Builder scratches digital sign plan

A Los Angeles condominium developer said Thursday that he has abandoned his dream of adorning a downtown building near Staples Center with a 14-story tall digital sign, inspired by futuristic scenes in the science fiction thriller “Blade Runner.” But he still may erect a 150-foot-high display beaming down on nearby Figueroa Street.

That proposed sheet of light would be part of a new special signage district approved unanimously by the city’s Planning Commission on Thursday. The approval comes as city officials struggle to contain the proliferation of digital billboards and vinyl “supergraphics” that have raised the ire of neighborhoods citywide.

Because this special district is adjacent to L.A. Live -- the entertainment zone around Staples already aglow with light displays and spotlights -- the commissioners agreed that an added block of dynamic signs would meld into the area’s atmosphere. The signage district will now go before the City Council for review.

-- Phil Willon