FRIENDS' Testimony:

FRIENDS would like to commend the applicant for working with Community Board 8 and addressing the community’s concerns regarding the wiring of the proposed LED sign.

While we understand the need for the congregation to update its methods of communication, we are concerned about the ongoing impact of these screens on the appearance of this individual landmark. We applaud the applicant for proposing a display that fits within the existing signs and coming up with a wiring solution that is minimally intrusive, but allowing the installation of two large LED screens opens the door for an infinite number of display possibilities on this residential street. While these displays have been proposed precisely for their graphic versatility, FRIENDS Preservation Committee worries that it would be too easy for graphics to jeopardize the elegance of this building.

We are aware that the congregation has presented a “Display Intent” that will consist of monochromatic text, that will occasionally include muted colors in pictorial display, and that they do not intend to display moving images such as videos. While FRIENDS has no intent, nor desire, to regulate what the congregation will display on their signs, we ask that, if approved, the Commission finds a way to limit the light intensity and color palette of the display content.