You see it from the FDR Drive. You see it from the UN building. Honestly, if you’ve ever spent a sunset on a Manhattan rooftop looking east across the East River, that glowing red neon is probably burned into your retina. The Pepsi sign New York residents and tourists alike obsess over isn't just a billboard. It's a 120-foot-long relic of a city that doesn't really exist anymore. It’s loud. It’s bright. It’s technically an advertisement for a sugary soda, yet people fought tooth and nail to make sure it never gets taken down.
Neon used to be everywhere in New York. Now? It’s a rarity. This specific sign, perched in Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City, has survived hurricanes, corporate buyouts, and the aggressive gentrification of the Queens waterfront. It’s a miracle of glass and gas.
The Long Island City Pepsi Sign New York History Nobody Tells You
Most people think the sign has always been right where it is. Not quite. Back in 1936, when it was first hammered together, it sat on top of a massive Pepsi-Cola bottling plant. That plant was the heart of the neighborhood's industrial identity. Long Island City wasn't a place for luxury high-rises and $18 avocado toast; it was a gritty, smoky hub of manufacturing.
The sign was actually designed by Artkraft Strauss. If that name sounds familiar, it should—they were the kings of Times Square. They built the smoking Camel cigarettes sign and the Bond Bread waterfall. They were the ones who turned NYC into a neon jungle. The Pepsi sign was their masterpiece on the river. It used 400 sections of neon tubing. That's a lot of glass.
When the bottling plant finally closed its doors in 1999, everyone assumed the sign was headed for a scrap heap. Usually, when the business dies, the branding dies with it. But New York is weird about its landmarks. The developer who bought the land, Rockrose Development, actually realized the sign was more valuable than the building it sat on. They took it down—carefully—and stored it for years.
Moving a 120-Foot Ghost
It’s actually about 300 feet from its original spot now. In 2004, it was reinstalled in its current location, but it wasn't easy. You can't just stick a massive neon sign in the mud. They had to build a specific structural steel permanent home for it.
Then came the big one: the Landmark Designation. In 2016, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission finally made it official. After 28 years of bureaucratic back-and-forth—because the commission moves at the speed of a tectonic plate—the sign became an official New York City landmark. It’s one of the few "stand-alone" signs to ever get that honor. It joins the ranks of the Grand Central Terminal and the Empire State Building. Pretty good company for a soda ad.
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Why Does It Look Different?
If you look closely at the Pepsi sign New York skyline photos from the 1940s versus today, you'll notice the font is "wrong." Or rather, it's vintage. It uses the 1940s-era script logo. Pepsi has changed its logo more times than most people change their tires, but this sign preserves a specific moment in graphic design history. The "P" and "C" are massive, looping elegantly in a way that modern corporate logos just don't do anymore. It feels hand-drawn because, well, the original design basically was.
The bottle next to the script is also a time capsule. It represents the 10-ounce glass bottle that was the standard before plastic took over the world. It’s a nostalgic nod to a time when you’d return your empties for a nickel.
The Maintenance Nightmare
Keeping that thing lit is a job in itself. Neon is finicky. It breaks. It leaks. It hates the cold. The sign is made of:
- Script letters that are roughly 44 feet high.
- A 50-foot tall Pepsi bottle.
- Miles of wiring.
When a storm rolls off the East River, the wind creates a massive amount of pressure on those letters. It’s like a giant sail. Because it’s a landmark, Pepsi (the company) is actually responsible for the upkeep. They have to ensure the neon stays that specific shade of "Pepsi Red." If a tube goes out, they have to fix it. It's an expensive hobby for a corporation, but the PR value of having a permanent, protected billboard on the most famous skyline in the world is priceless.
Surviving the Luxury High-Rise Takeover
Look at the area around Gantry Plaza State Park today. It’s surrounded by glass towers. These buildings are filled with people paying $5,000 a month for a studio apartment. Those residents are the sign's biggest fans, but they’re also the reason the sign feels so out of place. It’s a 1930s industrial relic in a 2026 digital world.
