Courtney PulitzerDirector of Public Relations, Sandoval Creative · Results-Driven PR Expert | Enhancing Brand Reputation | Crafting Compelling Narratives | Building Strategic Partnerships

Columbia University, School of Journalism, Reporting Project "Travelers Umbrella" (Summer 2000)

17 Sept 2015 · 3 min

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2:35

In a Columbia University journalism reporting project, reporter Courtney Pulitzer covers the long‑running dispute over Travelers Insurance’s 50‑foot illuminated umbrella logo mounted on the side of its Tribeca headquarters. Community members describe the sign as an eyesore that invades their homes and disrupts Manhattan’s skyline, while others view it as decorative and emblematic of New York’s vibrancy. The Tribeca Community Association sued Travelers, citing violations of the C‑6‑4 district’s zoning rules that limit illuminated signs to 40 feet above ground. After a year of legal battles, the parties reached a compromise: the sign is turned off from sunset to midnight, dimmed from midnight to sunrise, and fully illuminated during daylight hours. Travelers has not commented on the agreement, and the debate continues over corporate advertising versus residents’ quality of life.

Chapters

And I think it's a travesty of a use of advertising in the architectural context.
I think it's pretty ugly. It breaks up and it's really disturbing to the skyline of Manhattan.
Decorative, lights up at night, gives plenty of color to the city. It's what New York's all about.
It was so piercing and they could see it from their homes and it sort of invaded their homes.
This 50-foot sign has been a source of controversy since the spring of 1996. That's when Travelers Insurance Corporation attached their logo to the side of their Tribeca headquarters.
The actual dimensions are that the umbrella is 50 feet wide and 50 feet high. It's about 4 stories high on the building, and so it is gigantic. It is truly enormous.
Responding to complaints about the sign, the Tribeca Community Association filed a lawsuit against Travelers to take the logo down. Aesthetics aside, the logo does violate the district's regulations governing size and location.
The zoning regulation said that in this district an illuminated sign would not be allowed more than 40 feet above the ground, and it's a C-6-4 district, which is a commercial district.
After a year of legal battles, the Tribeca Community Association and Travelers reached a compromise. Their agreement was that from sunset to midnight, the sign is turned off. From midnight till sunrise, it is dimmed. Then, the Travelers umbrella is turned back on and shines bright during the day. Despite our numerous attempts for comment, Travelers did not respond to our requests. The debate continues in this community whether a corporation's needs should take precedence over a resident's quality of life. This is Courtney Pulitzer reporting for Columbia News.