IllegalBillboards.org

This illegal billboard at 60 Spring street is high above the ground but no less noticeable for it. There are no permits for any signage whatsoever on this building. I called this one in and got complaint #1242183.

Lets hope we were a part of this. It seems our efforts have been somewhat fruitful as the illegal signage at 380 Canal street has been removed. Hang in there citizens of New York, only a few thousand more to go. Steve….you owe me a party. Ha!

A complaint was made against the illegal billboard at 64 3rd avenue on 8-14-2006. On 5-16-2007 the signage was deemed illegal by the DOB and was eventually removed around 7-29-2008. Recently we have become aware of the fact that the illegal billboard has been reposted without the proper permitting less than three months after it was taken down. The only permit which would constitute a legal sign is for a painted billboard which this is clearly not. The reposting of this illegal billboard is a flagrant disregard for NYC law and should be dealt with accordingly. We have called this in and were given a new complaint number 1240188. If this is the way things are going down it should be assumed that the law does not exist.

So upon speaking to someone who knows, this is what information I could retain over a quick phone conversation. It speaks heavily to the immense difficulty the Sign Enforcement Unit has in the removal of illegal signage in New York City.

05-22-98 a request #101818507 was made to erect a 22′x19′ advertising sign

06-08-98 a permit #101818507 was issued by the DOB allowing for the billboard to be erected.

fast forward 8 years in which time we assume a billboard was erected.

08-14-06 complaint #1172652 is made, bringing the issue to light for the sign enforcement unit.

05-16-07 Permit is revoked by commissioner via complaint #1193825

05-22-07 Permit is revoked by commissioner via complaint #1194328

07-20-07 Permit is revoked by commissioner via complaint #1199298

08-66-07 Permit is revoked by commissioner via complaint #1200707

11-20-07 a request # 110027097 is made to repaint an existing grandfathered sign professionally certified by HH Building Consultants and Arch.

12-12-07 a permit # 110027097 was issued by the DOB

01-31-08 the permit was revoked by the commissioner

at this point the DOB website fails to provide any information, but we do know the sign was removed for several months between approximately 7-29-08 and 10-15-08. Suddenly this sign appeared again, and for what reasons we can only speculate. Clearly the advertisement does not conform with the painted sign permit. And yet it’s also clear the DOB is doing everything it can to fight this illegal billboard. In the meantime we watch the ad copy change month to month as the profits pile up to none of our benefit.

10-25-08 Complaint #1240188 goes in to the sign enforcement unit.

qwantz.com - dinosaur comics - October 21 2008

This illegal advertisement is located at 72-74 east 13th street. The DOB website does not show any permits for any signage whatsoever. Over a year ago on 9-14-07 complaint #1203970 was made and it was determined that this sign was illegal. Yet there it sits with brand new copy for the movie Body of Lies. Our department of buildings is in the process of creating a law which allows them to remove illegal billboards around the city, but until then landlords can postpone trials and keep their revenue coming in for indefinite periods of time. I called this one in to 311 and was issued complaint #12395901.

This image was sent to us by a friend and we appreciate their involvement. If you find illegal signage or suspect illegal signage, take a picture and get the address. Then all you have to do is follow these instructions

Here’s a photo of the billboard on the side of the new hotel at 54 Watts St. Also, the permit for its installation that says: INSTALL A NON-ILLUMINATED ADVERTISING WALL SIGN 12′-4 1/2″ X 30′ ON THE EAST WALL. NO CHANGE TO ZONING, USE, EGRESS OR OCCUPANCY. That would be a legal sign for this location, but actual size of the sign is more like 28 x 40, or 3 times the sf allowed by permit and by law based on building frontage. The complaint #1223800 from 4/1/08 is still active and has not been inspected more than six months later.

Today I found yet another illegal billboard which was long ago deemed illegal by the sign enforcement unit and still exists today. Upon looking into this sign I realized there was only one advertising sign permit for the rooftop billboards at this address which overlook Canal st. and all the Holland Tunnel traffic leaving Manhattan. Previous complaint # 1205687 had determined this billboard was illegal signage over a year ago and yet the billboard still exists. I then made a call and issued complaint # 1237911 stating that the vinyl billboard on the side of the building had no permit and despite the building being served a violation it had not been removed. Are we to accept the fact that the strong hand of the law can be so easily ignored by real estate owners and advertisers alike?

Upon looking up this illegal billboard I found out something I did not know and that we should all be aware of. There have been three complaints about this billboard since 06-10-08. The first two (#1227320) stated simply that “there is an illegal billboard at this site with no permit.”. Within days the billboard had been determined to be an illegal advertisement without a permit and yet the picture in this post was taken today. The third complaint (#1237517) was made today but stated that “there is an illegal billboard in a residential neighborhood and that it’s shinning.”. The difference between the two complaints is the third has been assigned to the EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM, as opposed to the first two which are merely assigned to A SPECIAL INSPECTION UNIT. I will report back on what I assume will be a much faster response time and possibly removal of this billboard due to the addition of “residential and shinning” into the complaint.

This is a good example of an illegal advertisement having a permit but clearly not complying with the specifics. The permit 20 Bond street does have is for a non illuminated advertising sign measuring only 129 square feet. The sign for Style.com above, which has been replaced with a sign for the ABC program Pushing Daisies, is approximately 450 square feet. The complaint number is 1237482.

Interestingly enough this sign was called in by another caller on 06-05-2008 and was accused of having no permit. (complaint#1226822) An inspection team went out and somehow a violation was served the next day for an illegal advertising sign observed with no permit. In the case that the owner of the building might contest the removal of this illegal signage due to the fact that there is a permit, our complaint should help resolve the issue.

here is how it looked before

If you keep your eyes open when walking around the city these days certain ads just feel illegal, and this turned out to be one of them. There is a permit for the 5′x36′ 1-800-MATTRESS sign on the same corner but nothing for the 15′x25′ Coors Light advertisement that screams at you from every corner. The complaint number for this illegal ad is #1237466.