ANNOUNCEMENT: New Logo for Downtown Lakewood

[sharon kinsella]

Just thought I'd add one more thing.

How many of you have noticed that Detroit/Shoreway has already started the street redesign. They're narrowing the road and widening the sidewalk for walkability and outdoor dining. They've done a lot of promotion for new business and even though there seems to be a lot of turnover on the storefronts, they manage to keep on developing and adding to the businesses. They've got some good stuff going on over there and we are way behind.

[Gary Rice]

Just did a little run up Lorain Avenue in Cleveland as well.

Wow..

They've got some good stuff goin' on there too.

Even their neighborhood signs are lookin' classy.

Glad to see good stuff goin on anywhere in the Cleveland area...

And- my own artistic tastes (or lack thereof) aside....

Glad to see that we're making some kind of effort to look good here too...

Thanks, Mary Anne, for all you do.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Just thought I'd add one more thing.

How many of you have noticed that Detroit/Shoreway has already started the street redesign. They're narrowing the road and widening the sidewalk for walkability and outdoor dining. They've done a lot of promotion for new business and even though there seems to be a lot of turnover on the storefronts, they manage to keep on developing and adding to the businesses. They've got some good stuff going on over there and we are way behind.

Sharon

I have been meeting with the councilman from Detroit Shoreway Matt Zone. It is obvious to see why he is moving this area along as fast as it is changing. He is a young powerhouse, that really brings the area together. When he was elected Battery Park was already planned as a gated community. He went out and ask the residents nearby how they felt, and they were outraged over their streets being cut off from the area. After a series of meeting they redesigned nearly the entire layout of the area. Gates were gone and streets were made to incorporate the new area into the community. I have seen the many drawings. In the end the developer gave into the wishes of the community. Today Battery Park is nearly filled(I lost a renter to it) and the developer is looking at WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY again.

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[Dustin James]

(It replaces the blue streetcar image with Main Street Lakewood script.)

Let us know what color you think would work best in the downtown environment. http://www.lakewoodalive.com

Mary Ann

You just won me over.

I hate to see the old logo go.
It was a nightmare to work with!

I would still like to see it in green, as it underlines the "green" we are trying
to achieve in this city.

Thanks again for starting the discussion and bringing it here.

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I would have done it for free and the $75k could be used for something else. If I'd only known about it, they could have looked at spec layouts before going there. Oh well, you move away and that's what happens

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[sharon kinsella]

Jim, Battery Park is an astounding development and I can't wait to see what else they do there.

Maybe we could get the developer to take over the Cliffs. Wouldn't that be nice?

[Tim Liston]

A few thoughts on the sign issue.

It's my understanding that the NOACA grant to LCPI (now LakewoodAlive) was for the purpose of furthering the interests of “Mainstreetâ€

[Jim O'Bryan]

Jim, Battery Park is an astounding development and I can't wait to see what else they do there.

Maybe we could get the developer to take over the Cliffs. Wouldn't that be nice?

Sharon

Without going to deep into details, there is so much going on in Cleveland part of me has thought, "maybe they should annex us" then sanity prevailed.

As many now know we are working on a massive project in Cleveland, and that will be a very tough thing for Lakewood to compete with. I have spoken to almost anyone that will listen, about the 30-year tax abatements, new developments, hundreds of "arts districts" and on and on and on.

Lakewood has got to get their collective ass together, as the competition for residents, businesses and development really heats up.

As for the Cliffs, I was one of their biggest supporters when announced. Today it is an embarrassment and blight on this community. While some have mentioned Karma "Those that labeled blight now grow it." I would prefer to just get something, anything in our gateway to the west, and running joke in River.

As we move this city forward, I would ask people to not forget our past, the bullets and bombs we have avoided, and weigh track records.

Tim

Good thoughts on a cold day.

FWIW

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[Charlie Page]

I have little or no artistic capabilities...my wife can attest to that. So, I’m probably the last person who should weigh in on the design of logo. I do like the swooshing K in Lakewood...it looks like it’s smiling at the viewer.

To those who have dissenting opinions on the new logo...get involved in the meetings and make your opinions heard. These decisions weren’t made in a vacuum. Public meetings were held, etc, etc. Become a Lakewood Alive member, I believe its free or a small donation.

I also believe in buying Lakewood to the extent possible and practical. Local designers/artists can and should be involved. In these difficult times, I’d rather see money staying in Lakewood than going outside of our borders.

Nice job Mary Anne for coordinating these efforts and putting this out for further discussion.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I also believe in buying Lakewood to the extent possible and practical. Local designers/artists can and should be involved. In these difficult times, I’d rather see money staying in Lakewood than going outside of our borders.

Nice job Mary Anne for coordinating these efforts and putting this out for further discussion.

It is in our best interest to buy Lakewood and be pro-Lakewood.

I applaud Mary Ann putting this out for discussion.

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[Sean McDermott]

I'm not sure if this would sit better in the "color survey" thread but either way as always its good to see an in-depth discussions on all things Lakewood.

I've had the pleasure of chairing the Signage & Wayfinding Design sub-committee with other wonderful and very talented Lakewood residents. Where we stand today in terms of the signage and wayfinding study is still only one quarter complete. There is still a lot of work to do, and more public participation and input is needed. What we need to concentrate on at this time is selecting a color for the logo.

