Section 10-C2509. SIGNS FOR HISTORIC INSTITUTIONAL PROPERTIES

 

2509.1 Historic civic, institutional, religious, and educational properties generally have a very different character from historic commercial properties.  Government offices, courts, churches, synagogues, schools, colleges, libraries, and other institutional or quasi-institutional structures like banks and corporate offices were typically designed to express their function primarily through the imagery and symbolism of their architecture.  Signage on a historic institutional property shall be consistent with and respectful of the image and architecture of the property.

 

2509.2 The preferred solution for signage on historic institutional properties is to retain any existing historic signs or to add signage of the same or a similar type if needed. 

 

2509.3 The preferred design for bulletin sign boards for historic institutional properties is the traditional style consisting of permanent identification and non-illuminated or front-lit changeable letters set behind glass against a solid background.

 

2509.4 Ground-mounted identification and bulletin signs may also be permitted for historic institutional properties. 

 

2509.5 Signs for historic institutional properties shall be subject to the following provisions:

 

(a) Traditional institutional building signage shall be placed at an architecturally appropriate location like a frieze or wall surface next to or above an entrance.  The determination of an appropriate location is dependent on the architecture of the specific historic building;

 

(b) Ground-mounted institutional signs shall be located where they do not obscure public views of the building, its entrance, or other significant architectural or site features.  Ground-mounted signs shall not be raised on masonry piers;

 

(c) Institutional signage shall be sized appropriately to its location on the historic building or site.   A bulletin sign should not exceed twenty square feet (20 sq. ft.) in area, calculated to include any architectural supports such as piers, bases, and frames;

 

(d) Institutional signs shall be constructed of materials appropriate for the building, site, or district.  Signs of metal, wood, stone and other materials compatible with the building or district are encouraged.  Signs of synthetic materials, such as shiny plastic, that are not compatible with the building or district are not permitted; and

 

(e) Institutional signs shall be illuminated in a manner consistent with and appropriate for their setting.  Internally illuminated signs are prohibited unless unusual circumstances make them clearly compatible with the specific building or location.

 

2509.5  Signs on historic institutional properties that are within or adjacent to historic districts shall be designed in a manner that minimizes the impact of institutional signage, such as the level of illumination, on adjacent historic properties.

 

2509.6  Signs for properties within a historic complex or campus should be coordinated to convey that the properties are or were historically related.  Owners of these campuses and complexes are encouraged to develop a master plan for signage, pursuant to § 2511.

 

authority

The D.C. Office of Planning and the Historic Preservation Review Board, pursuant to the authority set forth in section 10 of the Historic Landmark and Historic District Protection Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979, (D.C. Law 2-144; D.C. Official Code § 6-1109), Mayor’s Order 79-50, dated March 21, 1979, section 6 of Mayor's Order 83-119, dated May 6, 1983, section III(B)(8) of Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1983, effective March 31, 1983, and section 402(b) of the Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Support Act of 2002, effective October 19, 2000 (D.C. Law 12-172; 47 DCR 6308).

source

Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 57 DCMR 2281, 2290 (March 19, 2010); as corrected by Errata Notice published at 58 DCR 11084, 11089 (December 23, 2011).