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Old Ads

PBJ

By PBJ
in Grand Rapids

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jayblogger Whistle-Stop

jayblogger

Posted
Posted

Ask, and you shall receive! :D

What does everyone think of em? Can they be redone, w/o the city approving?

Is there an ordinance that requires city approval to do this? If not, then I don't see any reason to regulate it.

BTW, There are still old ads on bus stop benches that no one paid for in the first place. No one is rushing to paint over them.

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soleil9 Unincorporated Area

soleil9

Posted
Posted

I love the old ads on some of GR's brick buildings. Its like a peek into history.

This ad wasn't in Grand Rapids (it was in East Lansing), but I think it's the best example I've seen of a preserved sign. The colors are so vivid, it's like it was painted yesterday. It's hidden again now after they rebuilt the building. But it's just a reminder of what might be hidden between the walls!

vernors.jpg

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joeDowntown Metropolis

joeDowntown

Posted
Posted

There was a really nice sign on the Ameribank(?) building when they tore down the ungodly parking ramp at Ottawa and Lyon. I wish I would have snapped a picture. That was definitely a sign worth saving and I think they should save these signs. It adds a great vibe from a bygone era.

Joe

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GR1 Whistle-Stop

GR1

Posted
Posted

The ads should be saved or preserved whenever possible. Grand Rapids has a very interesting history, and unfortunately as time goes on less and less of that history will be evident by simply looking at our downtown. I think that the old painted advertisements add to the appealing disposition that Grand Rapids already has, and keeping them helps keep the history of the city alive.

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dbrok Hamlet

dbrok

Posted
Posted

This is one of my favorites dbrok:

as well as the Michigan Hardware Company sign on the back of 100 Grandville.

Great photo GRDad. I think there's also a sign on the back of a line of buildings near the corner of Division and Oakes or Cherry. I know I've walked past there and seem to remember it being black and white with Chinese lettering nearby. Maybe I can track that down soon.

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terra firma Whistle-Stop

terra firma

Posted
Posted

West side of the Trade Center Building on Ionia :shades:

They can be preserved for sure. City signage ordinance allows this as a "pre-existing non-conformity" but if you want to change the wording or whatever to advertise a current use then you'll have to comply with current ordinance.

When we renovated the Brass Works bldg. we painted a huge mural on the end of the bldg-- the City called us out on it because it didn't comply since it was advertising (due to the fact that we used the mural on marketing brochures, bus. cards etc) but they granted us a variance.

All the above is subject to ONLY being used for advertising things on-site, not 3rd party stuff. I'll never understand how the BOB gets away with their digital display advertising stuff for the arena, WGRD, etc. I have no problem with it at all but it clearly violates every possible aspect of the sign ordinance.....

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