Neon signs make me happy. This one is so fine. I love the crosswalk countdown along with the movement of the rock-climbing figure in my photos. The Portland Rock Gym is on the northwest corner of the intersection of East Burnside and NE 12th. The sign has not been in place for long, so I Googled to see what I could discover about it. I came across the City of Portland, Oregon, Bureau of Development Services, Land Use Services, "From Concept to Construction" report, dated Sept. 11, 2012. Whoopee!
Turns out the style of the sign is "projecting corner blade," and it was approved on Sept. 7, although to do so meant two modifications--to increase the size of a projecting right-of-way sign from 30 to 130 square feet AND to increase the overall sign size allotment on the site from 142 to 251 square feet (other signs already existed on the building). From the document: "The review body may consider modification of site-related development standards, including the sign standards of Chapters 32.32 and 32.34 of the Sign Code, as part of the design review process."
After approval come these CONCLUSIONS:
The applicant has proposed a unique, playful new sign at the Portland Rock Gym at the prominent intersection of East Burnside and NE 12th Avenue. The sign is constructed of durable materials, well integrated with the architecture of the building, and will not overwhelm the pedestrian environment or visual character of the surrounding area. The request is able to meet the applicable design guidelines and modification criteria and should be approved.