§ 2-13 Signage.
RCNY § 2-13
(a)Introduction. Signage was a typical feature of historic buildings that contained commercial or manufacturing uses. Such signage included signs painted or affixed above storefronts in signbands, signs within display windows, banners, bracket signs, and signs hanging from underneath canopies. This rule sets forth the requirements for LPC Staff approval of some types of storefront signage and associated lighting for such signage. All proposals for signage not seeking a discretionary approval from another City agency must comply with the Zoning Resolution in terms of size, placement, projection and illumination.
(b)Definitions. As used in this section, the following words have the following meanings: Armature. "Armature" means a metal structural support for a projecting sign. Banner. "Banner" means an outdoor sign made of a non-rigid material with no enclosing framework, aside from an armature, installed perpendicular to a building facade and featuring graphics or lettering that are painted, screen-printed, or digitally printed, which announce an establishment in a building. A banner may also include a weight or building tie-back. Bracket Sign. "Bracket Sign" means an outdoor sign, with two display faces, installed perpendicular to a building facade and attached to an armature, used as an announcement for an establishment in the building, consisting of the rigid display faces and all letters, words, numerals, illustrations, decorations, trademarks, emblems, symbols or their figures or characters associated with the name of the establishment that are applied to the faces. In addition, a bracket sign may consist solely of an outline of a shape and/or letters intended to act as a symbol or sign for the establishment. Canopy means a metal frame clad with fabric that extends from a building entrance over the sidewalk to the curb, where it is supported on vertical posts. CNE. "CNE" means Certificate of No Effect as defined by § 25-306 of the New York City Administrative Code. Establishment. "Establishment" means a manufacturing, commercial or retail business or profession. Facade. "Facade" means an entire exterior face of a building. Flag. "Flag" means fabric containing graphics, an emblem, or message designed to be flown from a wood or metal structural support mounted perpendicular to a building facade. A flag is a sign for purposes of this section if it is used to announce an establishment in the building. No flag as defined herein shall be used for third-party advertising or accessory business advertising. LPC. "LPC" means the Landmarks Preservation Commission. LPC or Commission Staff. "LPC staff" or "Commission staff" means the staff of the Landmarks Preservation Commission acting in the Commission's agency capacity. PMW means a Permit for Minor Work pursuant to § 25-310 of the New York City Administrative Code. Pier means an exterior vertical member(s) or element(s) (usually of brick, stone, or metal), placed at intervals along a wall, which typically separates storefront openings within a single building or defines a single storefront opening. Sign means a fixture or area containing lettering or graphics used to advertise a store, goods, or services. Signage means any lettering or other graphics used to advertise a store, goods, or services. Signband means the flat, horizontal area on the facade, usually located immediately above the storefront and below the second story window sill where signs were historically attached. Signbands can also be found immediately above the storefront display window, but below the masonry opening's lintel. A signband shall not include the frieze of a cornice that is less than 12" in height. A signband may exist above a second story storefront. Significant architectural feature means an exterior architectural component of a building that contributes to or reinforces its special historic, cultural, and aesthetic character. Storefront means the first or second story area of the facade that provides access or natural illumination into a space used for retail or other commercial purposes. Storefront infill means the framing, glazing, and cladding contained within a storefront opening in the facade, including display windows, bulkheads, entranceways, etc. Storefront opening means the area of the facade between the piers and lintel, which contains storefront infill. Transom means a glazed area above a display window or door that is separated from the display window or door by a horizontal framing member ("the transom bar"). The glazing in the transom may be fixed or operable.
(c)Permit Not Required. No permit is required for the following types of signage installations: (1) Once a staff-level permit has been issued for a banner, a new banner of a different design may replace the approved or current banner provided that the original armature is maintained, and all requirements of this section continue to be met.
(2)Where an armature existed at a location at the time of designation and documentation shows it was used for a banner or flag, the current banner or flag may be exchanged for a new banner or flag of a different design provided that the original armature is maintained, and the new banner or flag is equal to or smaller than the current banner and meets the relevant criteria in subparagraphs (5) through (8) of paragraph (e) of this subdivision.
