Yesterdays article on Would You Give Up Seven to Get One?, drew a lot of reader interest and a number of comments. We wanted to reshare those comments today.
Our first reader ran an aerial Google Maps view which we show below along with their comments.
“Access does look tough and I bet the leases with the rail line are not cheap.”
Others shared their thoughts:
“It truly depends on the interest of the client. Will that billboard stand out 8x more? Will clients pay more? Can I acquire more of these 8x signs if I put up one?”
“Railroad leases are expensive and year to year. I would think Interstate secured an easement or purchased the land where the new digital will go. Losing 14 static faces but gaining 16 digital spots is a push. Digitals have their own maintenance problems from time to time, where statics do not. Interstate is a smart operator and I’m sure they made the right decision.”
“I wouldn’t give up 14 statics, no.”
“As a printer, I say NO!”
Our final commenter supplied a street view and the following comment.
“After a few minutes with Google Maps Street View, I can see why they’re giving up a group of blighted stacked 8 sheets and old 30 sheets. They’re hemmed in by a railroad fence and very limited roadway access. Lighting is broken. Ads are faded and torn. So it appears these faces are difficult to sell as well as access. Only one sign appears to have paying copy on it in the current June 2023 google street view . Trading these old uglies for a new digital is a no brainer. Good call. The graffiti tagging community however will be at a loss of the blank canvases.”
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In the market I used to work in on the East Coast, we actually helped implement a “one for one” static-to-digital (slots) law because we had so many more static faces than our competitors. If they wanted to go digital they’d have to tear down a board for every slot. Kept anyone but us from going digital.
After listening to the actual hearing before the zoning hearing board of Bristol Township, the sign actually will still sit on the same side of RT-13, and that land is zoned Industrial. I withdraw my earlier comment on the sign sitting on the cemetery property, which is zoned R-1. I misunderstood the original article that stated it would be built on the other side of the road.