The Love Billboard
After being known for decades as the “Junk Building”
because of its graffitied rooftop billboard, the abandoned Parkway Towers building beside highway 27 through Chattanooga now features the word “Love.” What a joy to orchestrate this transformation with my friend and producer Pedro Abriles!
The old Junk billboard atop Parkway Towers
This inspiration came one day as Pedro was driving past the billboard. He thought to himself, “What a discouraging message for people to see as they drive through our city. What if instead of junk, the billboard said something hopeful? What if it said love?”
When Pedro shared his idea with me,
I knew immediately I wanted to help make it happen. The idea of creating a love billboard rising above the skyline of my home town was irresistible, and it went hand in hand with a song I had just recorded, called “City of Love.”
Pedro and me on the roof of Parkway Towers
I got permission from the owners of Parkway Towers to paint the billboard,
... met with city inspectors to make sure it complied with the sign ordinance, and enlisted the collaboration of local artist and creative strategist Rondell Crier. Rondell created the design plan, and implemented a creative engagement experience so community members could contribute to the final artwork.
Pedro, Rondell, and me inside Parkway Towers
Then, on June 19, 2026 (Juneteenth), we hosted an event on the lawn of Parkway Towers in which people were invited to decorate 36 wooden heart artworks in memory of loved ones. Some shared memories about their loved ones and spoke about their creation before they were installed as part of the overall design.
Community members decorate wooden hearts
Naomi Griffin Self holds up the heart Ellen Hendrix dedicated to her parents
Andy Mendonsa spoke lovingly of his son Asher, who tragically fell in the building in 2005, later changing his name to Asher Love.
Andy Mendonsa holds up the heart he dedicated to his wife Gloria, his daughter Hadrienne, and his son Asher Love
The wooden heart artworks
were then lifted in a basket to the roof of the building
where Rondell installed them onto the billboard.
Cinematographer Christian Eaves filmed throughout the process of creating the billboard, and this is featured in the music video for “City of Love.”
Cinematographer Christian Eaves, Artist Rondell Crier, and Painter Noah Diaz on the roof of Parkway Towers
We sang “City of Love” several times, celebrating the way a community of friends can create among themselves the changes they want to see in the world. To see the music video, click here