Seattle selling off old street signs again

How about a Ballard Avenue Northwest sign on your dormitory-room door, in honor of your high-school alma mater?

Or maybe a Fremont Avenue North sign on the bathroom door of your Fremont Avenue North condominium?

Maybe attach a South Royal Brougham Way sign next to your Seattle Mariners banner?

Or send the Republican Street sign to your dyed-in-the wool GOP pal.

With the city upgrading its street signs, dozens and dozens of old Seattle street signs are for sale, most for as little as $5.

This is the third year the city's Department of Fleets and Facilities has unloaded the old, worn signs, and they're flying out the door.

Originally the city just offered signs with street "names," said Pat Miller, warehousing-services manager with the department. But people started asking for signs from streets known by number, so those went up for sale, too.

When the city first started selling its signs, it put some, like Pike Street, for sale on eBay, but that isn't happening anymore because it was too much trouble, Miller said.

The signs are offered by neighborhood, and he said this is the first year Ballard is in the mix.

The city makes about $8,000 a year selling the signs, and most sell. The ones that don't are scrapped for recycling.

Shoppers can visit the city's warehouse at 3097 Second Ave. S., near South Spokane Street, but Miller suggests calling first, 206-684-0827, to make sure the sign is still available.

Buyers can also check availability by e-mail, ffd.warehouse@seattle.gov. And the city will mail the signs, but the buyer must pay postage.

Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com