Medical Office Building Drama: Multi-Tenant Sign Politics and How to Win

Click below to listen to this week’s podcast!

Medical Office Building Drama: Multi-Tenant Sign Politics and How to Win

If you’ve ever tried to get signage installed in a multi-tenant medical building in Phoenix, you likely understand the complexities. Monument signs are limited. Suite signage is strictly regulated. For practices located on secondary floors, visibility from the street is often non-existent.

At Phoenix Sign Studio, we have partnered with hundreds of clinics across Scottsdale, Chandler, Arcadia, and the East Valley to navigate these exact challenges. With a strategic approach, it is possible to transform restrictive signage codes into an opportunity for greater visibility.

1. Monument Signs and Shared Directories

The Challenge

Monument signs in multi-tenant medical buildings are frequently capped at a specific number of panels, often contractually reserved for anchor tenants.

The Strategic Solution

Negotiate signage terms prior to lease execution. Include monument placement in your lease addendum. If space is unavailable, request permission for a branded directional sign at the base of the monument. We have successfully implemented this workaround for clinics in Scottsdale and Mesa where primary monument real estate was fully occupied.

2. Overcoming Interior Size Restrictions

The Challenge

Standard building guidelines often limit door signage to a simple suite number, prohibiting logos or brand colors.

The Workaround: Request plaque customization specifications. In many Phoenix medical buildings, tenants may upgrade to custom ADA-compliant signage that incorporates practice branding while satisfying property codes.

Interior Optimization: Install high-impact secondary signage inside your suite, positioned to be visible from the corridor. Backlit acrylic logos, brushed metal lettering, or frosted glass graphics create a premium first impression that bypasses exterior door limitations.

3. Visibility Strategies for Upper-Level Suites

When your practice is located on the second or third floor, drive-by traffic provides zero impressions. You must establish visibility before the patient reaches your door. We recommend the following infrastructure upgrades:

• Elevator Lobby Signage: Branded wayfinding at key decision points (elevator banks, hallway turns).
• Glass Railing Graphics: Tasteful frosted branding applied to atrium-facing glass.
• Backlit Directionals: Illuminated panels with directional arrows (subject to landlord approval).
• Parking Pylons: Signage attached to covered parking or valet structures.

4. Building-Wide Wayfinding Proposals

Landlords are often hesitant to approve isolated signage requests that disrupt the building's aesthetic. However, they are receptive to upgrades.

We advise tenants—medspas, dermatologists, and dental clinics—to collaborate on unified signage proposals. By presenting a plan that modernizes the building’s entire wayfinding system, you improve patient navigation and enhance the property value, making approval significantly more likely.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is monument signage so limited in medical plazas? City of Phoenix codes and landlord restrictions cap signage based on square footage and street frontage. Long-term tenants typically hold grandfathered rights to these slots.

Can I install signage without landlord approval? No. Virtually all multi-tenant commercial leases in Phoenix require written approval for any external or common-area signage.

Do interior signs require city permits? Typically, no. Most interior non-illuminated signs do not require permits, though they must strictly adhere to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance.

Professional Signage Consultation

Phoenix Sign Studio specializes in compliance-focused signage for medical, wellness, and corporate facilities. Schedule a site audit to discuss monument placement, ADA compliance, and wayfinding strategies.

Request Consultation

Serving Scottsdale, Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler & Arcadia