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Zoning board approves two River Street signs for Pioneer Bank, denies high-side sign
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Summary
After design and SEQR discussion, the Zoning Board approved two front‑facing signs for Pioneer Bank at 547 River Street with limited relief on lettering height and total sign area, and it did not approve the proposed high‑side wall sign for lack of a second motion; the bank said it may revise and resubmit.
The Troy Zoning Board of Appeals on March 4 granted partial signage relief to Pioneer Bank for a branch at 547 River Street, approving two River Street–facing signs while not approving a proposed large high‑side wall sign.
Karen Katz of Saxton Signs, representing Pioneer, asked for relief from the city's sign ordinance for three signs: two River Street–facing signs over the storefront (one carrying the bank wordmark and a separate "flying P" emblem) and one large sign on the side wall visible from the elevated roadway. Katz described internally LED, steady illumination and a halo effect for the letters. Philip Walsh, Pioneer vice president for facilities, said the branch will be an approximately 2,300‑square‑foot retail location and that the bank has long ties to Troy.
Board members and local architects debated design compatibility with the building's historic bays, whether the renderings misrepresented rounded versus flat‑topped windows, and whether a projecting or painted sign would better preserve architectural character. Architect Elizabeth Rodriguez, who identified herself as a local architect and Troy Architecture Practice principal, said the large lit wall sign "is inappropriate and way too large" and suggested painting the mark on the wall or using a projecting element.
The board first found, by motion, that the application constituted an unlisted SEQR action and that sufficient information existed for a negative declaration. A later motion to allow three additional signs failed for lack of a second. The board then voted to approve two River Street–facing signs and granted relief for lettering height (1 inch for the flying‑P emblem and 12 inches for the wordmark) on the approved front signs. The board set the total approved front‑facing sign area at 36 square feet, a relief from the city's maximum that accounted for removal of the proposed high‑side sign.
The large high‑side wall sign was not approved because no member seconded a motion to allow it; the applicant acknowledged the high‑side sign was the branch's top priority but said it would return to the drawing board if needed. Pioneer representatives also said some signage options (projecting signs or painted signage) could be considered in a redesign.
The board's approvals were limited to the River Street–facing signs and the specific relief recorded; any resubmission for the side wall sign would require a new variance application and noticing.
