Lincoln Park, Chicago
Sign Company in Lincoln Park, Chicago: Storefront Signs, Awning Signs, and Projecting Signs
A freestanding sign on a Lincoln Park Pedestrian Street is refused outright, so ordering one first means a redo and a later opening. SignFreaks checks the zoning first, then permits, builds, and installs.
Nearest office: Chicago — by appointment only
- 25+ years of team experience
- City approvals handled for you
- Own shop, own crew, own lift
- Free survey and written quote
Local context
Where a Lincoln Park storefront sign goes wrong
Lincoln Park is a Chicago neighborhood, so a sign company in Lincoln Park builds custom business signs in Lincoln Park to the city’s zoning ordinance, address by address.
- 33%Wall-sign cap, as a share of the wall area
- 32sq ftWall sign guaranteed to a ground-floor tenant
- 0Freestanding signs on a Pedestrian Street
- Pedestrian Streets
Freestanding signs are refused
Off-premise signs are prohibited there too.
A monument or pole sign is not an option there.
- Wall signs
A third of the wall is the cap
Chicago caps a wall sign at 33% of the wall.
A ground-floor tenant is guaranteed 32 sq ft.
- Over the sidewalk
Public way needs an ordinance
A sign out over 12 in needs 9 ft of clearance.
It sits at least 18 inches back from the curb.
- Armitage-Halsted
Landmark district adds review
It covers Armitage between Halsted and Racine.
Landmarks Commission review applies to permits.
How it works
How a Lincoln Park sign gets from the block to the wall
Three steps take a project from your address to an installed sign.
Send the block address
Send the address and a frontage photo, and we tell you if Armitage-Halsted or a Pedestrian Street applies.
Zoning and street check
We read the zoning for your lot and measure the frontage on site, free of charge, before we draw anything.
Permit, build, and hang
We file the permit, build the sign in our own shop, and our crew hangs it, over the sidewalk if it is a blade.
Sign types
Storefront, awning, and projecting signs in Lincoln Park
Each sign type below runs into a different Lincoln Park limit, so the quote starts with the address.
Awnings
An awning sign sits flat on the awning’s surface and cannot have any internal lighting.
Learn more
Blade Signs
Over the sidewalk, 9 ft of clearance if it projects over 12 in, and 18 in back from the curb.
Learn more
Channel Letters
Individual letters on the fascia, sized inside the wall allowance, with lighting set by the district.
Learn more
Window Wraps
Temporary paper window signs stay up to 60 days, covering under 25% of one window’s glass.
Learn moreSign Boards
A sandwich board stays under 6 sq ft a face and 4 ft high, one per address, in business hours.
Learn more
Monument Signs
Freestanding signs are prohibited on Pedestrian Streets, so a monument depends on the street.
Learn more
The paperwork
What a sign company in Lincoln Park has to get right
Chicago reviews a sign’s zoning first and its construction second, and both reviews come before any sign goes up.
A Department of Buildings permit is required for a sign, and a sign hung before its permit is issued can be cited. The address is checked against its zoning district, Pedestrian Street status, and landmark status before any drawing is filed. The drawings also show the mounting and lighting.
SignFreaks handles the sign permits from application through inspection, and flags any landmark or Pedestrian Street question before you commit to a design.
Zoning review fees
The city charges $200 for zoning review of an on-premise sign, then a building review fee from $50.
City Council Order
A sign over 100 square feet, or over 24 feet above the ground, needs a City Council Order.
Public Way Use permit
A City Council ordinance covers any sign that projects over the sidewalk, such as a blade.
Public way insurance
Liability insurance for the public way stays on file, and it is resubmitted every year.
Who we serve
Commercial signs by industry in Lincoln Park, Chicago
A sign company in Lincoln Park plans each business differently. These pages cover what each type needs on top of the zoning code.
Restaurants
Blade signs, awnings, and window graphics for dining rooms on Clark and Lincoln Avenue.
Learn moreSalons
Storefront letters and window graphics for salons and studios on busy walking blocks.
Learn moreSchools
Entrance and wayfinding signs for campuses, with room signs built to accessibility rules.
Learn moreCommercial Businesses
The everyday storefront job: a sign that fits the zoning district and the building’s face.
