The Beer Research Institute Taproom & Arcade south of Main Street and west of Robson in downtown Mesa is seeking a special-use permit for a sign plan before the Mesa Board of Adjustment.
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.
The permit for the business on 0.2 acres in the downtown events overlay district is to be discussed at the Mesa Board of Adjustment’s 5 p.m. study session and 5:30 p.m. meeting Sept. 6 in the lower council chambers 57 E. First St. in Mesa.
Anthony Rodriguez of the city of Mesa is the applicant. Main Street West LLC is the owner.
The applicant is requesting a special-use permit to allow for two attached signs as well as to deviate from specific attached-sign standards, Planner Kwasi Abebrese said in a written staff report.
The single-tenant building was built in 1960 and is 40 feet wide and 100 feet deep. There is an existing attached LED-illuminated pan channel letter wall sign at the north side of the building with frontage on West Main Street that is approximately 25 square feet in size, he said.
“In addition, there is an existing nonconforming projecting sign at the north side of the building that has exposed cables and brackets, which will be removed and replaced with a new round-logo projecting sign to enhance the visibility of the business. The applicant is therefore requesting an increase in the number of permitted signs and the maximum sign area of the attached wall signs,” Abebrese said in the staff report.
The proposed round-logo neon sign that is 47 inches wide that will be mounted to the wall and project approximately 4 feet away from the building and 14 feet above the adjacent pedestrian walkway, he said.
The exterior and interior walls of the building are the original red brick, according to a written project narrative.
“There is support for illuminated sign designs like the proposed projecting sign that incorporates exposed neon-like tubing and increases visibility along Main Street. The proposed sign provides vibrancy and signifies activity along the street,” it states.
The tap room and arcade, which opened in April 2022, is the Beer Research Institutes’s second location. Its original site is at 1641 S. Stapley Drive Suite No. 104 in Mesa, according to Facebook @thebeerresearchinstitute. The website is thebeerresearchinstitute.com.
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.
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.
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