The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/201...river_home

Perhaps UAB could BUY the sign so it can cover it with more freedom of expression or even renovate it to publicize events at UAB..

The problem seems to be that if its declared or treated as a billboard there is little control over what could be displayed...and UAB's contract is for only 1 year. The original sign was lighted and scrolling. I think, but, according to the then owners, got too expensive to maintain...

Fire Ray Watts.

(07-13-2016 04:49 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  The problem seems to be that if its declared or treated as a billboard there is little control over what could be displayed...and UAB's contract is for only 1 year. The original sign was lighted and scrolling. I think, but, according to the then owners, got too expensive to maintain...

Maintenance expense was probably a factor, but it is also true that when the sign was originally created there were not many tall southside buildings to block its view until you got to Red Mountain. Today it is blocked so much that its coverage is substantially limited by new tall buildings, both north and south.

The massage board went dead for several years before being renovated, but its coverage had been so diminished by then, when it broke down again, its value was too small to fix again.

This is great and all, but why didn't the city do anything about the Pepsi billboard that was up there? And will they do anything about it when someone else comes along and just puts whatever they want up there without trying to go through the proper channels. I agree this doesn't need to be turned into a billboard but it sucks that UAB got screwed for doing things the right way

The city will likely make them go back to an electronic board or remove the board completely...if they ever get around to enforcing their decision.

Shouldn't then similar like billboards in the area also be removed?

(07-14-2016 04:28 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  This is great and all, but why didn't the city do anything about the Pepsi billboard that was up there? And will they do anything about it when someone else comes along and just puts whatever they want up there without trying to go through the proper channels. I agree this doesn't need to be turned into a billboard but it sucks that UAB got screwed for doing things the right way

The city tried to stop the last sign(Pepsi) after it was put in place w/o city approval but could not legally do it. When the billboard owners changed hands(?) and the last sign(Pepsi) contract expired the city somehow regained theirs rights to determine whether the sign was appropriate or not.

(07-14-2016 04:46 PM)blazerjay Wrote:  The city will likely make them go back to an electronic board or remove the board completely...if they ever get around to enforcing their decision.

The sign is probably too old and fragile to be taken down except for scrap, but if it could be moved to a new location - say on the top of Red Mountain at Vulcan Park - there may be a good use for it some place. There are just too many taller buildings today that block its view from both north and south for anyone to restore it in place.

(07-14-2016 05:59 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  

(07-14-2016 04:28 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  This is great and all, but why didn't the city do anything about the Pepsi billboard that was up there? And will they do anything about it when someone else comes along and just puts whatever they want up there without trying to go through the proper channels. I agree this doesn't need to be turned into a billboard but it sucks that UAB got screwed for doing things the right way

The city tried to stop the last sign(Pepsi) after it was put in place w/o city approval but could not legally do it. When the billboard owners changed hands(?) and the last sign(Pepsi) contract expired the city somehow regained theirs rights to determine whether the sign was appropriate or not.

That's a load of crap. The city didn't gain or lose anything between the ownership changing. Harbert and Buffalo Rock just didn't ask for permission and got it up there before the city could issue a cease and desist, and the city never had the fortitude to order it taken down or take them to court. UAB did it the right way and asked for permission first and was turned down.

(07-15-2016 06:55 AM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  

(07-14-2016 05:59 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  

(07-14-2016 04:28 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  This is great and all, but why didn't the city do anything about the Pepsi billboard that was up there? And will they do anything about it when someone else comes along and just puts whatever they want up there without trying to go through the proper channels. I agree this doesn't need to be turned into a billboard but it sucks that UAB got screwed for doing things the right way

The city tried to stop the last sign(Pepsi) after it was put in place w/o city approval but could not legally do it. When the billboard owners changed hands(?) and the last sign(Pepsi) contract expired the city somehow regained theirs rights to determine whether the sign was appropriate or not.

That's a load of crap. The city didn't gain or lose anything between the ownership changing. Harbert and Buffalo Rock just didn't ask for permission and got it up there before the city could issue a cease and desist, and the city never had the fortitude to order it taken down or take them to court. UAB did it the right way and asked for permission first and was turned down.

That's essentially what I said(w/o the detail)...

Another difference...Harbert and Buffalo Rock are two huge local entities the city may have chosen to not tick off over something as petty as a sign...the new owner has no such local ties...hence the strong stance.

Could also be that they got indications that once the Pepsi contract ended there would be problems...so they sold it.

Glad this happened. It protects UAB & Birmingham in the long run... last thing we need is Bama, Troy, or Wesley's Boobie-trap putting their billboard up there next.

Remember when we rented it for #FreeUAB? It was in the background of one of the news casts. lol.

I remember calling to see how much it would cost to scroll Fire Watson Brown... it was surprisingly affordable.

UAB was told company didn't need permission to replace Pepsi sign, University says
http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/201...river_home