Our Sign Shines Again — Now Let’s Finish the Job
YESCO, the sign vendor contracted by the City, removing neon for replacement, photo by Marc Johnson
Our University Heights sign will shine again. The City of San Diego has issued a purchase order to YESCO — the sign’s original 1997 fabricator — to replace all of its red and white neon, which started on Aug. 11 at a cost of approximately $24,000. Restoring the rest of the sign — the rusting metal and the faded, peeling paint beneath the lights and on the posts — will cost $80,000, and none of it is funded.
In our July/August issue, we led with “Our Iconic Sign is Going Dark — and the Money to Fix it is Gone.” We reported that the sign was only partially lit, that the City was preparing to shut it off entirely for safety reasons, and that the Maintenance Assessment District (MAD) fund that should have covered the repair had been spent down.
“The numbers tell the story. The district’s reserve has dropped from $87,439 in fiscal 2016 to a projected $8,962 by fiscal 2027 — three years running in the red, with revenue barely budging the whole time. (Curious how the district is funded and what it pays for? We broke it down in “How the UH-MAD Works,” in our July/August issue, archived at link.uhsd.org/uhsign.)
Within days of that issue hitting the streets, University Heights Community Association (UHCA) was contacted by nearly every major news outlet in San Diego: CBS 8, NBC 7, Fox 5/KUSI, ABC 10, and the Times of San Diego. San Diegoville picked up the story, and it spread across Instagram and Facebook, drawing hundreds of comments from neighbors who wanted the sign saved.
Before the first stories aired — before the first on-camera interview — my phone rang. It was Michael Jones, assistant deputy director of the City’s Parks and Recreation Department, which oversees City-managed MADs. Jones acknowledged that the sign’s condition should not have reached this point and said the City was committed to repairing it as soon as possible.
At the July 14 meeting of the UH-MAD committee, which provides community input to the City-managed district, that commitment was reiterated. Members were told the City had sought bids from five vendors for an immediate fix. The selected bid came in at approximately $24,000, which the City was able to cover from the City’s general fund.
The committee also reviewed the MAD budget. Landscaping, lighting, and district administration are legitimate and necessary uses of these funds — the corridor’s trees, banners, and street lighting all depend on them. But yearly assessment revenue has stayed nearly flat around $70,000 while costs have climbed, and the reserve no longer has the capacity to absorb a capital project. City staff said a full refurbishment would require fundraising beyond what the district can support. Longer term, the UH-MAD has to find a financially sustainable way to both handle current operating expenses and build a durable reserve that will include future sign maintenance and refurbishment needs so that we don’t wind up in this same situation in coming decades.
Intricate craftsmanship required to fabricate neon letters, photo by YESCO.
What’s Next
By the time this issue reaches your door, the sign should be fully lit.
The neon is the most visible part of the sign, and replacing it solves the immediate problem. But our sign turns 30 next year, and three decades of bright San Diego sun and misty coastal mornings have taken a toll. The metal has rusted in numerous places and paint is cracked and peeling.
In discussions with YESCO, a two-phase refurbishment emerged as the approach that makes the most logistical and financial sense. Phase 1 replaces the neon along with its transformers and electrical hardware. Phase 2 repairs the metal structure and repaints every element, including the trolley and the posts — removing the neon tubes, repairing the metal, sanding, priming, and repainting.
The City has already contracted with YESCO to complete Phase 1. Phase 2, at a cost of $80,000, is unfunded. This capital restoration well beyond what the MAD’s annual revenue can absorb.
The proposals YESCO provided last year for $175,000 included a full upgrade to LED technology. Given the current state of the technology and the already-started repairs to the neon in Phase 1, the fiscally responsible approach is to retain the neon as the sign will now have a 20-year expected life with both phases completed.
UHCA and the University Heights Community Development Corporation (UHCDC) are now launching the fundraising campaign to raise the $80,000 for Phase 2.
Save Our Sign & A Generous Match
The work on Phase 2 can’t start until the funds are raised, and that’s where the whole neighborhood comes in. Long time University Heights residents and UHCA members and volunteers Jessica Colosimo and Case Iest have pledged $25,000 — nearly a third of the total — as a challenge to the rest of us, structured to reward early giving and finish strong.
Through Dec. 31, every dollar donated will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $15,000. A $100 gift becomes $200. A $500 gift becomes $1,000. Meeting that first target in full puts us at $30,000 — more than a third of the way — before the new year.
The remaining $10,000 of the Colosimo and Iest pledge will be released when the community raises the balance needed to reach $80,000. Our goal is to have the full amount in hand by March 1, which will allow us to have the sign refurbished in time for Party on Park in May, which will also be our celebration of the sign’s 30th anniversary.
Contributions are received and managed by UHCA, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, in partnership with UHCDC, also a 501(c)(3). Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, and 100% of every contribution goes to the sign’s refurbishment.
Contributions of $1,000 or more will be honored on a new donor plaque on one of the pillars, celebrated at the 30th anniversary at Party on Park. We also are now able to accept contributions from Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) as well as securities (stocks, bonds, and ETFs), giving donors more flexibility.
Donate at link.uhsd.org/signrestore. Background on the sign and the campaign is at link.uhsd.org/uhsign. Campaign progress and updates on the work will appear at those links, in UH News, and on social media at @universityheights_sd.
