Downtown group waffles on gateway signs

Mark Kauffman has been a leading advocate for installing gateway signs marking the entry point to downtown Sarasota at key intersections. But as the project moves toward reality, he’s beginning to have second thoughts.

Kauffman, a developer and Downtown Improvement District board member, discussed his hesitancy at Tuesday’s DID meeting. The group has budgeted $150,000 to install three signs extending over the intersections of U.S. 301 and Main Street, U.S. 41 and Main Street and Fruitville Road and Lemon Avenue.

Landscape architect David W. Johnston Associates produced a design plan for the signs, which call downtown “the heart and soul of the city.” The DID is preparing to present the concept to the City Commission to get permission to install the signs, but in the meantime, Kauffman wants to vet the plan one more time.

“The majority of the feedback I have heard, people love the idea,” Kauffman said Tuesday. “The minority — from a very intelligent minority — were against it, which gives me some pause.”

Kauffman said the criticism he’s heard has come from the design community. Those critics suggested the signs are tacky, and that high quality downtowns don’t need to announce their presence.

DID board member Eileen Hampshire said she’s heard a similar line of criticism.

“The comments I get are, ‘Oh, come on, you know where downtown is,’” Hampshire said. “It’s where the big buildings are.”

DID Chairman Ron Soto said he’s heard mostly positive feedback, too, and still believes the signs will be an economic generator for downtown. But board member Daniel Volz was also skeptical, suggesting that an alternative plan — such as installing specially designed street signs within the downtown core — could achieve the same results.

At Kauffman’s request, the DID will meet with city planners next month to get their input on the gateway sign proposal. Kauffman still believes the signs are a good idea for branding downtown, but he wants a second opinion before moving forward.

“The 10% that are against it, I think, are knowledgeable people,” he said. “So even though it’s only 10%, I want to pause and make sure we’re doing the right thing.”