Posts
Friday, Jun. 17, 2011
Giant flagpole actually a stealth cell tower
Old Glory to be raised above Rosewood
First came a cell tower disguised as a pine tree.
Now, a giant flag is being raised over a Rosewood Drive business on a cellphone tower resembling a flagpole, complete with a gold finial on top.
The new tower went up Wednesday, though the 10-by-15-foot flag won’t be delivered for several weeks, said Bill Howard, with Clear Talk Wireless.
Now, a giant flag is being raised over a Rosewood Drive business on a cellphone tower resembling a flagpole, complete with a gold finial on top.
The new tower went up Wednesday, though the 10-by-15-foot flag won’t be delivered for several weeks, said Bill Howard, with Clear Talk Wireless.
Once the flag is unfurled, the company plans to display it just twice a year — on the Fourth of July and Memorial Day, when it will be illuminated at night.
The flagpole is the latest “stealth” tower constructed in Columbia as more people rely on cell service, despite reservations about unsightly towers in neighborhoods.
Not long ago, a tower designed to look like a short-leaf pine tree was installed along Beltline Boulevard at Trenholm Road. Neighbors sued but a judge upheld the city’s zoning board, said John Davidson with Nexsen Pruet, representing Optima Towers.
Howard said the Rosewood Drive tower is the only flagpole Clear Talk plans to build.
Efforts to get city and county zoning officials on the line were unsuccessful, but Howard said he was aware of just the two “stealth” towers in the Columbia area.
Whether it’s a flagpole or a pine tree, it isn’t fooling anybody, said Rebecca Munnerlyn, with the Rosewood Community Council.
“But maybe it does blend in a little better,” she said.
Munnerlyn is counting on the technology to develop soon for “smaller, less-obtrusive ways to provide good cell service.”
Meanwhile, Michael Bank, the owner of Capital Karate, who served in the Air Force in Kuwait, said the flagpole is an appealing alternative. He leased space to Clear Talk for the tower.
“You can’t beat a huge flag,” Bank said. “I make my students say the pledge of allegiance before every class.”
The flagpole is the latest “stealth” tower constructed in Columbia as more people rely on cell service, despite reservations about unsightly towers in neighborhoods.
Not long ago, a tower designed to look like a short-leaf pine tree was installed along Beltline Boulevard at Trenholm Road. Neighbors sued but a judge upheld the city’s zoning board, said John Davidson with Nexsen Pruet, representing Optima Towers.
Howard said the Rosewood Drive tower is the only flagpole Clear Talk plans to build.
Efforts to get city and county zoning officials on the line were unsuccessful, but Howard said he was aware of just the two “stealth” towers in the Columbia area.
Whether it’s a flagpole or a pine tree, it isn’t fooling anybody, said Rebecca Munnerlyn, with the Rosewood Community Council.
“But maybe it does blend in a little better,” she said.
Munnerlyn is counting on the technology to develop soon for “smaller, less-obtrusive ways to provide good cell service.”
Meanwhile, Michael Bank, the owner of Capital Karate, who served in the Air Force in Kuwait, said the flagpole is an appealing alternative. He leased space to Clear Talk for the tower.
“You can’t beat a huge flag,” Bank said. “I make my students say the pledge of allegiance before every class.”
No comments:
Post a Comment