Verizon 5G cell pole artwork unveiled

The Susquehanna Art Museum, in partnership with Verizon Wireless, unveiled a first-of-its-kind 5G cell pole wrapped in a colorful, abstract design by artist Stephen Michael Haas.

Verizon says this is the first 5G cell site in the nation to be turned into artwork. The collaboration with the museum is part of Verizon’s arts program to help beautify local communities. Verizon would not comment on whether other poles in the city will get a similar treatment.

The 5G pole is located directly in front of the museum, and when museum patrons and neighborhood complained it was an eyesore, Verizon and the museum worked together to make the pole better complement its surroundings.

“We are launching the first 5G pole by Verizon as a work of art at the Susquehanna Art Museum. We are so thrilled to be the first-in-the-nation art pole…,” said Alice Anne Schwab, museum executive director.

“We love the idea of being the first and we love the idea also of making some lemonades out of what initially seemed like some kind-of rotten lemons. So we’re pretty happy to have something that looks like it’s meant to be there and it looks like it’s a work of art in front of, in fact, an art museum.”

The artwork by Haas was printed on a wrap and attached to the pole, except in three areas which he hand painted, including the base, the light arm and the funnel shape below the very top of the pole.

“With all that is going on in the world, I wanted a design that celebrates the beauty of life and that is fun to look at. My hope is that the end result gives museum visitors and passersby a big boost of energy - an espresso shot of color - as they go about their day,” said Haas.

Last year, Verizon placed about 80 new 5G cell poles throughout the city of Harrisburg without warning, and without consultation with local homeowners.

More poles are planned for this year for a total of about 120 5G installations across the city.

“In front of a museum in Harrisburg we have this blast of color, this distinguished, amazing pole that doesn’t look like everything else but also shows our commitment to the museum, to the arts and to the community of Harrisburg,” said Marshall Sbar, project manager for Verizon.

The new 5G technology will boost cellphone speeds and bandwidth. But it requires transmitters to be placed closer together — every few hundred feet — than they are in 3G or 4G networks. That’s because 5G’s high frequency waves don’t travel as far as the older frequencies’ signals.

Under federal rules adopted in 2018, utilities are allowed to bypass most local regulations to help streamline infrastructure projects and put their equipment where they need. Some bills have been introduced at the state level that would give those companies even more rights over local laws.

The state has a process to protect historical sites with reviews by the State Historic Preservation Office for environmental impacts. That process already halted plans for some 5G installations in Bellevue Park because the installations were considered larger than the existing infrastructure, said City Engineer Wayne Martin.

Beyond that state review, the local municipalities can only redirect an installation if it restricts sidewalk access, encroaches on an accessible pedestrian route or triggers any ADA upgrades, said Martin.

Verizon entered into a lease agreement with the city of Harrisburg to replace existing streetlights with new ones that include their 5G antennas, so the city gets new streetlights and some money out of the deal, but they have little say into where they are placed.

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