Photo by Gretchen Berger.
An illuminated peace sign lit up a top window at the Ansonia on 73rd street and Broadway on Thursday night, just weeks after a judge ruled that it was not legal. Resident Briggitte Vosse had fought the city in court over the sign; illuminated signs are outlawed in residential districts of they are more than 40 feet above the street. (The image below is a file photo of the sign from a few years ago.)
“Yes, the Ansonia peace sign is again lit up. Maybe it’s a Christmas miracle and is guiding the magi to baby Jesus,” Gretchen wrote.
Whether it was a momentary flicker of peace, or a protest against the ruling could not be discerned as of press time.
For the next few weeks can’t the owners claim this is a Christmas decoration rather than an illuminated sign? I certainly see Christmas decorations on balconies more than 40 feet above the street (including my own) and have never heard complaints about them.
All I know is that this illuminated peace sign is destroying my quality of life, threatening my security, and disseminating hate and terrorism. I hope our court system takes this up.
Because if we let a peace sign light up a window, light up our existence, don’t the terrorists win? Like Rudy and ferrets, like Christie and traffic jams – we cannot let the terrorists win!
Whether you agree with the law or not, whether you agree with her message or not, she’s continually violating the law.
She deserves to be put in jail.
/end
I’m never not thoroughly entertained by the piping hot takes I read in the comments here. Never change.
I think it costs around $500,000 a year per prison to keep them behind bars. So yes, this seems like a really great person to spend this money on. ‘Concern,’ are you alright paying for this? Thanks!
A bit of time in solitary confinement should teach this threat to society a valuable lesson.
Just because it’s a law it doesn’t mean it’s right. We have changed or eliminated many laws in this country due to obsolescence or simply due to not making any sense. This is one case indeed. The world is not simply black and white.
Then get the law eliminated by whichever legislative body enacted it.
But until you’ve done that, it’s a law whether you like it or not. You don’t get to pick and choose which laws you feel like observing.
I bet you were really cool in college…ROTC, Young Republicans, Lock-Step Squad…
Nope. Want to try another random ad hominem attack to undercut your credibility even further?
Yes, but a little rebellion always helps get those obsolete and silly laws eliminated. You may have to pay the consequences for such acts of rebellion but it may be worth it.
“Give peace a chance.”
Pullleaseee! No! She Doesn’t Deserve to go to jail!!!!! Ridiculous! Most people breaks laws of one sort or another. If we had everyone in jail who broke a ridiculous law then there wouldn’t be any room for the murderers, rapists, muggers terrorists etc.!!!
continually violating the law…jail only option. #jail
It would seem like more of a individual decoraton than a sign (it’s not an advertisement which probably what the law was intended for). I always liked the sign, I thought it shared a very UWS spirit to it.
No wonder the city is in the toilet, liberals like her think they can just put peace signs in their window and get away with it? This sets a horrible example and my quality of life is deteriorating because of it. Look at all the book vendors in front of the building, they must look at this and swarm the area. The police should stop and frisk anyone acting peaceful and return this city to it’s glory days as a prison with an angry lisping warden. We market rent paying citizens will not stand for this hooliganism any longer!
Really? Because you as a “market paying rent” individual are ENTITLED? It’s one thing to have a legit complaint about what affects quality of life…but is this peace sign shining in YOUR window? Is it keeping you UP? If yes, you have a right to be concerned. If not, this kind of screed just proves that those who have “more” money than others think they are better than.
By the way, is it only a liberal who would have a peace sign in a window? Gee. Never knew that. Would you feel the same if it was a lighted american flag?
Irene – welcome to NYC. One thing you will learn to do, after living in NYC for a while, is to recognize sarcasm.
I love the sign. Was delighted to see it yesterday and hope she’s appealing the court’s decision. It’s not an advertisement, just a decoration. An uplifting one.
Give peace a chance.
Re: “Give peace a chance”
Definitely! In fact, what this world needs is what is shown on the iconic tee-shirt graphic:
Below a depiction of green peas forever swirling about is the caption………. “Whirled Peas”
I say…. Shine On, Give Peace A Chance!!! What a ridiculous law! I would have done the same thing! In fact, I’ved used Christmas lights on my windows to create different designs throughout many, many years and NEVER in my life have I been told I couldn’t do that!
Give some piece I mean peace a chance….
i noticed this peace sign last week, photographed it, typed up a note to send to the WSR and then, upon reflection thought no, let’s see what happens.
now, a hullaballoo. which is more powerful: the hullaballoo or the peace sign?
had no one said anything, my money goes on ‘nothing would have happened’.
It’s rather ironic to aggressively display a “peace” symbol in a way that you already know upsets your neighbors. Hypocrisy much?
if others can display Christmas lights why can she not display a peace sign? Who is being disturbed by this?
Unless this light is shining in your apartment window and keeping you up or disturbing the quality of your life, what do you even care? This is another example of people minding what is not even their business and/or worrying about something very minor. We have far bigger issues that people here pay no attention to, do nothing about, etc.
