Less than two weeks remain for Warren Getchell to see his dream of erecting a 155-foot stained glass billboard depicting the historic Market House become reality.
A fundraising effort, spearheaded by Getchell, is taking place at kickstarter.com to raise the $45,000 necessary to build and place a handcrafted billboard in the city.
The billboard, to be made by Getchell, will consist of 1-inch-thick pieces of glass arranged in a mosaic pattern inside framework illustrating the Market House and then set in epoxy resin.
Getchell said the sign will consist of 15 panels of stained glass and will weigh around a ton.
“It’s color stained glass,” Getchell said. “Everyone is familiar with what it is like in church — the sun on one side and you on the other. This will experience the same effect.”
The sign is tentatively set to be placed at the intersection of Park Avenue and Linden Street in front of Taco Bell, Getchell said.
The ultimate goal is to help bring attention to the Market House.
“The Market House doesn’t have a budget for advertising, or if they do it’s miniscule,” Getchell said. “It’s a city-owned commercial entity that in order to survive needs customers. This sign is going to be pretty and a piece of public art that will also act as an advertising agent for the Market House.
“Thousands of cars drive through that intersection every day. What better way? And it should last for decades.”
Getchell did point out that even though the billboard will be made of glass, it will be very sturdy.
“The resin is extremely rigid,” he said. “You can sit and throw a baseball at it all day long and not break it.”
Getchell said this project is something he has wanted to do for 33 years and will take likely a year to complete. In 1980, he constructed a similar-sized sign for Warren High School — and that sign is still there.
“I think it will be beautiful,” he said. “The city will have it lit from one side.”
Getchell said the City of Meadville has been very hands-on with the project.
“They are helping out with the engineering. It’s going to be 2,000 pounds. It takes some engineering skill and the city is going to do that. They have some skin in the game and the Friends of the Market House have some skin in the game. Now I need to get the rest of the community in the game.”
For more information on the project, visit kickstarter.com by June 15 and type in Market House in the search engine at the top of the page. Donations may be taken to or sent to Friends of the Market House, 910 Market St., Meadville, Pa. 16335, marked Glass Sign.
Getchell said if people make donations to kickstarter.com and the goal is not reached, the money will not be taken.
