Glens Falls tells Trustco: Turn off that blue roof light!

By Ben Westcott, Chronicle Staff Writer

Trustco Bank’s blue accent lights along the roof of its 37 Bay Steet branch will remain dark after the Glens Falls Planning Board voted 5-2 on Jan. 7 not to allow them.

Trustco illuminated the building. Then Glens Falls Building & Codes ordered the lights turned off.

Attorney Jon Lapper, representing the bank, said at the meeting he expects Trustco to appeal the board’s ruling.

“It’s really important to Trustco to have this enhancement,” he said.

Voting no were Tom Landry, Jamie Schrammel, Rachel Murray, John Morphis and Art Belden. Voting in favor were Karen Judd and Chris Reed.

Glens Falls Deputy Clerk Emily Neal told The Chronicle Trustco came before the Planning Board last year for architectural review but never included the lights in the application.

“The lights should have been a part of architectural review,” she said.

City Architectural Consultant Nina Oldenquist said, “Had this been presented with the original design, I would not have recommended having the lights on the building. We’re coming after the fact.”

Planning Board Chairman Belden agreed that had the lights been included in the original design “I definitely would not have wanted that.”

“I don’t think it looks great in the city of Glens Falls…” he said. “I can’t imagine being in the apartments next door to that building and having those lights on.”

Mr. Landry said he received a call from “somebody wanting to know if Vegas had come to town,” and that he heard from another caller likening them to a “tanning booth gone wild.”

“We’re trying to build quaint, historical, classical, and I really feel that this violates that,” Mr. Landry said.

Ms. Murray said she doesn’t think it suits the neighborhood to have the lights wrapped around the building.

Mr. Lapper said the lighting is compatible with the neighborhood, noting the street light in front “is much brighter than the lights on top of the building.”

He told The Chronicle, “Lights are permitted on the adjacent Rogers building.”

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