ARCHIVE: Category Archive for: Colleges and Universities

Signs of Success: A Year in Review with MSA

What a year! As we begin 2024, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude. Your support and collaboration have made the past year our most successful yet! Looking back on 2023 fills us with gratitude. We’ve had the honor of completing a wide range of signage projects—from city landmarks to local businesses. Each sign represents our dedication to quality and client happiness. We’re incredibly thankful for the chance to have worked on such varied projects, knowing they’ve left a meaningful mark wherever they stand. Let’s take a step back and look at some of the projects from 2023 that caught our eye… A 360 Package: Tree House Brewing Company Working with Tree House Brewing Company in Tewksbury, MA

Good museum wayfinding is essential for thepublic to get the most out of a visit to your museum. in this article we look at best practice for museum wayfinding, from signage to

Partnering with a Design-Build Signage Company Protects Budgets and Timelines

When you’re faced with a mammoth project that spans three years and involves many stakeholders, collaboration and communication are critical keys to a successful outcome. Equally as complex as the UMass Boston signage project, Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Kendall Square project has required a massive amount of coordination among the stakeholders. As a designer-builder, Metro Sign knows that when they’re involved early in the planning process, they can help to control the budget. Elena Berry, Director of Business Development at Metro says, “Developers don’t always think about bringing in fabricators — like signage manufacturers — during the early planning stages of a project. Metro has the experience to proactively identify potential issues earlier in the planning process. Then when it

No one likes to get lost! And one of the best ways an institution can help people find their way or get important information quickly and clearly is to employ signage. In fact, signage offers a good tool for higher education settings. Freestanding signs with electronic message center displays (EMC) distribute daily and emergency information efficiently, and wayfinding signs help people navigate campus more easily. Interior signs can reinforce learning by supporting multimedia for lectures or enhance the interdepartmental recognition of student accomplishments by enabling departments to promote their students’ successes. And consistent signage supports both an institution’s branding and elevates its school spirit. Metro Sign has worked with a variety of colleges and universities right here in the heart

One of the colleges with whom Metro Sign has worked is Fitchburg State — a client for over three years. Some of the college’s first projects included adding need-based interior photopolymer Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) signs. This initial opportunity led to additional signage projects including wayfinding, monument signs, directories, building identification, and award displays. One important job included the addition of flashing pedestrian signs at crosswalks. College administrators worried that vehicles failed to slow down when students and faculty entered the crosswalks, which could cause a hazardous situation. To keep both vehicle and foot traffic safe, Metro Sign installed environmentally-friendly new pedestrian signs with flashers activated by the press of a button. These solar-powered lights flash visibly to vehicles

While Fitchburg State needed updated signs that complied with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations and a visually appealing way to celebrate its 125th anniversary, the University of Massachusetts Boston needed interior signage and more as part of its Renovations to Existing Academic Buildings (REAB) project. This monumental project included construction in McCormack and Wheatley Halls, Healey Library, and Quinn. Much of the renovation involved adapting vacant spaces to accommodate programs from the Science Center. Metro Sign’s contribution to the project included providing wayfinding, directories, and ADA compliant signs. UMass Boston initially provided specifications for a higher-end fabrication. When it was determined that the initial sign design would exceed the funds allotted Metro stepped in to help. Understanding the

Suffolk University might also share UMass Boston’s philosophy: Go big, or go home. Although Suffolk wasn’t working on a Renovations to Existing Academic Buildings (REAB) project when they called Metro Sign, they did have an unusual project in mind. Among its requirements for new architectural signage, the university wanted to add a 21 panel, 20-foot high wall mural. This high-pressure laminate (HDP) exterior wall mural required considerable engineering expertise and clear communication and coordination to ensure the seal on the curtain wall and panels would fit into the Z-Clip system. Have you ever arrived at a new location and you’re not quite sure where to go? Or you look at the map — often a freestanding sign — and it

Some partnerships are made to last — and such is the case with the relationship between Metro and Salem State University, a client since 2003. Over the years, we’ve updated or added just about all the college’s campus and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) signage. From monument signs and flag banners to wayfinding signs, building identification, directory signs, and pretty much everything in between, we’ve made sure that everything we create fits Salem’s brand. Working in tandem with Salem’s marketing and facilities people on a series of projects over the past 17 years has allowed us to develop the partnership. It’s Metro Sign’s responsiveness and the quality of signs we make that make us the go-to choice for the university.

The Boston College Eagles soared to new heights this year as the 156-year-old research university unveiled its new state-of-the-art recreation center. The 244,000-square-foot Margaret Connell Center is complete with something for everyone, from an elevated indoor track to a rock climbing wall and even a golf simulation room. We were honored and excited to collaborate on this facility with Skanska, the world’s fifth-largest construction company, as well as the project architect firm Cannon Design. Making a Lasting Impact We’re not too shy to say that our whole team was brimming with pride at the grand opening. It was spectacular to see the beautiful new amenities that Boston College’s student body would now enjoy. Metro Sign & Awning had done its

In 1989, the Quincy public school system made the “honor roll”. That’s when the broad, horseshoe-shaped brick home of South-West Junior High joined the National Register of Historic Places. The classical revival trio of two-story pavilions at 444 Granite Street, designed by Shephard & Stearns architects in 1927, has since been a source of preservation pride for this southeastern Boston suburb. Today, the venerated building has a new name and a new look. And Metro Sign & Awning was able to contribute to the Reay E. Sterling Middle School’s modern revival. Metro Sign & Awning gets an A+ for bringing in the job. Their attention and participation in the bidding process was crucial and they worked to value engineer the