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Trolley Square may be seeing more high tech revamping in the near future.
Robert Pinion, the architect representing owner Khosrow Semnani, presented a plan Thursday to the Historic Landmark Commission for new signs throughout the shopping center.
Trolley Square has seen a major decrease in customers over the years and, the new owner is dedicated to "turning Trolley Square around and making it a warm place to welcome families and shoppers to come and enjoy what the trolley is," Pinion said.
Pinion came to the commission with a list of various new signs, which would possibly include four LED signs, that he said would maintain the integrity of the historic square while advertising and promoting the stores inside.
"One of the biggest challenges the trolley has is signage. The ability for those that are driving around or walking around the actual campus to understand that there are different shops in the trolley," Pinion said.
A plan of various signage changes was presented to commission members to discuss and address any issues that may arise.
The commission's main concerns focus on the proposed LED signs — the brightness and color displayed, as well as the images.
Michaela Oktay, planning manager for the Historical Landmark Commission, said the graphics displayed on the screens are not allowed to twirl or spin since it is against zoning code.
Chairman Thomas Brennan asked for the graphics that would be displayed on the LEDs to be presented to the commission in order for members to assess their "historical appropriateness."
The general manager of Trolley Square, Terrance Deary, tried to assure commission members that planners are not looking to create something overly flashy, but are trying to better equip their current and potential tenants with proper advertising guidelines.
"We're not trying to make this Las Vegas," Deary said. "The first question we get from potential tenants is, 'Well, what can we do for signage?' And right now we kind of go back and forth on what they can do."
The proposal includes LED signs on the four corners of Trolley Square, but most of the discussion revolved around the proposed sign on the southwest corner because it would be placed over archways that don't lead into the actual shopping center and face residential areas.
A neon sign that was previously proposed for the square's iconic water tower has been completely removed as an option and the main focus of the discussion stayed with the LED signs.
Commission members asked pointed questions regarding the LED signs, but most seemed pleased with the updates made.
"I'm really happy with the movement that I've seen…. this is definitely in the right direction," said Sheleigh Harding, commission chairwoman.
There are still more meetings planned on the proposal, but members seemed impressed that the architect and Semnani's S.K. Hart Management, LLC, intend to maintain the historical integrity of the square as much as possible.
"We can do the right thing for Trolley Square as a commercial shopping center while at the same time respecting that it's in the historic district of the city," Pinion said.