Digital Billboards (Vega: how much, living, restaurant)

[sapphire]

And that's the sign's fault?

[scuba steve]

There are so freaking many billboards around. Huge ones... it's one of the first things I noticed after flying in.

[Montirob]

My opinion: I don't like them at all. Our office is downtown. The other day when it was cloudy, we were trying to figure out what that bright red rectangle was on the horizon. I pull out the trusty binoculars, and lo and behold it was the billboard at Crossroads Mall at I-10 and 410! Now imagine when every billboard is like that. Supposedly (according to the SA Conservation Society and others) the new digital billboard ordinance eliminated the "scenic corridor" provision which means that the nice drive along 281 from the airport to downtown could conceivably be littered with billboards. I just don't see the benefit to more urban clutter and light pollution.

[tgannaway89]

A digital billboard was just installed off 1604 near the new Hill Country Plaza shopping center (near the NW Military Hwy/1604 intersection).

[SAguy]

Digital Billboards are much nicer and cleaner looking than the old billboards around town. I believe from what I read several months ago, for each digital billboard that's added to the SA market two old billboards will come down. That what I remember about the agreement between Clear Channel Outdoor and the city.

Also, out of the four major cities in Texas. San Antonio is the only city testing digital billboards. Dallas, Houston and tech city Austin have denied the use of digital billboards.

[SilverCreek78250]

I just wonder how the taggers will figure out what kind of paint to use on them.

IMHO, since apparently the cost of these things is low enough to make them financially feasible to use, I'd like to see a place in our downtown (and I haven't figured out the right place) where they could make some sort of Time Square like media center using these billboards. Say a news ticker, a live shot of KENS-5 News (heavy on the Sarah Lucero and Karen Grace) and some other signage with Spurs highlights.

I think it would be pretty cool - and most importantly, it might make some people think we have achieved that all important, World Class City status that is so sought after.

[wCat]

Originally Posted by SilverCreek78250

I just wonder how the taggers will figure out what kind of paint to use on them.

IMHO, since apparently the cost of these things is low enough to make them financially feasible to use, I'd like to see a place in our downtown (and I haven't figured out the right place) where they could make some sort of Time Square like media center using these billboards. Say a news ticker, a live shot of KENS-5 News (heavy on the Sarah Lucero and Karen Grace) and some other signage with Spurs highlights.

I think it would be pretty cool - and most importantly, it might make some people think we have achieved that all important, World Class City status that is so sought after.

Super idea! (except for the anchor suggestions! ) Commerce and Alamo is a heavy pedestrian corner.....you know, around the "Flame of Friendship?"
The entrance at the corner of the Old Joskes/Dillards building has been closed off for years. I vote for that. Although it would be a shame to cover up that great architecture on that building. Any eyesores with good traffic that need concealing?

Clear Channel....are you paying attention? Make SURE SilverCreek at SACD gets 100% credit for this idea. None of this "oh...we had already thought about that stuff~)

[punkyvavy]

Originally Posted by SilverCreek78250

I just wonder how the taggers will figure out what kind of paint to use on them.

IMHO, since apparently the cost of these things is low enough to make them financially feasible to use, I'd like to see a place in our downtown (and I haven't figured out the right place) where they could make some sort of Time Square like media center using these billboards. Say a news ticker, a live shot of KENS-5 News (heavy on the Sarah Lucero and Karen Grace) and some other signage with Spurs highlights.

I think it would be pretty cool - and most importantly, it might make some people think we have achieved that all important, World Class City status that is so sought after.

Seems like the only billboards for local news are for WOAI. I imagine they will be promoting the heck out of their new main female anchor- the one that is coming from L.A. She is a looker!

Also I agree- a billboard with Sarah and Karen would be great...plus Kelly from the morning show. I love watching them and they are smoking hot. Two hottest latina women in the market.

[TexHwyMan]

Originally Posted by Montirob

Supposedly (according to the SA Conservation Society and others) the new digital billboard ordinance eliminated the "scenic corridor" provision which means that the nice drive along 281 from the airport to downtown could conceivably be littered with billboards.

Actually, that is not true. The scenic corridors are still in place and no new billboards can be erected within them. What the digital billboard ordinance did allow was that any existing grandfathered billboards within those corridors could be converted to a digital billboard provided that only minor modifications would be required. The ordinance also specifically subjects those signs to the conversion provisions of removing approximately four existing billboard faces for every new digital face.

http://epay.sanantonio.gov/rfcadocs/...0111093802.pdf
http://epay.sanantonio.gov/agendabui....aspx?RId=1935
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/MYSA120607_08B_DigitalSigns1206_28b104f_html9299.h tml (broken link)

[Rhetorikolas]

They're a great addition to the city, especially when they offer useful information and data rather than annoying advertisements.