Monday, January 8th, 2007 ::: Street Studies

In today’s Street Study, we examine the illegal signs on Bloor West between Spadina and Yonge.

342 Bloor Street West: Two Illegal Titan Fascias

Titan Outdoor is operating two illegal vinyl wall signs on the easterly and westerly elevations of 342 Bloor West. Titan purchased this site from CBS in January 2004. In 1997, CBS obtained this permit for non-illuminated painted signs, CBS then operated painted signs at this location for a while but couldn’t make a go of profitably operating murals at this site. After Titan bought the site from CBS, Titan began operating vinyl, making the site both profitable and illegal.

341 Bloor Street West: Two Illegal Titan Fascias

These two wall signs are just about the biggest and highest in Toronto and dominate the northern entrance of the University of Toronto campus. The only 3rd party sign permit issued to this property, permit 97-401997, for non-illuminated painted signs, was revoked in January 2002 for non-construction. CBS obtained the permit during a brief period in 1997 when the Signs By-Law had no restrictions on painted advertising signs, but then found that it could not profitably operate painted signs at this address and allowed the permit to lapse without every putting paint to brick. After Titan purchased the location, Titan began operating vinyl under the revoked permit.

280 Bloor Street West: Illegal Abcon Fascia

Abcon Outdoor is operating a $104,000/year, 175 square metre sign as high as the 12th floor of this hotel. Abcon has a valid permit for a 3rd party fascia sign at this address. Problem for Abcon is that the permit allows only a 25 square metre sign to be erected no higher than the 4th floor of the building, as illustrated in this approved diagram. Notice that if such a sign were erected, it would have zero visibility and no advertising company would operate it. Abcon’s doing this sort of thing all over town, including at Yonge and Eglinton.

180 Bloor Street West: Illegal Abcon Fascia

Down the street, across from the ROM, Abcon is operating this $130,000/year sign without a permit. Third party signs are not permitted on this building, which houses many of the City’s consulates.

208 Bloor Street West: Illegal Strategic Media Fascia

Strategic Media Outdoor, which never uses a nameplate (and has developed a score of illegal signs for Astral Media) is operating an illegal fascia sign at 208 Bloor West, facing easterly. Like 180 Bloor West, no third party advertising is permitted on this Building.

A Brief Digression on Strategic Media: For an insight into Strategic Media’s modus operandi, note that they obtained this permit to erect a 1st party painted sign at 208 Bloor. This 1st party permit is designed to trick incompetent by-law enforcement officers into thinking they have to prove the copy on the sign is 3rd party before proceeding with enforcement. This usually has the effect of delaying enforcement action against the sign. What most officers don’t realize is that the permits Strategic Media obtains are for only five square metres and for signs that are never intended to be displayed – the permits are simply designed as not-so-elaborate tricks to take advantage of a dysfunctional enforcement system. Why five square meters? See, the Buildings Department charges per square metre when you get a sign permit, and there’s a minimum charge which works out to 5.8 square metres.

Strategic Media’s Daniel Pitoscia has similarly obtained permits for 5 square metre painted signs that it never intends to construct at the following addresses: 334 Bloor West, 796 College, 185 Spadina, 285 Spadina, 640 College, 235 Danforth, 234 College, 93 Davenport, and a score of others. On each of these properties Strategic Media is operating illegal fascia signs between 25 and 150 square metres. One of the reasons Strategic Media can get away with this is because our building inspectors, who should be inspecting sign permits within 6 months, have gone years, in many cases over 5 years, before inspecting signs. The Buildings Department is now trying to fix this problem and is going through its files and inspecting these sign permits.

At 151 Bloor West, Abcon Media is operating these signs on the front and west side of the building, which obstruct windows. Sadly, City Council approved variances for these signs despite this scathing Staff Report from Planning, which reminded Councillors that “Windows involve a two-way relationship, allowing one to see inside as well as to see out”. Not satisfied with the variances City Council granted for non-illuminated signs, Abcon installed illegal illumination on these signs. The last time I spoke with the Building Inspector, he told me that Pellow Architects, who signed the permit application, wasn’t returning his phone calls. This sign, by the way, is, how shall I put it… the least illegal outdoor sign in Abcon’s entire Toronto portfolio.

At 83 Bloor West, CBS is operating these double-sided illuminated roof signs. In 2000, CBS applied to upgrade the roof signs to video screens. Councillor Ila Bossons opposed the application then asked the Planning Department to report to Community Council as to the legality of the “two existing non-conforming illuminated roof signs”. In response, Planning produced this staff report in which it concluded that the roof signs are legal: “Planning staff researched archived files and have concluded that the roof signs in question are in fact legal non-conforming. The City of Toronto granted a permit to erect a roof sign at 83 Bloor Street West on May 28, 1956, under application number 38732.” IllegalSigns.ca tried to view permit 56-38732 but the Buildings Department doesn’t have a copy of the plans. Perhaps the file got lost. Read our letter to the Planning Department. We have never seen a permit for a double-sided illuminated sign from the 1950s - that was a time when advertising companies were developing single-sided non-illuminated signs. It is, however, quite common to see a 1950s single-sided, non-illuminated sign illegally upgraded into a double-sided illuminated sign.

And now, the most egregiously illegal signs on Bloor West, right there at good ‘Ole Yonge Street…

1 Bloor West: 6 Illegal Titan Signs

A few words wouldn’t do justice to these illegal signs – this requires an entire blog-post. You see, Titan Outdoor is in a multi-million dollar mess at 1 Bloor West, and its all our fault. So stay tuned… Coming up on Street Studies: the vicinity of City Hall.