Tanning salon had installed sign on 1884 building. Portofino Sun Center, an indoor tanning bed salon, affixed without permits a large neon sign outside its store at 104 West 73rd Street. The building, a Queen Anne style rowhouse built in 1884 and owned by George Hearn, is located within the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District.

Landmarks issued a Warning Letter to Hearn for the neon sign and an exterior garbage enclosure, also installed without permits. In Hearn’s application to legalize both, Portofino offered to dismantle the neon sign and replace it with a non-illuminated plexiglass sign that would be affixed to the 1884 building’s brick wall and hang perpendicularly.

Landmarks denied approval of the neon and plexiglass signs and the garbage structure, finding that the neon sign was not typical signage found on 1884 buildings and the perpendicular sign and garbage structure detracted from the building. Landmarks informed Hearn that the warning letters would remain in effect and, unless both were dismantled, he would receive a notice of violation and face potential fines.

LPC: 104 West 73rd Street (CD# 06- 0250) (July 22, 2005). CITYADMIN