> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ken Follett
> Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2000 10:37 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: FW: Advertisements on Parking Meters
>
>
> There area a lot of meter poles in NYC. If they are only talking 500 meter
> poles

It's a trial run; they will eventually expand the program, you can be sure.

> then nobody will ever notice them. I'm in favor of turning up the
> volume on visual pollution in several areas of the urban environment. Why
> have an urban environment if you are not going to max out the sensory
> stimulation?  Rather than banning the advertising outright, why
> not look to
> regulating the action by district? One could even go so far as to
> stipulate
> that in historic districts the meter poles advertise historic stuff.

We need to return to handbills in the historic districts, not parking meter
poles, except in districts designated for their significance to the recent
past.  We had one corner property on Sidney, Ohio's Courthouse Square,
Carey's Hall, an 1854 Greek Revival structure, that gave a telling clue to
what the environment was like in the days before mass media.  I quote from
my very first tiny publication, a cute little guidebook to Sidney's National
Register district (wherein resides what Louis Sullivan considered to be the
best of his midwestern bank buildings, People's Federal Savings and Loan
Association):

"The inset marble plaque reading "Post No Bills Here" can be seen on the
Ohio Avenue side of the building at the Poplar St. corner.  It is a
tell-tale reminder of what Mr. Carey undoubtedly considered would be a
problem for his beautiful new building.  Prior to the age of widespread
newspaper, radio, and television use, the primary means of advertising was
through printed handbills.  Advertising was accomplished by literally
plastering every available surface at eye-level with hand bills.  Telegraph
poles, buildings, everything was used.  It is not known how effective Mr.
Carey's admonishment proved to be in keeping his bills down."
___________________________________________________
Dan Becker,  Executive Director          "What's this? Fan mail
Raleigh Historic                                   from some flounder?"
Districts Commission                           - Bullwinkle J. Moose
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