign will be reduced by at least 85 percent compared to the existing sign.
“The technology is the best that’s out there right now,” he said.
Before the vote, board member Chris Flagg asked Assistant General Counsel Jason Teal if approving the design with the slogan, “How Tomorrow Moves,” might set a precedent that would allow other signage Downtown containing what amounts to an advertising message.
Teal said the building code only addresses the size of signage and that by definition, a sign is “anything meant to draw attention.”
The board approved the waiver unanimously and also complimented Harding on the design.
“Sometimes signs distract from the urban appearance. This one adds to it,” said DDRB Vice Chair Andy Sikes.
The board also adopted policy guidelines for temporary decorative, public information and special event signs and banners.
Under the new guidelines, banner signs larger than 50 square feet must be approved by DDRB staff based on 19 criteria.
All proposed temporary banner sign submittals will only be allowed that promote events that are of communitywide interest, such as events approved by the City’s Special Events Division, events that raise funds for schools, hospitals, schools, libraries or other similar institutions that benefit the community as a whole, or sporting events of a regional nature that are reasonably expected to draw 10,000 people or more per event.
Approved signs may not be installed prior to 30 days before the first day of the scheduled event and must be removed entirely within five days after the last day of the event.
Temporary banner signs will be allowed no more than five times per calendar year per property.
DDRB also elected Jonathan Garza to a second consecutive term as chair of the board.
In nominating Garza, Chris Flagg, the past chair of DDRB, also served consecutive terms. “Based on my experience, it takes time to grow into the position,” he said.
With no other nominees, Garza was elected unanimously. His new term will begin Oct. 1.
DDRB meets at 2 p.m. the last Thursday of each month in the JEDC board room at 1 W. Adams St. All interested persons are invited to attend.
356-2466