Commission approves major amendment for Block 5 sign package, including pedestrian and awning signs

The Rapid City Planning Commission on March 6 approved a major amendment to a planned development overlay for Block 5 (525 Saint Joseph Street) to permit an expanded sign package for the mixed‑use development that includes the Hyatt Place hotel, apartments, conference space, retail and parking.

Staff presentation and exceptions requested: Jennifer Bergstrom, Special Projects Planner, described a request to increase permitted wall sign area from 425 square feet to 619 square feet, to allow seven pedestrian‑oriented projecting signs where the code allows two, and to permit awning signs that project from the canopy surface (an exception to the wall‑plane rule). The proposed signage includes five Hyatt Place signs already approved by the Historic Sign Review Committee; the remainder of the package would still need historic review if the amendment is approved.

Why it matters: Staff recommended the amendment because the larger building scale makes additional directional and pedestrian signage appropriate for wayfinding and for identifying multiple tenant entrances. Commissioners said the pedestrian projecting signs are important for downtown storefront legibility and compared Block 5 to other large structures downtown and at Monument Hospital where additional signage was necessary to identify entries.

Applicant and commission remarks: Mark Quasney, President of Development with Lloyd Companies, said he had no additional comments beyond staff’s presentation. Jennifer Bergstrom said the awning signs would be proposed by future tenants and that one predesigned tenant sign (Tostique) was available in the materials.

Outcome and conditions: The Planning Commission approved the major amendment with staff stipulations. The record notes that although the amendment was approved by the commission, the remaining signs identified for downtown historic environs must still go to the Historic Sign Review Committee for approval prior to sign permits being issued.

Clarifying details: Staff emphasized the distinction between signs already reviewed (the five Hyatt signs) and those that still require historic sign review (retail awning signs, pedestrian signs and directional wall signs). The transcript did not include numeric conditions such as exact illumination levels or final tenant sign designs, which are to be submitted at permit stage.