The landmark G sign atop the State Center Community College District headquarters building in downtown Fresno is coming down on Saturday, which will require street and sidewalk closures, the district said Thursday.

The G sign was erected in 1965 on what was then the Guarantee Savings and Loan Association building, and since then it has been an iconic part of Fresno’s skyline. In its earlier days, the sign would be lit with different colors to denote weather conditions.

State Center purchased the building, and the sign, in 2018.

The years have not been kind to the sign, which now is rusty and potentially a hazard to passers-by on the streets below. So State Center is having the sign removed and taken to the Fresno Fairgrounds, where it will join a collection of historic Fresno signs.

The sign removal is tentatively scheduled to start at 8 a.m. Fresno and Fulton streets and sidewalks in front of the building will be closed to vehicular and foot traffic through mid-morning during the sign removal.

Where to Watch From

Those wanting to watch the sign-removal operation can safely do so at the northeast corner of Fresno and Fulton, the college district said.

The replacement sign will be “constructed to honor the spirit of the past while complying with current structural design codes,” according to the district. It’s being fabricated and is scheduled to be installed by summer 2025.

The new sign will have upgraded LED lighting to follow with current exterior building lighting schemes that change in recognition of commemorative events, such as public holidays.