The Philadelphia Inquirer

Posted on Thu, Jun. 14, 2007

SEPTA's ad decision angers zoning board

 By Joseph A. Slobodzian

Inquirer Staff Writer

SEPTA and its advertising contractor yesterday withdrew their application for permission to wrap almost two stories of its Market Street headquarters in advertising.

Sharon Suleta, the attorney for Titan Outdoor, the national firm that sells ad space on SEPTA stations, vehicles and Trailpasses, apologized to the city Zoning Board of Adjustment for the late withdrawal, saying the company made a last-minute decision not to pursue the variance. SEPTA had asked a financial hardship variance that would have allow it to install the large ads at 1234 Market St., across from the Convention Center.

Zoning board chairman David L. Auspitz angrily noted that the board set yesterday's special hearing at Titan's request.

"I want you to go back to your client and tell them we should have received much more notice," Auspitz said. "This is inherently wrong, and it's just rude."

Auspitz also reminded Suleta that SEPTA and Titan could not refile the application for one year.

Last year, SEPTA earned $10 million from ads and industry experts have estimated the building wrap could earn up to $45,000 a month.

Titan Outdoor put up a similar ad wrap last year on SEPTA's building. But billboards and other large ads are illegal in that part of Center City, and city inspectors ordered the large Dunkin' Donuts ad's removal.

This year, SEPTA and Titan returned to ask the zoning board for a financial hardship variance to let them legally put up an ad wrap 16 by 280 feet, 4,480 square feet - about the size of five I-95 billboards - covering roughly the building's second and third stories.

SEPTA spokesman Jim Whitaker said officials decided to withdraw the application to "take a new look at where we might be going with this opportunity."

Whitaker said Gov. Rendell and legislative leaders have told SEPTA to "maximize our ad revenue. This was a very lucrative opportunity for us."

SEPTA officials have been lobbying state officials for a dedicated source of revenue that they say could end their perennial fiscal crisis. The agency projects a $130 million deficit in its new $427.5 million budget.

Contact staff writer Joseph A. Slobodzian at 215-854-2985 or jslobodzian@phillynews.com.