DRB OKs backlit channel-letter sign for new downtown Italian restaurant with wiring conditions

Design review board members approved a proposed backlit channel-letter sign for 3 South Main Street (Trey Futelli) and placed specific conditions on wiring and mounting to protect the historic brick façade.

Marcus Barero, who identified himself as opening Trey Futelli, described the concept as a family-oriented New York–Italian restaurant with planned hours of 5 p.m.–9 p.m. Monday–Thursday and 5 p.m.–10 p.m. Friday–Saturday; he told the board he expects to open in mid-June. Sign fabricator Jim Tardiff (Signs of Significance) explained the sign will be individually mounted channel letters with opaque fronts and halo backlighting. He said the plan is to mount letters approximately two inches off the building to create a halo effect and to route wiring into a discrete lower raceway: “Each letter will be individually mounted two inches off the building with back lighting to create that halo lighting effect.”

Board members and the applicant worked through several wiring and mounting options intended to avoid unnecessary penetrations of historic brick. The board asked that all penetrations be made into mortar joints where feasible; members suggested a decorative underscoring line (to match the sign’s gold trim) that would serve as a concealed raceway and reduce the number of brick penetrations per letter. The motion that carried includes conditions that wiring and junction boxes not be visible from the street, that the applicant add a bottom line of similar width to the lettering (gold-outline) to collect wiring, that connection points be placed into mortar joints as much as possible, and that the sign be centered over the entrance.

Mr. Row moved and Mr. Swing seconded the motion to approve the signage with those conditions. The vote was 6–0.

Next steps: staff will confirm details on wiring, mounting into mortar joints and final mounting plans prior to issuing a sign permit.