Christmas lights on exterior are far brighter. Noisy neighbors who do NOT OBEY laws/rules, etc. and ruin quality of life. They don’t stop regardless of laws.
Seriously. This is the least of problems in this city.
Us very lucky to have our lives folks need to spend more time helping others (people who live in NYCHA housing, for example, don’t have heat at night unless it’s 25 degrees. THAT is breaking the law and they don’t care. ) Instead of worrying about stuff that does not matter or affect us or others, use the energy to HELP and get improvements for our fellow citizens who need it
I’m tired of all the folks who only care about stuff that affects their “property values” or what affects how much they can get for their already overpriced apartments.
Irene….dear….you must lighten up. Yes and recognize when someone is sarcastic. Not everything is a serious argument. Please.
NYCHA is a joke. The entire system should be shut down. It exists the way it is because somebody is making money there. It should not be permanent housing passed down generation to generation. It should be a temporary solution and a tenant should be transitioned into their own place that they can afford if that existed.
I saw the sign lit up on Monday night too. But I rather like it. I noticed that it was not pink, at least during the late afternoon/dusk time-of-day it appeared to be white. I rather like it though. In light of all the world’s events and at this holiday time of year, it seems especially appropriate. Regardless of recent rulings. I admire her sentiments by lighting up the peace sign. It’s lovely, actually.
The problem here is two fold.
One, residents nearby i.e. have complained about it effecting their quality of life. Two, from a strictly legal stand point it is classified as “an illuminated sign”, to have any form of that you need city approval through the permitting process. There are many different regulations that govern this, such as size, brightness etc. If this judge were to allow this “sign” no matter how well meaning, he will be setting a judicial president. There after anyone could claim that the city could not regulate their sign in any way
LOCK HER UP! Just kidding. I love seeing the Peace Sign. LIGHT IT UP! LIGHT IT UP!
Re: ” LIGHT IT UP! LIGHT IT UP!”
Ummm…ain’t that what Lieutenant Calley said just before the 1968 My Lai massacre ?
Just wondering!
You Sir need to put a cork in it.
If the court found that the illuminated peace sign violated the law and ordered the person responsible to refrain from maintaining the illuminated peace sign, then the person responsible may be found in contempt of court. That may be a criminal matter and could result in jail time. This is the kind of thing that may seem to many top be no big deal, but it does have the potential to snowball into a serious criminal matter with incarceration. It does reflect the world we live in that many probably no doubt consider absurd.
Brazenly violating a judge’s order should result in arrest and other consequences. It is very disturbing to live among people–savages, really–who brazenly ignore the order of a judge of the Supreme Court of the State of New York. If there are no consequences then something very wrong is going on here. Hope someone alerted the judge of this extremely aggressive and provocative action. I get being for peace but I don’t get the need to insist on having a light in the window.
Lights are evil!!
Its witchcraft I tell you , witchcraft,,,, no wait a minute wrong century
If the thinking is, “Hey, other people have lights up for the holidays so the authorities better not single me out and tell me to take my “peace sign” down”–that won’t work. There is a court order with this person’s name on it. It makes it quite easy for the judge and law enforcement to take action. Of course, turning off the light eliminates the contempt. But this cat and mouse game may not sit well with the judge and jail time could still be imposed. I agree with others that violating the court so openly is troubling and there should be consequences. Because right now, the woman with the peace sign is showing the world that she is ignoring the judge. That’s not good.
This is nothing, if you want to see what a real disturbance is, try living above a Kenny Rogers and have their neon sign blaze through YOUR blinds!
This sign isn’t at all commercial in nature, is not a disturbance to the immediate community, and isn’t keeping anyone awake at night. I think the owner should declare herself a Peaceifarian and claim this is a religious decoration so she can have it lit all year.
It’s the wood that makes it good!
Put the judge in jail.
Yea! Long live the Ansonia Peace sign! If everyone else can cram their holiday lights and music down my head holes all month, this person should be able to have a Peace of the action too. Give Peace a Chance!
I find it ironic that a person that seems to be looking to promote peace is willing to actively disobey a court order and essentially pick a fight with her community. I would think that a person in favor of peace would trust the legal system and work within that system to win their arguement rather that essentially flip off the system and do whatever they alone feel is fair. If this is the peace they want, can they really quarrel with others in the world fighting for religion/money/land/power/etc?
Overinflate much?
I’m glad it’s back. It is lovely.
“Peace begins with a smile.”
– Mother Teresa
I’d be more concerned with the homeless problem on the UWS. If it was a bank sign that lit up half a block it might be a concern. Don’t the courts have more important issues? Geeez!
I live in the Ansonia and don’t like it. Never have, never will. Garish, tacky, and not in keeping with the elegance of the building. If Ms. Vosse loves illumination, why doesn’t she just take the nearby 2 train down to Times Square. I wholeheartedly applaud the judge’s decision.
Yeah. I really miss the elegance of the old Loehmann’s.
The elegance of the bank on the corner and the North Face on the other corner are simply splendid.
That peace sign really ruins it all.