City approves new rules for signs along Chicago River

21-Nov-14 – New signs along the Chicago River will face extra scrutiny the city hopes will keep the riverfront less cluttered. (Left) The first of five letters is installed on the south face of Trump International Hotel & Tower on May 14, 2014.

The city council on Wednesday passed an ordinance introduced on October 8 by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly to create a special “sign district” on the river.

“Reducing visual clutter along the river is important,” says Reilly. “Given the city’s significant investment, we want to set a higher design aesthetic standard along that corridor.”

The district covers the entire main branch of the river, from Lake Shore Drive west to Wolf Point, and from Kinzie Street south to Roosevelt Road. It includes all riverfront property – between Lake Shore Drive and Lake Street – that faces Wacker Drive.

New sign rules…

• No more than one sign on any high-rise (500 feet or higher) building.
• Sign may only identify the principal tenant of the building.
• Sign may not be bigger than 550 square feet.
• Sign must be located directly below the highest roofline of the building.
• Sign may not be internally or externally illuminated. Only “halo-lit” lettering – backlit letters that create a glow of light around the letter by illuminating the wall surface from within – are allowed.
• For other signage on a building, no sign can be located more than two stories above ground on the building side that faces the Chicago River.
• All signs must be affixed on building walls, projecting no more than 12 inches from the building’s facade.

Not allowed at all are banners, neon signs, flashing signs, dynamic imaging displays, roof signs, painted wall signs, and off-premise signs.

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