(3)Where an armature and banner or flag was previously approved by the Commission, the current banner or flag may be exchanged for a new banner or flag of a different design provided that the dimensions are equal to or smaller than the Commission-approved installation, and the materials and finish of the new banner or flag are consistent with the Commission approval. No neon or other vividly bright colors will be permitted.
(4)Once a staff-level permit has been issued for painted and vinyl signage applied directly onto the storefront glazing, the applied signage may be exchanged for new applied signage of a different design provided that all Rule criteria continue to be met.
(5)"For lease" or "for sale" signs and concealment of interior construction. Temporary painted and vinyl signage, or posters, advertising that a space is for sale or lease, or for the purpose of concealing on-going interior construction work, may be installed at storefront and transom glazing without a LPC permit, and may exceed the glazing coverage requirements for such signage, but must be removed once the space is sold or leased or the interior construction is completed.
(d)Installation of Storefront Signs. The LPC Staff will issue a CNE or PMW for a storefront sign, other than a bracket sign, if the proposed work meets the relevant criteria listed below: (1) The signage is as-of-right pursuant to the Zoning Resolution and the Building Code.
(6)The sign will be proportional to the signband, but in no event will it exceed 90 percent of the area of the signband and the letters will not be higher than eighteen (18) inches in total whether one or two lines of text is used.
(7)Signage mounted on the exterior will not be internally illuminated, except that it may be "halo" lit with a light source behind opaque letters.
(8)One interior neon sign, or other similar non-flashing illuminated sign that utilizes tubing and is imitative of a traditional neon sign, per display window is permissible, provided that the sign is transparent, is installed a minimum of six (6) inches behind the glass, does not substantially reduce the transparency of the display window and does not exceed fifteen (15) percent of the area of the display window or transom. Non-concealed illuminated lighting strips outlining the display window will not be permitted. Any other illuminated signage, including LED screens, must be at least eighteen (18) inches set back from the inside plane of the glass of the display window or transom and must otherwise meet the requirements in paragraph (10) of subdivision (c) of 63 RCNY § 2-12.
(9)Painted and vinyl signage may be applied directly onto the storefront glazing, including glazing at the doors, transom and display window. Non-illuminated dimensional letters and logos composed of wood, metal, or painted plastic that project no more than 1/4 inch may be applied directly to the interior or exterior of transom glazing. Signage cannot exceed more than twenty (20) percent of the glazed area per door, transom or display window, and cannot be applied to windows with distinctive glazing as defined in 63 RCNY § 2-14(b), "Special Windows and Doors". For purposes of this paragraph, the percent of the glazed area covered by signage will be calculated by the total area of the sign as a visual object and the collective groupings of text and images, without subtracting for voids between letters, numbers or graphics.
(10)Signage installed on the exterior may be illuminated externally with a shielded source of light, including "halo" lit with a light source behind opaque letters, or with a small projecting fixture twelve (12) inches or less in length or width placed above the sign, with a maximum number of fixtures as follows: one fixture for the first one to six (1 - 6) feet of storefront opening; two fixtures if the storefront opening is between six to twelve (6 - 12) feet; three fixtures if the storefront opening is between twelve to eighteen (12 - 18) feet; and four fixtures if the storefront opening is between eighteen to twenty-four (18 - 24) feet. In no event will the light fixture arm project more than eighteen (18) inches from the sign. Cove fixtures must have the same finish as the sign, and if the sign projects from the facade, the cove fixture must be an integral part of the sign.
(11)Light fixtures will be installed in areas of plain masonry, metal, or wood, provided that the installation does not damage, destroy, or obscure significant architectural features of the building or storefront.
(12)Lighting conduits will be concealed.
(13)Exterior light fixtures, limited in number as set forth in paragraph (10), may only illuminate signage at signbands or sign panels, or may illuminate storefronts and/or awnings where no signbands or sign panels are being utilized.
(14)In approving an application for signage the LPC Staff will consider the overall amount of approved and grandfathered signage for the storefront and building. If the LPC Staff determines that the overall amount of signage for the storefront or building is excessive and will detract from the architectural features of the building, the adjacent buildings, or the streetscape, the staff will require that existing or proposed staff approved signage be eliminated or reduced. Such signage includes but is not limited to plaques, signs on awning skirts, signage in a signband, signage applied to the storefront glazing, flags and banner or bracket signs. LPC Staff will not approve new signage that will result in a storefront having more than three (3) types of signage.
