Business & Tech
Ads On Massive Mt. Washington Billboard Legal, Court Rules
Pittsburgh officials contended a Sprint ad formerly on the billboard violated city zoning laws.
PITTSBURGH, PA - The controversial Sprint advertisement on the massive billboard atop Mt. Washington was replaced in May by an American flag promoting the National Flag Foundation. But advertising for Sprint or another business could return to the billboard following a Commonwealth Court ruling Thursday.
The court ruled that the Sprint banner - which Pittsburgh officials contended violated city zoning laws - was legal, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.The ruling represents a clear victory for Lamar Advertising, the billboard owner, and a stinging defeat for the city. Mayor Bill Peduto had labeled the Sprint sign an eyesore.
The court ruled that installing a vinyl static sign over the existing electronic billboard did not violate zoning statues as the city had contended.
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The 30-foot tall by 225-foot wide electronic billboard that has stood on the face of Mt. Washington since the 1930s. It's best known for being an electronic billboard for Bayer and Westinghouse for decades.
The Sprint sign went up in 2016, replacing a gray-and-white mosaic that spelled out "Pittsburgh."
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