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Commission Approves In-Kind Replacement of Ghirardelli Rooftop Sign with Conditions
Summary
The Historic Preservation Commission approved an in-kind replacement of the 19-foot rooftop Ghirardelli sign at 920 North Point Street, finding replacement justified by corrosion and prior repairs; approval includes documentation and a lighting mock-up requirement.
The San Francisco Historic Preservation Commission voted to approve an application to replace the rooftop Ghirardelli sign at 920 North Point Street with an in-kind painted metal sign using LED illumination, subject to conditions requiring documentation of the existing sign and a mock-up of the proposed lighting.
Planning staff presented a certificate of appropriateness application and recommended approval with two conditions: the project sponsor must provide a thorough documentation package for the existing sign and prepare a mock-up showing the proposed sign illumination for comparison with the existing fixture. Staff said the 19-foot illuminated painted sheet-metal sign, originally fabricated in 1915 and restored in 1964, has experienced repeated repairs and severe corrosion that now justify replacement in kind.
Josh Callahan, representing property owner Jamestown, told the commission the sponsor has invested heavily in Ghirardelli Square and wants to preserve the sign as a civic landmark. ‘‘We have worked tirelessly and spent heavily to revitalize Ghirardelli Square for all San Franciscans and for our millions of visitors each year,’’ Callahan said.
Alisa Skaggs, the project preservation architect with Page & Turnbull, summarized condition assessments and a laser scan the team produced. She said individual letters show extensive corrosion and repeated patches, with holes and missing diffusers: ‘‘The lower portion of the letters exhibited the worst condition with areas where the corrosion has eaten completely through the metal.’’ Skaggs said the replacement will match the existing in color, design, height, depth and shape and that the number and placement of the lights will match the current condition.
Commissioners questioned how the new LED lighting would be controlled. The sponsor responded that color temperature and brightness would be adjustable during installation and then locked at a fixed setting to match the historic appearance.
A motion to approve the certificate of appropriateness with the staff-recommended conditions carried unanimously (6–0; one commissioner recused). Staff noted that conditional use authorization from the Planning Commission will also be required to designate the sign as a vintage sign under the planning code.
