Sign plan approved for new Gulfstream hangar in Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

A permit for a sign plan has been approved for Gulfstream’s 225,297-square-foot maintenance and repair hangar at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.

The Mesa Board of Adjustment on Feb. 7 voted unanimously as part of a consent agenda to approve a special-use permit for a comprehensive sign plan in the light industrial with a planned area development overlay district south of Williams Field Road on the west side of Ellsworth Road.

The permit would establish signs for business identification for a Gulfstream hangar used for maintenance, repair and an overhaul facility, Planner Sergio Solis said in a written staff report.

Five signs are being sought: one 57.62-square-foot entrance monument sign, two 17.5-square-foot directional signs and two 666.72-square-foot wall signs to be placed on the newly developed site.

“The entrance monument sign and the directional signs will be placed adjacent to East Aviation Way. The wall signs will be installed on both the north and south building elevations; the north elevation will display identifying branding visible from East Aviation Way and the south elevation will display identifying branding visible from the airport tarmac. All signage will be internally illuminated with LED pan channel lettering painted white with the exception of the two directional signs which will be spot illuminated,” he said.

Elizabeth Pappas is the applicant. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority is the owner.

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. is an American aircraft company and a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics. Gulfstream is currently building a $70 million maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at the airport, Pappas of Royal Sign said in a written project narrative.

“The proposed signage design will provide building identification and way-finding, and will promote Gulfstream’s lifestyle brand, while complementing the quality of the development as a whole,” she said. “The proposed bases in this (special use permit/comprehensive sign plan) are of aluminum construction, painted in a tasteful and upscale automotive finish resembling brushed aluminum.”

The seven-member board conducts public meetings to hear and decide requests for variances, special-use permits and interpretations of the city of Mesa zoning ordinance and sign code. Members are appointed for staggered terms of three years, according to the city’s website.

Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley

rdyer@iniusa.org

Meet Richard
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.  

Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. 

Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.

Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.

Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.