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Old sign comes down but casino’s goes up?

I happened to go by my former service station the other day and noticed that the rotating Sunoco sign had been taken down.
  
Yes, it was probably the last rotating sign in the country.  The Schenectady Planning Board and zoning department said that when the station was sold, it had to come down. It was grandfathered in as long as I owned it.  I stopped around the corner to wipe a few tears after seeing my past disappear and history being wiped out again.    

It brought back memories of the beautiful Schenectady railroad station being torn down, as well as the Plaza Theater. Also included were the disappearance of the former department stores, Barney’s, Wallace’s and the Carl Co.
  
When the station was opened daily, the rotating sign was turned on and that let everyone passing by know that the station was open  for business. I stopped in the station the next day and the gentleman working there said, “Now people think we are closed.”  

People frequently commented on how unique the sign was and really liked it.  I never had a complaint about it in the 43 years we were there.  We understand a ground-level, low-profile sign can be put on the corner,  but that will need more room, making it harder for the customers to maneuver around the pumps.
  
But a proposal for an 80-foot sign to advertise the new casino has been approved by the Schenectady Planning Board and zoning department. Down with the old, up with the new.  

RICHARD B. TULLOCK  
Schenectady  
The writer is the former owner of Tullock’s Service Station.

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Reconsider removal of historic Sunoco sign  

Dick Tullock’s Aug. 1 letter regarding the forced removal of his former vintage revolving Sunoco gas sign by the Schenectady Planning Board was spot on, and I would hope the Planning Board members and their influencers can see their way to reconsidering, not just for his benefi t, but for the benefit of the many area residents who revere such things.
    
Signage from the heyday of America’s prolific gas station days is amongst the most valuable and sought-after memorabilia in America these days; it’s considered “art” within the collectors’ realm. Even small signs can bring prices in the thousands of dollars. As the owner of a chain of stations recently informed me, “Soon, there won’t be a company-sponsored service station in America, as the big oil companies are all getting out of retail” — these signs are a ‘limited-item.’”

In poll after poll these days, Americans are viewing our recent past decades as America’s finest, longing for the robust economies and what they brought to America, the region and its people. Indeed, the Schenectady Metroplex has been spending millions of dollars attempting to create a future and restore the city, while acknowledging the symbols of our cherished past. I applaud their efforts and accomplishments, but why is this long-established sign inconsistent? What is the over-arching need for its removal?

The members of the Planning Board are supposed to represent the interests of the community. And in the area of historic symbols, I suggest the “community” includes more than just the city limits.   It includes all of us in the area that both prosper from and contribute to its well-being. Please reconsider.  

JOHN KELCH  
Rexford