New Rochelle Municipal Arts Commission Meeting - June 3, 2026
New Rochelle Municipal Arts Commission Meeting - June 3, 2026
The New Rochelle Municipal Arts Commission met on June 3, 2026, at 11:15 AM (though the transcript begins with "Good evening"). The primary agenda item was a sign application for 20 East Main Street. The commission deliberated on sign dimensions and approved a compromise size. Two other items were adjourned due to applicant absence.
Discussion Items
- Case 2-2026: Sign by Nicola Doyle at 20 East Main Street – The applicant presented three options for an illuminated channel letter sign: letters at 18, 24, 36, and 48 inches (with corresponding proportional bottom boxes). The code-compliant size is 16 inches. The applicant argued that larger signs are consistent with the area's car dealerships (e.g., Honda across the street with approximately 3-foot letters) and that the building's large blank facade required a proportionally sized sign. Commissioners debated the options: the smallest (18 inches) was closest to code but appeared lost on the building; the middle (24 inches) was preferred by some; the largest (36 or 48 inches) was deemed too large. Commissioner Linda Key suggested a compromise of 21 inches, between the 18 and 24 options. The applicant agreed to the compromise.
Key Outcomes
- Approval with Stipulation – The commission approved a motion to grant the sign application with the stipulation that the top letters be 21 inches tall, with the bottom box letters proportional to the design shown in the original submissions. The motion passed unanimously (all in favor). The applicant was instructed to submit updated dimensions to the sign vendor.
- Adjournments – Case 13-2026 (application by Lewis Nava for a sign at 642 North Avenue) and the artist certification application were both adjourned because the applicants were not present.
- Meeting Adjourned – The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, seconded, and carried unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome to the Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026 Municipal Arts Commission meeting of the City of New Rochelle. I'm Jane Walls. Tonight with me is Michael Morero, Linda Key, Fred Spinowitz from the Department of Development, Kevin Menez, and the Department of Buildings, Joe Golion. Thank you, Jane. For tonight, our uh we have one adjourned case, uh first case on the agenda is two-2026 application by Nicola Doyle to install illuminated channel letter sign at 20 East Main Street. Well, thank you. Um so we resized um, I think switch options. So we have this some other detail as well. So you think like between these three types of great, thank you. So the the first one is the smallest uh option. I think that was when we went we cut the size um three three quarters, and then it's 24 inch 36, yeah. This is the second option, and then the original one that we had is this one. So you're going like from 48 to 36, and was the first one. And 24. 24, 36. Yeah, I would put this as well. Is it is a smaller? Is already the options code compliant, or do they still need a uh no, they're still all exceed. Even at the smallest size, yeah. Oh, okay. The code would be 18. 16. 16. But we felt like we were uh similar to the all the other businesses on the street because we're in the car dealership area, and the building is just so large and it's just a blank empty space there. Um that's why we chose to go a larger sign. And we kept it simple, the design on uh not flashy or anything, just simple letters. And then the architect that chose the size of the sign uh. So he was working with the proportion of the building, yeah. It's not that we were trying to have the biggest sign and to stand out. Uh we were just trying to make it aesthetically pleasing. And the large signs in the neighborhood are single letters as well. So we kind of stuck with a similar concept to what the car dealerships were doing with their sign. Joe, do you remember the cut the the size of letters in the car dealerships that are close by? Uh I mean Honda's across the street. Theirs are probably around three feet. Three feet. Yeah, possibly. Um then you got Mazda Mazda, you know, came. I think Mazda came before the board not that long ago because they renovated and took over the next door to Honda. Um Jeep is technically out of our jurisdiction. Oh, right, yeah, like we're on the border. Uh as well as Porsche. Any thoughts? Well, I mean, if they are much bigger buildings on the big facade. Well, I think we could consider them the middle option if if the if if in the adjacent areas, there's their size that size. Yeah, there's similar similar to that. I couldn't tell you the exact number. In proportion to the building. Do you have the do you want to do Google Street View cap for them? Yeah, real quick, for sure.
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