Youngstown hires company to design wayfinding signs

By David Skolnick

skolnick@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Work on developing a design concept for “wayfinding” signs to help people better navigate through downtown and surrounding areas will commence.

The board of control approved a $26,000 contract Thursday with Studio Graphique of Cleveland for the design work.

The company will start the job immediately and take about 16 weeks for the work. That includes proposals for locations for signs and what buildings and businesses get on the signs, said city Law Director Martin Hume, a board of control member who also served on the wayfinding committee.

Studio Graphique will provide a variety of options to fit how much the city is willing to spend on the project, Hume said. The city is looking for a proposal that would cost about $150,000 to $200,000, he said.

The city wants at least a part of the expense paid for by the private sector, Hume said.

“We intend to make it a public-private project, but we haven’t determined the specifics,” he said.

Studio Graphique was among five companies to submit proposals for the design work and among three that gave presentations Oct. 15 at a public meeting.

The company has done wayfinding signs in Ohio for Lakewood, Kent, Xenia and Cleveland’s University Circle and Tremont neighborhoods.

The signs would help get people to points of interest, primarily downtown, as well as to parking locations.