North Adams Unveils New Branding Scheme, Signage
 The city's new marketing logo features some of its most important natural, historical and architectural elements. This image show the river to the left but the newest version puts it right in front. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Prominent "gateway" signs with the city's new marketing logo will be installed on the east, west and south entrances in the coming month.
The project by the Partnership for North Adams is the culmination of sessions with stakeholders and the community — which made it clear earlier this year that the Hoosac Tunnel, Hoosic River and Route 2 should be integral to any design.
"There's a lot added to this that wasn't there before," said Mayor Richard Alcombright. "Obviously, you couldn't fit in everything people wanted or asked for, but the recognition of the past, the river, the tunnel, Route 2 seemed very important.
"It's very, very representative."
The completed logo includes those important historical and natural elements, as well as the New Kimbell Building, Main Street, the Clocktower, a steeple and the Hoosic Mill stack in shades of blue and green. The gateway signs will also include thick letters spelling out North Adams atop the frames, reminiscent of the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art sign, and painted to give a 3-dimensional effect.
The new marketing brand was unveiled at City Hall on Wednesday with members of the Partnership, a nonprofit supporting development efforts, and the North Adams Chamber of Commerce, which will take over the next two phases of the project.
"The gateway signs are going to help the North Adams branding image to welcome visitors to our city," said chamber President Glenn Maloney.
The city will continue to use the Hoosac Tunnel image and "We Hold the Western Gateway" as its motto, but Alcombright anticipated a revamp of the city's website that will integrate the new logo's colors and fonts to reflect a more uniform look in the city's branding.
The same will occur with integration of the Chamber of Commerce and ExploreNorthAdams website, said Maloney, based on the success of DestinationWilliamstown.org. The goal will be to provide easily accessible information for a visitor looking for sites of interest, a resident checking the event calendar or a new business seeking information on permitting steps.
The $50,000 first phase of the project — research, the new design by Stoltze Design, construction and installation of the three gateway signs — was funded by the Partnership. D'Amour's Big Y was also a partner.
The chamber will take up the next two phases of first wayfinding, or directional, signage and then landmark signage over the next 18 to 24 months and the fundraising to complete them. Maloney said it was a "natural next step" for the chamber to take over the project.
Phase II will mean "more activity from the Chamber of Commerce throughout the community in trying to identify the next steps of the project," he said. "Three signs are nice, but we can do a lot more to identify who we are and where we are in getting around the city."
Re-branding was a theme in the Vision 2030 master plan, which described it as a way for the community to unify its vision for the future and its presentation to visitors and new residents.The new signs will replace the mixed versions that have been put up over the years, including the more recently prominent black and yellow ones.
"There are a lot of signs that exist that should not exist as we move forward," said the Partnship's Chairman Duncan Brown. "The continuity is going very important, particularly as you get closer to downtown."
Part of Stoltze Design's review included where the best locations were, coming up with a handful of options.
Brown said the best spot for the eastern gateway was entering the city from the highest point, before the Wigwam.
"Way up the top, about 100 yards before you get to the sharp turn, so you'll see 'North Adams' and then you'll see the beautiful view," he said. "I think that is going to a be a spectacular place for it."
Tags: branding, chamber of commerce, logos, marketing,