There was a minor controversy a few years back when a temporary "JetBlue" sign was placed nearby. People lost their minds. New Yorkers are protective of their visual landscape. You can build a new skyscraper and nobody cares, but you mess with the neon bottle, and you've got a protest on your hands. It’s basically the North Star for Queens residents. If you can see the Pepsi sign, you know you’re almost home.
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The Best Way to Actually See It
Don't just look at it from Manhattan. That's the amateur move. To really appreciate the scale, you have to stand underneath it.
- Take the 7 Train to Vernon Blvd-Jackson Av.
- Walk toward the water.
- Enter Gantry Plaza State Park.
When you're standing right at the base, you can hear the hum. That’s the sound of thousands of volts of electricity jumping through gas. It’s a low, vibrating buzz that you can feel in your chest. At night, the red glow is so intense it turns the grass and the concrete orange. It’s the best free show in the city.
Is It Just a Billboard?
Some critics argue we shouldn't be land-marking corporate logos. They say it’s "commercializing the skyline." Kinda true, honestly. But in a city that changes every five minutes, there’s a comfort in something that stays the same. The Pepsi sign has watched the Twin Towers go up and come down. It watched the UN building being built. It watched the neighborhood go from a place where people made things to a place where people trade stocks on their laptops.
It’s not just a billboard. It’s a survivor.
How to Get the Best Photos
If you’re trying to capture the Pepsi sign New York vibe for your social media or a portfolio, timing is everything. Most people go at blue hour—that window right after the sun sets but before the sky turns pitch black. That’s when the neon is brightest but you can still see the silhouette of the Manhattan skyline in the background.
- Golden Hour: The reflection of the setting sun on the glass towers of Manhattan creates a backdrop that makes the red neon pop.
- Long Exposure: If you have a tripod, a 2-5 second exposure will make the East River look like silk while the sign glows like a furnace.
- The "P" Angle: Standing directly under the "P" gives you a forced perspective that makes the sign look like it’s leaning over you.
The Technical Specs
Let's talk numbers for a second, because the sheer scale is hard to wrap your head around from across the river. The "P" in Pepsi and the "C" in Cola are 44 feet tall. For context, a standard three-story building is about 33 feet tall. This sign is a monster. The entire structure is 120 feet long.
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The neon isn't just one long bulb. It's hundreds of individual glass tubes, hand-bent by master neon smiths. When one breaks, it’s not a trip to Home Depot. It’s a custom repair job that requires a crane and a specialized crew. This is why you rarely see signs like this anymore—the labor costs are astronomical compared to cheap LED strips. But LEDs don't have that "warmth." They don't have that slight flicker that makes neon feel alive.
What’s Next for the Sign?
Since it’s a designated landmark, the sign isn't going anywhere. Even if Pepsi-Cola went out of business tomorrow (unlikely, but let’s pretend), the sign would have to stay. The city would likely have to find a way to fund the electricity. It’s now part of the "scenic fabric" of New York.
The real threat isn't demolition anymore; it’s the rising sea levels. The sign sits right on the water's edge. During Hurricane Sandy, the park was flooded. The sign held up, but as the East River gets more aggressive, the structural integrity of the base will be the big challenge for the next 50 years.
Actionable Insights for Your Visit
If you're heading out to see this icon, don't just take a selfie and leave.
- Check the Pier: Walk out onto the wooden piers near the sign. They are original gantry structures used for loading and unloading barges. It gives you the full industrial context.
- Eat Local: Long Island City has some of the best breweries in the city. Fifth Hammer and LIC Beer Project are within walking distance. Grab a drink and toast to the sign.
- The Ferry Trick: Take the NYC Ferry (East River Route) from 34th Street to Hunters Point South. You get a front-row seat from the water for the price of a subway fare.
- Night Photography: Bring a lens with a wide aperture (f/1.8 or f/2.8). The sign provides enough light that you don't even need a flash, and the bokeh effect of the Manhattan lights behind the red neon is incredible.
The Pepsi sign New York isn't a masterpiece of fine art, but it’s a masterpiece of New York grit. It’s big, it’s loud, and it refuses to move. In a city of transplants, it’s one of the few things that actually grew up here.