Delaware Valley Corporation – Case Study

Sign of a Fitting Tribute

From putting greens to Bose speaker screens, you’ve seen and touched their industrial fabrics manufactured for over 65 years to meet a myriad of consumer and commercial needs. Still, the Delaware Valley Corporation is not a household name you’re likely to hear even in passing.

But now anyone passing 600 Woburn Street will surely notice the name on the new sign flanking the entrance to Dom DiMaggio Industrial Park in Tewksbury, Massachusetts.  

Consolidating two manufacturing plants and moving their corporate headquarters here from Lawrence, Massachusetts, occasioned the new signage. The customer hired Metro Sign & Awning to design and deliver a statement piece that would be prominent and well positioned. Delaware Valley Corporation was settling into a new home and looking forward to the next era of manufacturing and fabric evolution.

As a tribute to their founder, Dominic DiMaggio, former Boston Red Sox center fielder (1940-1953) and brother to Joltin’ Joe, the family incorporated the Hall of Famer’s signature on the top half of the free-standing sign. Visitors to the DVC home office are now greeted with a nod to the remarkable endeavors of an American entrepreneur.

The Man Who Hit the Business Home Run

There’s a fascinating history to the humble beginnings of the Delaware Valley Corporation going all the way back to the fifties and the flashy age of Cadillacs. Dom DiMaggio was not only a brilliant and beloved baseball legend, but also a savvy businessman. By buying out his partners and merging several competitors, he was able to become a premiere supplier of automotive seat coverings for General Motors.

As the years rolled on, his sons continued to further their father’s enterprise with their own visions and creative ventures.

Overcoming Zoning Obstacles

The desired location for the sign was simple: close to the road and clearly visible to oncoming traffic and incoming delivery services. In surveying the available acreage and the buildings’ orientation in the corporate park, the prime spot was selected. Unfortunately, the obvious and most perfect place did not meet the big Z: zoning requirements.

With all the determination of a little slugger, Metro Signs, went to bat for the business. They ran into extra innings doing research, filing permit applications and conducting diplomatic work sessions with the town of Tewksbury. Because the location was considered a “setback,” the positioning was not guaranteed and the town had specifications they just weren’t willing to alter.

Although they were all ardent baseball lovers, the town representatives were not going to waive the zoning requirements without a case argued to the letter of the law. Metro’s negotiating skills and zoning legal expertise helped pave the way for ultimate approval.

Metro Sign & Awning is proud to have partnered with a true slice of our American past.