College is a time for growing up, new experiences and making memories. The tenants of 135 Burcham Drive are making the most of the opportunity with help from a celebrity pop star.
A large sign with an image of celebrity singer Katy Perry used to sit on their front lawn, leaning against the building. However, the sign was taken down Friday afternoon after it was cited as too large and unsafe to the house and inhabitants of 135 Burcham Drive by the Parking and Code Enforcement, or PACE, Division of East Lansing.
Adam Dimitry, a supply chain management senior and tenant of 135 Burcham Dr., has started a petition to keep the sign up.
“I’d be sad if it was taken down,” said Torey Fifer, who graduated this past May with a degree in special education and lives down the street at 731 Burcham Apartments. “The sign is funny, I like Katy Perry.”
Dimitry, whose petition already has racked up more than 180 signatures, said the sign was first put up in the fall, and was taken down for the winter. Dimitry and his roommates then put the sign back up several weeks ago, and were given notice by East Lansing for having an illegal and unsafe sign.
“We put it back up four or five weeks ago, and were given sign violation notice by PACE,” Dimitry said. “I called PACE and they said the sign was too large, was a fire hazard, was blocking windows and wasn’t secured to the ground.”
Dimitry then started a petition challenging the prohibited sign violation, stating the sign is 90 square feet and within the sign size limit of 120 square feet, is not made of flammable material, is not blocking any windows and is secured to the ground.
David Olson, president of Community Resource Management Company, or CRMC, the corporation that owns the property, said he was a fan of the sign, but didn’t believe the two sides were communicating efficiently.
“My goal is to be involved — I like to be transparent, direct and listen before I form opinions,” Olson said. “I would encourage both parties to get together so they can communicate directly.”
Olson indicated that he talks to the city officials regularly, and CRMC has a great reputation with East Lansing.
“They are reasonable people, and (PACE supervisor) Eldon Evans seemed genuinely interested in sitting down and talking this out,” Olson said. “However I don’t really have a dog in the fight — the tenants are the ones who would get the ticket.”
Dimitry said he is hopeful he will be given the opportunity to sit down and talk to Evans sometime this week, and be able to put the sign back up.
“People will honk when they drive by and see the sign, especially on Saturdays of football games,” Dimitry said. “The sign has become something that we identify with, and helps other people positively identify us.”
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