Hotel sign renews building ad debate

12-story sign on Hyatt reignites debate over advertising on downtown buildings

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A new downtown sign battle is beginning to brew -- this time involving the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront.

Recently, the hotel installed a 12-story building wrap that advertises the hotel and new renovations. The sign is bigger than what's allowed by code for downtown buildings, but the hotel was given a special exemption by the city for what they called a "temporary banner."

Critics say the exception opens the door to other problems and the city could soon see more signs on all downtown buildings.

Bill Brinton, an advocate against signs, believes the public was misled about the size and intention of the sign. He said he believes people would have objected before the sign went up, but the notice the city published on a public hearing about the ad was deceptive.

The ad in the Financial News & Daily Record said the public hearing was for an exemption for a 36 x 120 temporary banner. But it wasn't made clear if that was in inches or feet. And Brinton said the ad also didn't disclose the ad would be a building wrap.

DOCUMENT: Ad placed in Daily Record | Hyatt presentation to review board

"If they had advertised it correctly, lawfully, that room would've been filled with people for public comment," Brinton said.

Brinton said the exception opens the door for every downtown to business to follow suit.

"Close your eyes for a moment and consider all of our buildings downtown wrapped in ads," Brinton said.

Hyatt hotel manager Gino Caliendo said the sign is a building wrap and it always has been. 

"We had this reviewed by the Downtown Development Review Board," Caliendo said. "We spoke before the board. We got their approval. We had to wait 21 days (to see if) anyone objected to it. We went through the process, so I think at the end of the day what we're trying to do is promote the entire destination of Jacksonville."

Caliendo said the sign is only temporary and will be gone by the first of the year.
He said the focus of the criticism is wrong. He said people should be concerned with promoting business and bringing more people into Jacksonville and not with sign laws.

Some City Council members were scratching their heads over this and wondering if changes need to be made in procedures.

"My main concern is what's on the side of that building is essentially a billboard," Councilman John Crescimbeni said. "It's bigger than a billboard, and the permit was granted by the DDRB without the consideration of the size."

All of this follows the flap earlier this year at the Veterans Memorial Arena, where there were huge advertisements for a law firm. Eventually the City Council and Florida Department of Transportation had those removed because they said the signs didn't follow code, because they were advertising for products or services not offered at the Arena. That's not the case at the Hyatt.

But council members said they're waiting to hear from city lawyers about whether the public notice should have been more clear.

City attorneys and the Downtown Development Review Board have not responded to requests from News4Jax for comment. 


About the Author:

Jim Piggott is the reporter to count on when it comes to city government and how it will affect the community.