The Harriot Commission approved a permit on Aug. 26 for new tenants at a Stark Street building to install a wall sign meeting eXp Realty’s brand guidelines, the applicant said.

Cliff Childs, presenting for the brokerage, said the proposal would replace a deteriorated blank sign on the front porch with an aluminum composite panel sized to match the existing sign and mounted with spacers. “We're proposing a replacement of the blank sign that's on the front porch. We are new tenants, and we wanted to have sign ins by our front door,” Childs said, adding that the company’s global brand guide dictated color, font and spacing.

Childs said the sign fabricator is Digital Vibes of Salem and that an installer would be hired to mount the panel. Drew Giles, also with eXp, attended the presentation. Commissioners confirmed the sign would not be backlit and that no additional signage was proposed beyond the porch panel. After brief discussion and confirmation that the replacement is the same size as the previous sign, a motion to approve the application was made, seconded and approved by voice vote.

Why it matters: The building houses multiple tenants including a grocer; the commission reviewed the proposal because the property sits within the historic review area and exterior signage is reviewed for compatibility. The applicant said the sign is necessary for licensure visibility requirements and public wayfinding.