Learn more
Proof
Google reviews for our Chicago office
Excerpts from our Chicago office’s Google reviews, quoted as the customers wrote them.
- Illuminated banner installation
“We’re extremely pleased with the final result and grateful for their attention to detail throughout the process.”
Nicholas LippaGoogle review - Awning and permits
“Install was quick and easy and installers were very professional. Our awning came out better than I even imagined!!”
Brooke EastGoogle review - Storefront sign and banners
“I’m so glad I chose Sign Freaks to create my storefront sign and banners, the customer service was amazing[.]”
Joselyn PizarroGoogle review
Meet us
Your nearest office is Chicago
Three sales offices, all by appointment, so the right person is there when you arrive.
Choosing a sign company in Lincoln Park usually starts with a conversation, and the Chicago office is the closest SignFreaks office. Visits are for going through a design in detail, and most quotes start with a frontage photo and a phone call.
Bring your lease and the address, so we can check its zoning district and any landmark or Pedestrian Street rules. All three offices, with directions, are on the contact page.
Get a permit-ready quote for Lincoln Park
A sign company in Lincoln Park should quote against the zoning that governs your address. Send the address, a frontage photo, and your opening date, and SignFreaks will come back with what that zoning allows and the written quote for custom business signs in Lincoln Park.
Nearby
Neighborhoods next to Lincoln Park
Chicago neighborhoods share one zoning ordinance, but each block has its own zoning district, and some carry landmark or Pedestrian Street rules. We check every address separately.
Questions
Sign questions from Lincoln Park businesses
Call (872) 250-4743, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Sign questions from Lincoln Park businesses
What does a sign company in Lincoln Park do?
A sign company like SignFreaks designs, permits, builds, and installs custom business signs in Lincoln Park, and handles repair or removal later. The first job is working out which zoning rules apply to your address. We survey the frontage, draw to those limits, file the permit, then fabricate and install.
Where can I get a custom business sign made in Lincoln Park, Chicago?
You can get a custom business sign made in Lincoln Park from a sign company in Lincoln Park that handles the permit and installation along with the fabrication. Buying the sign alone leaves the city permit and the installation to you.
Do I need a permit for a business sign in Lincoln Park?
Yes, you need a permit for a business sign in Lincoln Park. The Department of Buildings issues it after a zoning review, and the city charges a $200 zoning review fee for an on-premise sign. Temporary window signs are the main exception. SignFreaks files the sign permits.
How much does a storefront sign cost in Lincoln Park?
A storefront sign in Lincoln Park costs what its size, materials, lighting, mounting, and permit path add up to, and the address changes several of those. We do not quote a number without it, because it would be a guess. A free survey produces a written quote for channel letters or any other type.
Are freestanding signs allowed on Lincoln Park's Pedestrian Streets?
Freestanding signs are not allowed on Pedestrian Streets in Lincoln Park. The zoning ordinance prohibits them, along with off-premise signs. The street list is in the zoning code, and we check your address against it first. A channel letters sign on the wall is the usual alternative.
Do signs in the Armitage-Halsted landmark district need extra review?
Signs in the Armitage-Halsted landmark district can need extra review. The district’s designation puts city permits for its properties under the Commission on Chicago Landmarks’ jurisdiction, so we confirm how a sign permit routes before the design is drawn. We handle the sign permits either way.
Can a blade sign or projecting sign hang over the sidewalk in Lincoln Park?
A blade sign or projecting sign can hang over the sidewalk in Lincoln Park with a Public Way Use permit and a City Council ordinance. A sign that projects more than 12 inches needs 9 feet of clearance, and it sits at least 18 inches back from the curb line. See blade signs.
Are awning signs and window signs allowed in Lincoln Park?
Awning signs and window signs are both allowed in Lincoln Park. A temporary paper window sign can stay up to 60 days and cover under 25% of one window’s glass. An awning sign must sit flat on the awning and cannot be internally lit, as covered under awnings and window wraps.
Can a Lincoln Park business hang a vinyl banner?
A Lincoln Park business can hang a vinyl banner on its own storefront as a temporary sign, but the permit and zoning rules depend on the block, the size, and how long it stays up. We confirm them before printing. See vinyl banners and sign permits.