Poll Results: Gallery Place Billboards

The speakers are ridiculously loud.

A blight on the neighborhood. It is shameful that they were allowed. How do we fix this mistake????? Should we organize a neighborhood protest?

I know that some won’t like this statement, but I live in Penn Quarter, walk by the speakers everyday and don’t really pay any attention to them. I don’t think that they are that bad.

I don’t want things that are “not that bad.” We should have a high standard for our neighborhood. We live in one of the great American cities and should work to keep it that way.

I have no problems with them. I’d say, put some more up.

They give a little bit more of a cosmopolitan feel to the neighborhood.

DC needs more “bright lights” throughout the city, it has enough “majesty and beauty.”

All of the worlds great cities have “ugly” ads/billboards, bright lights, and video monitors throughout.

Obviously, DC is a far cry from joining their ranks, but you gotta start somewhere.

Make your choice, modern and cosmopolitan, or beauty!

I know lots of great modern, cosmopolitan downtowns that don’t inflict ugly advertising — Paris for one. Take a look at Austin, Texas — that is a modern music town. How about San Francisco?

Do we always have to have our senses assaulted by advertising?

I swear if I have to hear that blasted AT&T commercial [the one that goes “this time I’m out to get you!”] one more time I’m going to go postal on those billboards!

Seriously.

Before the billboards, there was a rotation loud musicians playing for money in that Metro canopy. I don’t really see/hear the difference?

Adam – you and me both… the Diet Coke one is just as bad.

Well we shouldn’t have tolerated the other noise pollution either. But I totally see a difference between kettle drums and blaring advertisements. The worst thing, though, about the signs is they mar what was a nicely designed corner and take away from the beauty of the Chinatown Arch. We can do better.

Considering Dave’s comment..if I am faced with a choice, I guess I prefer the billboards. They could tone the noise them down, it is ridiculous to hear coming up the metro escaltors on H.

Maybe we could get together a class action lawsuit for “hearing loss”.

To the few people who think DC needs more bright colored lights, I suggest you all buy a pair of these and save us the aggravation.

If you are all so against the billboards why did you not go to the DNA and bring it up. Kwame Brown’s head of constituent services and a representative from the Mayor’s office were both there.

Vincent Gray will be at the next DNA meeting, at a yet to be determined location. I am sure you will get a response if you complain there.

One thing that was brought up at the meeting which I thought was very interesting is that the downtown area is still considered a commercial area and residential concerns may be overlooked. We need to continue to build community and have our voices hear to make sure that the experience of living in Penn Quarter continues to improve.

I ask that we all take the time to attend an ANC, PSA, or DNA meeting in the coming months to continue to grow as a community. This blog does a GREAT job of raising community issues but it needs to continue.

I actually liked the kettle drums, and don’t mind the oriental music or the jazz musician. The white dude with dreads “playing” the electric guitar though with out-of-tune covers drives me crazy with the first note though.

It’s not the lights — it’s the blaring sound of the commercials.