Beaumont-Wilshire might not have the same name recognition as the Hollywood, Irvington or Alameda neighborhoods. But a new effort by the neighborhood association could help change that.
The association is exploring the possibility of purchasing signs to identify the neighborhood. Known as “sign caps,” they go on top of existing street name signs. Nearby neighborhoods that have used sign caps include Roseway, Sullivan’s Gulch and Dolph Park.
One of the city neighborhoods that recently completed the first phase of such a project is South Burlingame in Southwest Portland. The neighborhood faced several challenges, including fundraising and dealing with city bureaucracy, said Leah Benazzi, a volunteer who coordinated the South Burlingame effort.
The city insisted that its crews install the caps and then kept increasing the cost to the neighborhood while delaying the project, Benazzi said.
The city requires that only its crews can install the sign caps for liability reasons, said Dave Hutson, a senior engineer with the city’s Transportation Bureau. It charges actual costs for crews to do the work during weekends when time allows, he said. The city used to charge $20 per sign cap, but realized that was not the actual cost.
The city told South Burlingame it would cost $54 per sign to install. The installation cost for Beaumont-Wilshire could be between $50 and $75 per sign for Beaumont-Wilshire, depending on the size of the project, Hutson said.
South Burlingame used Traffic Safety Supply Co. Inc. (TSCC) of Southeast Portland to manufacture its signs. If Beaumont-Wilshire ordered 25 signs with a standard background color, the cost would be $60 each, said Amy Sanchez of TSCC.
It took South Burlingame about a year to raise the money for its project, Benazzi said. Market of Choice on Southwest Terwilliger Boulevard and the Burlingame Fred Meyer each contributed $500. The neighborhood association kicked in $300. And a fundraising flyer sent to residents raised an initial $1,200.
Beaumont-Wilshire would need to raise more than $3,000 if the neighborhood wanted 25 signs at the high estimate of $135 each, which includes manufacture and city installation. The board has not yet discussed a fundraising plan.
The city specifications call for a standard cap of 24 inches long and 4-3/4 inches high, with a domed top nearly 8 inches high. Each neighborhood designs a logo to go in the domed area. South Burlingame used a hummingbird because one area of the neighborhood has been known as Hummingbird Hill. Colin O’Neill, a former Beaumont-Wilshire Neighborhood Association board member, is working on possible designs for our neighborhood.
In Beaumont-Wilshire, the initial plan would start with about 20 to 25 signs placed on street signs inside the periphery of the neighborhood. Volunteers are working on developing a list of sign locations.
A second phase might move toward the interior of the neighborhood.
The board is likely to discuss the project at its May 14 board meeting and the June 11 general meeting.