The city of San Francisco has taken action by opening a complaint and launching an investigation into the recent installation of a large “X” sign on the downtown building, formerly known as the Twitter headquarters. The sign’s placement is part of owner Elon Musk’s ongoing efforts to rebrand the social media platform.
City officials assert that altering letters or symbols on buildings, or adding a sign on top of them, necessitates a permit to ensure design compliance and safety standards. The appearance of the “X” followed an incident where San Francisco police halted workers from removing Twitter’s iconic bird and logo from the building’s side. The police cited concerns about pedestrian safety, as the workers had not properly cordoned off the sidewalk.
According to Patrick Hannan, spokesperson for the Department of Building Inspection, any replacement letters or symbols must have a permit to preserve the building’s historic nature and ensure secure attachment to the sign. Furthermore, erecting a sign atop a building also demands a permit, as highlighted on Friday.
Regarding the “X” logo, Musk introduced it as a replacement for Twitter’s well-known blue bird, aligning with his broader transformation of the platform since acquiring it for $44 billion the previous year. The new logo started appearing on the desktop version of Twitter on Monday.
Musk’s affinity for the letter “X” is well-known, as he had already renamed Twitter’s corporate identity to X Corp. following the acquisition in October. Additionally, one of his children bears the name “X,” an unconventional combination of letters and symbols.
On Friday afternoon, a worker on a lift machine was observed making adjustments to the sign before departing the scene. The city remains proactive in its review and approval process, taking necessary steps to investigate the installation further.