STYLE Media and Design

John (“J.J.”) Shaw, co-owner of DaVinci Sign Systems

J.J. is a proud 1982 graduate of CSU with a degree in industrial science. He has been working in the sign business in the area for over 30 years. J.J. is also very involved in volunteer work as a board member of the Education Committee for the International Sign Association, the Fort Collins, Loveland, and Denver Metro Chambers of Commerce, and a ten-year member of Rotary International, the Breakfast Club in Fort Collins.

He has three successful daughters with whom he spends free time and enjoys cycling, surfing, and snowboarding. “I am excited about doing the Ride the Rockies for the 7th time this year and the first time with my three daughters, Kali, Jeannine, and Alayna.” Even while running a very successful business J.J. says, “I still manage to get in the water and enjoy the waves about four weeks a year on the pacific coast of Mexico or California.”

He and his partner, Mark Foster, started the DaVinci Sign Systems business five years ago, and are already one of the top rated sign companies in the area. They have grown from three employees to almost 30 including designers, fabricators, and installers in these five short years and won three International Sign Association design awards in 2008. J.J. says he believes the reason for the success of the company is they combine the craftsmanship of old world designs with the technology of today.

The process of sign making actually starts with lots of detail work that requires a full-time employee to get licenses, pull permits, and check codes for each municipality in which they work. This includes not only many Colorado cities, but also other states across the country.

Gateway Sculpture” fabricated for the Centerra Motorplex entrance.

When talking with Peter Barnes, the Zoning Administrator for the City of Fort Collins, it was easy to understand the need for a full- time person to keep up with the sign rules and regulations. Barnes says the current sign code for areas of Fort Collins that are not in the residential sign code district (RSND) must follow guidelines adopted in 1970, and implemented in 1977. “This gave businesses a generous seven year amortization period in which to comply with the new regulations,” says Barnes. Major changes were then made to the codes in 1994, which downsized most sign size regulations and closed old loop-holes. The city again gave businesses a generous amount of time (15 years) in which to comply with the new regulations. That compliance time came to a close in February of this year. “At this point, all signs must be in compliance with new regulations and new signs built accordingly,” says Barnes.

J.J. says because of the February deadline for compliance, his company has been modifying as well as installing new signs in Fort Collins to comply with the new regulations.

Because of all the rules and regulations, J.J. says, “At first the sign building project is mostly code-driven. When that portion is in place, our talented team works within the client’s budget to give them the best bang for their buck.”

Even with the restrictions of codes and budgets, J.J. says his team is very design focused. “We want to give every customer not just a sign, but a monument.”

A DaVinci fabricator creates a custom sign.

J.J. says the trend they are seeing in the area is to have smaller, cost efficient, and more eye-catching signs. They are satisfying the customer trend by focusing on sustainable solutions using natural stone, recycled aluminum, LED lighting, and by recycling all of thier materials. “LED’s have made a huge impact in our lighting of signage,” says J.J., “In many cases replacing neon/mercury tubing for energy savings and ease of use, though neon is still used along with fluorescent lamps in many of our displays as well. Electronic message centers use only a small amount of energy compared to the now obsolete light bulb technology of just a few years ago. They are very reliable as well.”

He says clients have been very pleased with their unique sign designs, inspired by DaVinci’s use of art and science, and report to have had amazing results. “We have had clients tell us that our signs have increased customers almost overnight.” He says “Signage is the most cost effective and least expensive form of advertising there is.” DaVinci client Todd Heenan from the Fort Collins Club agrees, “We have been tracking our advertising for the last six months and realized over 75 percent of our walk-in leads are as a result of our sign. We are amazed.”

DaVinci’s beautiful monument-style signs can be viewed all over the Northern Colorado area from the Chapungu Sculpture Park and Centerra entrance to our own beautiful Style Media Suites sign on West Myrtle in Fort Collins. J.J. says he and his team hope to live up to the DaVinci name with their attention to the detail of art and science and their desire to bring beauty to each of their creations.

The general rules for signs are as follows:

• The business owner or owner representative must apply for a permit.
• The sign must be built and installed by a city licensed sign contractor.
• Wall signs and letters on buildings may be no taller than seven feet.
• For free standing signs, the height of the sign depends on the distance the sign is set back from the front of the property.
• Monument signs can have a maximum height of 12 feet and 90 square feet per side. Pole signs can be a maximum of 18 feet and 90 square feet per side.

The monument sign for Style Magazine

For more information on sign regulations in the Fort Collins area call the zoning office at (970) 416-2745, or visit www.colocode.com/ftcollins/landuse/article3.htm#sec3d8d7. DaVinci Sign Systems can be reached at (970)203-9292 or at Davinci Sign Systems.