(e)Installation of Banner and Bracket Signs. The LPC Staff will issue a CNE for a banner or bracket sign if the proposed work meets all of the following criteria: (1) The armature will be installed below the second story, or above the second story at the lowest point to meet the minimum height criteria of the Zoning Resolution, within the storefront opening or on the flat face of a plain masonry, wood or metal pier, but not including cast iron, and will be mechanically fastened into the storefront infill or into the mortar joints of a plain masonry pier, or attached to the framing members at the underside of a metal canopy on an industrial building, and such installation will neither damage nor conceal any significant architectural features of the building.
(i)Except for signs subject to subparagraphs (ii), (iii) and (iv) below, one banner or bracket sign per ground floor establishment will be permitted.
(ii)In buildings with more than one ground floor establishment, one banner or bracket sign per establishment may be installed, provided that there are no more than two signs per twenty (20) feet of building facade fronting on a street. The placement of the banner or bracket sign on the building will be in close proximity to the establishment that is identified on the banner or bracket sign.
(iii)In buildings with more than one ground floor establishment which were historically designed with uniform storefronts and/or signage, and where there is not already an approved signage master plan, the design, placement, materials, and details of all of the bracket or banner signs and armatures must be of a consistent design that, where applicable, recalls the historic signs.
(iv)A ground floor establishment with a corner storefront may have one banner or bracket sign on each building facade with at least twenty (20) feet of street frontage, provided that each facade has a primary entrance and each banner or bracket sign is located in close proximity to an entrance, but in no event will more than one banner or bracket sign be located within twenty (20) feet of the corner of the building.
(f)Signage for Commercial Spaces Below the Sidewalk. Where a commercial establishment has an entrance below the sidewalk level, LPC staff will issue an approval for a sign that is installed: (1) On a plain masonry band above the storefront opening, if one exists, and provided the signage otherwise meets the criteria set forth in subdivision (c); or (2) On a flat metal or wood panel attached to an existing areaway fence, and provided: (i) The attachment does not damage original or historic fabric or call attention to itself or detract from significant features of the fence; (ii) The sign panel is not more than 1 inch thick and the signage is painted or applied to the panel; and (iii) The panel is not bigger than twelve (12) inches by thirty-six (36) inches.
(g)Painted Wall Signs. Signs painted directly on a building facade are a traditional method of advertising that was historically found in commercial and manufacturing areas, typically on plain secondary facades with exposed common brick. Sometimes they advertised a business located within the building, while other times they advertised unrelated products or services. They typically had borders and were primarily text, although illustrations were also common.
(1)Staff approval for painted wall signs on buildings in a historic district. With the exception of Individual Landmarks, staff may approve an application for a sign painted directly on the facade material of a building in a historic district if it meets all of the following criteria: (i) There is substantial historic precedent for painted wall signs in the historic district or on the individual building; (ii) There is no other painted wall sign on the building, but not including a painted sign in a signband above a storefront opening; (iii) There is no other painted wall sign on another building within 100 feet of the proposed location; (iv) The sign will be located at or above the second floor on a secondary facade that is (A) plain brick or stucco, (B) will not cover or include any window openings, but may cover or include bricked-in window openings; and (C) will not detract from any significant architectural feature of the building or adjacent building; (v) The sign, including the border referenced below, will occupy no more than twenty percent (20%) of the visible wall area and shall be rectilinear in shape. For purposes of this subsection, the term "visible wall area" shall mean the area of the secondary facade where it is most visible from the street within two blocks of the secondary facade. The visible wall area shall include coplanar wall surfaces that are visually contiguous at the secondary facade, including parapets, bulkheads and additions on the building; (vi) The sign will have a black or white solid painted border, at least two (2) inches wide, around the sign, which contrasts with the background color of the sign; (vii) The sign will be set back from the primary facade a minimum of three (3) feet and will be at least two (2) feet from significant architectural features, including but not limited to cornices, special windows, window openings, lintels and sills; and (viii) The vendor tag will be located within the sign or immediately below the sign, justified to the side or corner closest to the street, and shall be no larger than twenty-four (24) inches by thirty-six (36) inches.
(h)Miscellaneous Commercial Signage.
