X marks spot: San Francisco probes giant sign on ex-Twitter HQ amid rebranding

According to city authorities, any alterations to letters or symbols on buildings, including the erection of signs on top of them, must be accompanied by a permit to ensure compliance with design and safety regulations, reported AP.

Following the intervention of San Francisco police on Monday, workers attempting to remove the iconic bird and logo of the brand from the side of the building were halted. The police cited safety concerns, as the workers had not taken the necessary precautions, such as taping off the sidewalk, to protect pedestrians from potential falling objects.

According to the report, in response to the incident, Patrick Hannan, the spokesperson for the Department of Building Inspection, emphasized the city’s requirement for a permit before any replacement letters or symbols could be installed. He stressed that such permits are crucial to maintain the historical integrity of the building and to ensure the secure attachment of any new additions to the sign.

Reportedly, Hannan stated on Friday that obtaining a permit is also mandatory for erecting a sign on top of a building. He further explained that the installation of the said sign would also necessitate planning review and approval. Consequently, the city has opened a complaint and launched an investigation in response to the matter, as mentioned in his email.

Elon Musk introduced a new “X” logo to replace Twitter’s iconic blue bird after acquiring the social media platform for $44 billion last year. The “X” logo began appearing on the desktop version of Twitter on Monday. Musk, also the CEO of Tesla, has a longstanding fascination with the letter “X” and renamed Twitter’s corporate name to X Corp. His child is known by a name comprising letters and symbols. On Friday, a worker made adjustments to the sign before leaving.

(With inputs from AP)

Updated: 31 Jul 2023, 12:47 PM IST