The city of San Francisco has initiated a complaint and investigation into a massive “X” sign that was placed on top of the building that used to be known as Twitter headquarters. The owner, Elon Musk, is rebranding the social media platform, leading to concerns about the sign’s installation without proper permits.
San Francisco officials state that any modifications to building signage, including the replacement of letters or symbols, require permits for design and safety purposes.
Earlier this week, workers were stopped by San Francisco police when attempting to remove the iconic bird and logo of Twitter from the building’s side. The police cited concerns for pedestrian safety due to the lack of sidewalk precautions.
According to Patrick Hannan, spokesperson for the Department of Building Inspection, obtaining a permit is essential to ensure that any replacement letters or symbols maintain the building’s historical integrity and that they are securely attached to the sign.
Additionally, a permit is necessary for the installation of a sign on top of a building, stated Hannan on Friday.
In an email, Hannan mentioned, “Planning review and approval is also necessary for the installation of this sign. The city is opening a complaint and initiating an investigation.”
Elon Musk recently unveiled a new “X” logo to replace Twitter’s well-known blue bird as part of his transformation of the platform. The “X” began appearing at the top of Twitter’s desktop version on Monday.
Musk, who is also the CEO of Tesla, has always had a fascination with the letter X and had already changed Twitter’s corporate name to X Corp. after his acquisition in October. One of his children also bears the name “X,” which consists of a combination of letters and symbols.
On Friday afternoon, a worker made adjustments to the sign using a lift machine before leaving the site.