Topline
The giant “X” sign atop Twitter headquarters was removed Monday—just three days after it was constructed and received criticism from San Franciscans for its bright, flashing lights that illuminated nearby buildings.
Workers install lighting on an "X" sign atop the company headquarters, formerly known as Twitter, in ... [+]
Key Facts
As of Monday morning, the sign was no longer on the roof of Twitter’s Market Square headquarters, according to ABC.
Building inspectors watched the sign get dismantled Monday morning, according to San Francisco Department of Building Inspection spokesman Patrick Hannan, who said a permit was required to take down the sign but that “due to safety concerns, the permit can be secured after the structure is taken down.”
The department filed a notice of violation against the Elon Musk-owned company Friday, claiming a permit was not acquired for erecting the sign in the first place and that it presented safety issues.
Hannan added in an email to Forbes that fees will be assessed for the unpermitted installation and removal of the illuminated sign, noting fees would also cover the cost of the Department of Building Inspection and the Planning Department’s investigation.
The investigation into the sign was initiated last Friday, with the department saying in a statement to the Associated Press that new signs on buildings require permits for safety and design reasons.
A building inspector visited Twitter headquarters Friday and Saturday but was not given permission to access the roof and told the X logo was “a temporary lighted sign for an event.”
Big Number
24. That is the number of complaints about the building that were filed to the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection over the weekend, according to Hannan.
What We Don’t Know
Hannan did not disclose how much money in fees the property owner will need to pay for the sign’s installation and removal, nor when the fees would be assessed.
Tangent
In addition to erecting the X logo atop Twitter headquarters, the Twitter sign located on the side of the building had half of its lettering removed more than a week ago before police stopped the removal over permit inquiries.
Key Background
The short time the large glowing X structure was atop Twitter headquarters pushed Musk’s long-simmering feud with San Francisco even further. The billionaire mocked the city on Saturday, writing in a post that the building’s landlord kept “calling the police” about the company’s sign modifications. The headquarter’s landlord sued Twitter over claims it failed to pay approximately $3.4 million in rent in December and January. Musk and X Corp., the parent company of Twitter, have also faced pressure from former Twitter employees suing over alleged building code violations, including requests to install locks on doors that were not compliant with safety codes.
Further Reading
Glowing X Logo Above Twitter HQ Triggers Latest Conflict Between Musk And San Francisco (Forbes)
San Francisco Investigating Giant X Installed At Twitter HQ (Forbes)
