San Francisco has opened a complaint and launched an investigation of a large “X” sign that was erected on top of the downtown building that housed what was once Twitter, now rebranded by its owner Elon Musk.
The new metal X marker appeared after San Francisco police stopped workers on Monday from removing the iconic bird and logo from the side of the building, saying they didn’t have the proper permits and didn’t tape off the sidewalk to keep pedestrians safe if anything fell.
Patrick Hannan, spokesman for the Department of Building Inspection, said that permits are not required to remove letters or symbols from the exterior sign of the building. But any replacement letters or symbols would require a permit to ensure “consistency with the historic nature of the building” and to make sure additions are safely attached to the sign.
Erecting a structure on top of a building also requires a permit, he said in an email Friday, to ensure the sign is sound and installed safely.
“Planning review and approval is also necessary for the installation of this sign. The city is opening a complaint and initiating an investigation,” he said.
