Iconic Pensacola Beach sign will return next month. Here's why this one will last.
Visitors may have a hard time finding their way to Pensacola Beach over the next few weeks, as the giant sailfish-studded sign has been removed until January.
The sign has been a longstanding attention grabber for visitors and locals alike with its vibrant beach imagery welcoming visitors by day and dazzling lights illuminating the path by night.
The most recent sign, installed in 2019, sustained significant damage by Hurricane Sally in 2020. The sign was taken down this week to begin the replacement process and make way for a new sign to be hung next month.
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The incoming sign will be the fourth to be installed since the iconic landmark’s origin in the 1960s, however, Escambia County Commissioner Robert Bender, whose district included the beach, hopes it will be the last. At least for a while.
“Part of the issue that we had with the previous sign was that the correct paint wasn’t applied,” he said. “Ultimately, Hurricane Sally damaged it beyond repair, or it was going to be cheaper to build a new one than to repair the one that was replaced in 2019. Insurance proceeds are paying for the construction.”
The cost of the sign, completely covered by insurance, is $400,000.
New techniques, such as sandblasting and anti-corrosive paint, will hopefully extend the lifespan of the sign even through natural disasters, which have been a proven offender. Hurricane Ian claimed the life of the sign that stood from 2014 to 2018, and Sally would strike its replacement only a year after its replacement.
The replacement shares the same design as the sign that stood from 2014 to 2018, according to Bender. The upgraded sign is being designed by local company, Plastic Arts Sign Co.
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While the transition takes place, a curtain will cover the area, which look similar as to when Pensacola’s beach ball tower was repaired earlier this year.
Bender said the local company selected to work on the sign knows the importance of the sign and its significance to the Pensacola Beach community and is slow to make any significant design changes.
What will become of the removed sign is still unknown.
“It doesn’t have the storied history that the other ones have, but it still has some significance. We’re just seeing what we can do with it,” Bender said.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Beach sign to be installed in January, expected to last
