Plans of The Americana at Brand and Glendale Galleria shopping centers to put up large billboards in downtown Glendale have received mixed reviews from smaller nearby businesses. While the Los Angeles city attorney has been busy targeting giant billboards in his city, the Glendale City Council voted on March 23 to approve two special overlay zones downtown allowing the large signs there, according to Senior Planner Roger Kiesel with the City of Glendale. Approval of individual signs could start as early as this month. The zones allow for signs of 180 square feet to 1,400 square feet. The signs must be held up by frames, flush to building walls and made of a vinyl-like material. Kiesel said. Another requirement is that a business or product within the two shopping centers be highlighted on the signs. Highlighting products “It will affect the area by providing an increase in business,” said Rick Lemmo, senior vice president of community relations at the Americana . “It provides artistic relief as well,” Lemmo said. “An ad can also be art.” Lemmo said the Americana signs will highlight products such as the iPad or the Sony Store within the Americana. One of the signs is already up on a provisional basis, according to Kiesel. Because one of the city requirements is that the sign can’t cover windows, Lemmo said the billboards will force some architectural modifications in buildings. He said a plan on how to do that would be coming in the next 10-12 weeks. “We will meet the terms of the city’s requirements,” Lemmo said. Janet LaFevre, marketing director for the Glendale Galleria, said new billboards for that center will go up by the fall. “We’re pleased because it gives retailers a chance to promote their best products important to customers,” LaFevre said. LaFevre said she does not look at the signs as a traffic generator. “We just give retailers a chance to let customers know they’re here,” LaFevre said. Other businesses President of the Downtown Glendale Merchant’s Association Eric Olson said his organization “is not objecting” to the signs. He said signs are important to attract the attention of those walking or driving down Brand Boulevard. “We believe the signage is important,” Olson said. “You can go to upscale places and it can look sterile. That doesn’t work in Glendale. We’re a good solid middle class city that needs to find ways to toot our own horn.” Sabrina West, assistant manager at Massage Envy, located several blocks North on Brand Boulevard from the Americana, said the signs could be a good thing for her business. “We’re a membership based clinic so if it helps get people in the door that’s a good thing,” West said. “Any type of advertisement would be good in bringing in more foot traffic.” Joseph Ferraro, assistant manager of the nearby Clancy’s Crab Shack, feels differently. “It could bring more people to Glendale. But personally I think it’s useless and won’t help business,” Ferraro said “For somebody who wants the product it’s pointless. A big poster of an iPad doesn’t make sense in terms of money. The only way it would help business is a big poster of a shrimp or a lobster!”
