The Sun sign perched above Kearney Square is pictured on June 23, 2023. Efforts are being made to see the sign shine again. (Jacob Vitali/InsideLowell)

LOWELL — Lately, The Sun sign perched atop the Lowell Sun’s former offices at Kearney Square hasn’t been shining.

But it appears the light will not be lost forever. In fact, a motion response in Tuesday’s City Council packet shows efforts to restore the iconic downtown fixture are underway.

Yovani Baez-Rose, assistant city manager and Department of Planning and Development director said the newspaper had reached out to Historic Board Administrator Stephen Stowell before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stowell then reached out to individuals including the current property owner and a company that could maintain the sign in the coming years.

While the pandemic appears to have slowed discussions, recent meetings involving Stowell, the newspaper, the property owner, and Lowell Waterways Initiative are described as “positive.”

“Upcoming discussions will focus on establishing the legal framework for transferring ownership of the sign, then addressing sources of funding to undertake the work and the establishment of a maintenance endowment fund,” the motion response states.

LEDs could light the way

Restoring the sign is estimated to cost $59,580 and funding sources still need to be determined, according to the motion response.

As part of the work, the sign would be converted from neon to LED.

“LED components use about 15% of the electricity of neon or fluorescent lighting, are solid state and operate at low voltage of 12 to 24 volts instead of 9,000 to 15,000 volts for neon tubes, resulting in less failure due to shorting and moisture corrosion,” the motion response states. “Repair of LEDs or the power supplies is a swap out of parts, not the manufacturing of custom glass shapes filled with neon gas with vacuum and pressure-controlled machines and pumps.”

For these reasons, LEDs are considered “green” solutions compared to neon.

A beacon for the community

The motion response from Baez-Rose stems from a City Council motion from May 30, put forward by Councilor Corey Robinson. He requested the city manager work with the community and proper channels to restore the downtown fixture.

Reached for comment Friday, Robinson said he was encouraged by the response.

“It’s encouraging to see the city has begun the legwork necessary to provide a pathway forward to restore this iconic Lowell landmark. I am looking forward to future discussions on this matter. The restoration of this sign was brought to my attention by one of our residents. Since the conversation that took place on the council floor, many others have reached out in support,” Robinson said. “Local government is about listening to the will of the people and working with them to address their concerns. Together We Make A Difference isn’t just a tagline or hashtag, it’s one of the only ways to work to move our city forward in a positive direction.”

Jeremy Denzer, a resident of Lowell for the past three years, shared his thoughts at the May 30 council meeting. He said five years ago, he’d never been to Lowell. It had a reputation for being a “scary” and “awful place.”

“When we came here, I fell in love with the city. I am 100% a Lowell resident and I will be here for the rest of my life,” Denzer said.

Seeing the sign in its current condition, barely lit up anymore, bothered Denzer. He said it was emblematic of the city’s reputation.

“It’s our Citgo sign. It should shine bright in the night for everyone to see,” Denzer said.

Those sentiments were echoed by Robinson and Councilor Wayne Jenness.

Councilor Rita Mercier added that some years ago, she had brought forward a similar motion about The Sun sign. At the time, the “u” in “Sun” wasn’t fully lit up — making it look like “The Sin.”

“I didn’t want Lowell associated with any sin in this city,” Mercier said. “So I made the motion and they put the LED in and it became ‘The Sun.’”