The most conspicuous example of Chicago's recent spat of troubling signage is a 2,891-square-foot sign 200 feet above street level on the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago.

"It's a sign-plastered world out there, and nothing, not even Wrigley Field, is safe or sacred….Signs are so pervasive that we've become numb to them and their impact on our psyches and surroundings," writes Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin.
Kamin calls the sign an "on-steroids version of Trump's ubiquitous logo and its bold serif typeface," and most troubling is the impact the sign has on the street: "The big letters loom over the beaux arts Michigan Avenue Bridge and the great skyscrapers, from the wedding cake of the Wrigley Building to the corncobs of Marina City, that are visible from the span. To be sure, the nearby Tribune Tower has a prominently displayed sign, but it's on an attached structure, not the neo-Gothic skyscraper itself. The Trump sign, by comparison, is a poke in the eye."
Kamin's larger point is that Trump sign is only the most recent example of carte blanche granted to signage in the city, which lacks "sophisticated design guidelines as well as the teeth to enforce them."
Other writers have also produced strong critiques, including Neil Steinberg of the Chicago Sun-Times, who cites the sign as a symbol of the "emptiness of vanity." Writes Steinberg: "Who does this sign benefit? Out-of-towners who pass by and wonder which building this is? The hotel and condo owners ballyhooing themselves? As bad as being Donald Trump undoubtedly is, being caught basking in his glow is even worse."
FULL STORY: Donald Trump: Giant sign on his Chicago tower is like Hollywood sign

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie