Wednesday, March 22, 2006

signage for the downtown

I think we need big, colorful, and clear signs at all the main offramps and prominent intersections near downtown. We are getting people from all over the region now to attend events, and due to decades of life away from our downtown, these folks need to know where to go. The signs need to look smart and have eye-catching colors like the following:


Each location could be color-coordinated for the section of the downtown it is located, or for a theme. For example, the Chevrolet Center would have a sky blue background, Mill Creek Park a pine green background, things on campus like the football stadium and the planetarium a rich red background, etc. Also some destinations such as the Children's Museum and the Steel Museum might get some additional advertising just by being part of the signage system.

I walked past the sign pictured below the other day in Maastricht. I like how there is an ornamental figure on the top. Maybe on our Youngstown signs, we can add a little sculpture with some local significance. Wouldn't it be cool to have a blue heron or some other majestic water bird on each one of these signs dotting the downtown?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I actually think these signs would be a great idea. Whenever I am home and people want to meet me downtown I have to drive around like a crazy person trying to figure out which street the new bar is on. I think the signs should not just be at the freeway exit ramps but prominently placed as you enter downtown or at the end of streets. The area looks so great and the signs would make traveling downtown easier. I really wish that YSU would have more signs. I had to go there to write a story for the Italian Newspaper and could not remember for the life of me where Kilcawley was located and had to stop several people to find it becasue there were no signs to let me know where to go. Signs are always great!!!!
I like the color sceme as well.

Anonymous said...

You are absolutely right. It might work too also contact the YSU art dept. on this and maybe have a contest for the graphic design students.

Anonymous said...

the chevy centre and deyor are great attractions and bring people downtown. what downtown lacks are venues that keep people downtown after these events. after an event people flock to boardman to eat and austintown to have drinks. there are many quality restaurants and bars downtown yet no one pays any attention to them. is it lack of advertising? stereotypical fear of the city? lack of interest? the attitude needs to be “downtown is the place to be” after events and on weekends. word of mouth is the best way to promote the downtown hot spots but some tv and radio exposure couldn’t hurt. signage downtown at these establishments would be a real plus. you can drive past three of four bars and restaurants on federal street and never notice them. barley's, imbibe, and tomasino's come to mind.

craig said...

the chevy centre and deyor are great attractions and bring people downtown. what downtown lacks are venues that keep people downtown after these events. after an event people flock to boardman to eat and austintown to have drinks. there are many quality restaurants and bars downtown yet no one pays any attention to them. is it lack of advertising? stereotypical fear of the city? lack of interest? the attitude needs to be “downtown is the place to be” after events and on weekends. word of mouth is the best way to promote the downtown hot spots but some tv and radio exposure couldn’t hurt. signage on dowtown establishments would also help. you can drive past 3 or 4 bars and restaurants on federal street and never notice them. core, barley's, imbibe, and tomasino's pizza come to mind. people can't spend money in places when they don't know they exist.