It is not prudent to respond to each criticism and I'll stay away from those that focus on the subjectivity of art, but there are a few items that maybe we could clear up.

We have been very lucky to secure the services of Studio Graphique, a highly respected and talented firm that specializes in graphic design, branding, environmental graphic design, and wayfinding programs. Among many other projects, they have performed work and assembled signage and wayfinding programs for Shaker Square and University Circle, in addition to branding for Heinens. Additionally, they know and understand Lakewood.

As mentioned above the next step is assembling a signage and wayfinding program. Although there are many talented graphic designers in Lakewood, Studio Graphique is able to take things to the next level with a fully developed signage and wayfinding program for Downtown Lakewood. They arguably have the most experience in NEO on this type of project.

Although previously noted, the logo is a result of input from public meetings and Lakewood residents. The public pulled towards the historical/traditional design with a modern edge at the October meeting. Additionally, as a result of the Detroit Avenue Streetscape Study the "DowtowN" empasis of the logo comes from the "districting" recommendation of the study.

The sign blanks that have been posted in front of Geigers are doing their job in creating public response (although a bit of it harsh, but that's o.k.). But they are just that, very basic sign blanks, meant to test a choice of colors in Lakewood's built environment. We took this step to see how things would acutally look in our downtown.

Please take the color survey and provide your comments (there is a space for that on the survey). Please help us by providing insight to readability, context, and the like. Stay warm.

[sharon kinsella]

Thanks Jim.

I hate it.

[Charlie Page]

I have a dumb question: what exactly is a 'wayfinding program'?

[Sean McDermott]

A "wayfinding program" is an all encompassing plan designed to help users find a destination. In applying this to Downtown Lakewood, the wayfinding program will help direct pedestrians, vehicles (their drivers of course), byciclists, shoppers, transit riders, etc. around downtown. Whether their destination is a store, the library, the hospital, the park, parking, a certain street, the highway, or just passing through, the goal of the program is to make reaching that destination a bit easier, usually through signage or some other creative means.

The logo is just the first step in Downtown Lakewood's signage and wayfinding study.



Wayfinding
The process of using spatial and environmental cues to navigate through an environment. In its most literal sense, wayfinding is the ability of a person to find his or her way to a destination. It can also be defined from the standpoint of the designer or site owner and operator seeking to improve the function of a particular environment. Wayfinding is not separate from traditional signage design, but is a broader, more inclusive way of assessing all the environmental issues that affect our ability to find our way.

[Gary Rice]

Not to wax like a wag at this point, but the wonders of wayfinding would seem to wither, when the "downtown" logo is in fact, situated downtown ALREADY.

I can see a sign directing us TOWARDS downtown...

"This way to DowntowN----->" for example...

But to label downtown "downtown" once you are THERE?

That's not wayfinding..that's merely and redundantly stating the obvious.



Petula Clark would certainly be proud, I would think.

Want to REALLY wayfind?

I can suggest a good orienteering course in Scouting...

[Jim O'Bryan]

I've had the pleasure of chairing the Signage & Wayfinding Design sub-committee with other wonderful and very talented Lakewood residents. Where we stand today in terms of the signage and wayfinding study is still only one quarter complete. There is still a lot of work to do, and more public participation and input is needed. What we need to concentrate on at this time is selecting a color for the logo.

Please take the color survey and provide your comments (there is a space for that on the survey). Please help us by providing insight to readability, context, and the like. Stay warm.

Sean

Thanks for jumping in. I did not realize that we had the free help of Studio Graphique. Their free help is welcomed. We do have many great designers and sign companies here in Lakewood. Some have helped with the branding of Case Western Reserve, BP America, New Balance Shoes, Travel Centers of America, etc. of course that would just be my company, and I know of many far more talented than I in Lakewood. But to get the company that branded Heiniens for free, is a great help for this cash strapped city. As I had always thought LakewoodAlive's mission was to educate us for the need of economic development IN Lakewood, I had to agree with the many that have asked why outside, by as grandma said, "Never look a gift horse in the mouth."

Criticism can be harsh, it can also be quite helpful when it comes before the project is finalized. The first thing I had to learn decades ago was to leave emotion at the door, and to listen to the people that would be served most by the project. That is why I welcomed Mary Ann asking Observers to jump in and post their ideas and suggestions.

I would like to ask for more information in this "way finding program" This past weekend I was out with two other designers taking photos of the city and looking at exactly what signage would be needed to find our way around town. We have found over 50 areas that could use signage for wayfinding and are preparing a "white paper" of those places that possibly we could present to your committee. As you can see from some of the very rough illustration thrown up, I have grasped the idea of "way finding" with "Business District" etc. But I am curious as to how this will unfold, how many signs, where does the committee see them going up.

Gary Rice raises an interesting point. Once downtown, will their be "Downtown Geigers" or simply a "Downtown Retail District"? the reason I asked we also looked into various districts that go back to the 1800s in Lakewood, but others that are new. One example would be Brian Corrigan's Edward's Park Baseball Field that he had dubbed "Lakewood's Field of Dreams." Could or would this be worked into thee way finding program or will it be more.

Again thank you for your post and insight, let the criticism wash over your back like water off a duck. We all have opinions, we all have different tastes and ideas. Stay the course and remember, "If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad. If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."

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