In the middle of the Atlanta Historic District, The Healey Building has been a fixture since 1913. This property has undergone a few renovations during its more than a century existence but it is most known as the towering high-rise with old-world character and grand windows.
The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and underwent renovations in 2005 to move from commercial space to condominiums. Every inch of the building speaks to class and luxury.
Most recently, the building has undergone another renovation to the 50,000 SF of commercial space at the base of the tower. The shift of focus to the commercial space created a need for new signage and branding for the property.
Equitable Management, who represents the property, contacted Pinnacle Custom Signs in July of 2018 to assist with their new signage needs. They were looking for a vendor who could fabricate and permit 22 ornamental signs for the existing tenants.
Sign Challenges
Due to the historical nature of the property, Pinnacle knew from the beginning that there would be one unusual challenge with this property. Each of the designs for the building would have to be reviewed and approved by the Historical Preservation board.
The design for the signs had already been created by a third party vendor for Equitable Management. When we reviewed the design files, we discovered that the design was too large to accommodate the city’s guidelines for installation.
Because of the unique uneven façade of the Healey Building and the requirements that each sign needed to be at least ten feet from the ground, it was going to be extremely difficult to get the signs installed on the same parallel along the entire structure.
Since the original design of the signage was created by an outside design team, several additional designs were considered so the originally approved concept wouldn’t have to go through the review board for a second time. The projection and height of the ornamental bracket were adjusted so the tenant’s panel size could remain the same.
In addition to the design challenges and historical guidelines, Pinnacle needed to individually permit each of the 22 signs. The permitting process was a much greater challenge than permitting the entire sign installation package because the committee had to look at each one individually.
Custom Sign Solutions
However, Pinnacle did provide a solution for Equitable Management and the parties associated with the Healey Building. The sign brackets were created to be permanent fixtures that were installed into the structural steel beams. This allows for the tenant panels to be changed without going through the process of replacing and installing all the brackets in the future.
In addition, Pinnacle powder coated and cut out the brackets from flat aluminum to provide synergy with the historical class of the building. Then we created 3D printed and painted Healey Building logos to attach to the brackets.
Utilizing Our Sign Permitting Expertise
Pinnacle’s knowledge and expertise in the permitting process became our greatest asset in the helping Equitable Management fulfill their need for new exterior signage.
Being an experienced sign contractor that covers a wide range of jurisdictions in a market such as Atlanta, we are familiar with many of the local ordinances and can guide you in what is allowable during the initial design stages when consulted. This comes in particularly handy when historical ordinances are concerned. It helps to allow the design team to produce drawings that are within the scope the first time without dealing with additional changes and delays in production.
We procure dozens of permits monthly for our customers and offer this as a service for a nominal flat plus the sign permit cost. Our clients can also obtain their permit on their own and we can provide all the information you will need to get the permit.
If your firm or business has a unique property with sign needs that we can help you navigate, then give us a call for a complimentary consultation on your project. We would be happy to help.
