How Signage Can Help Revitalize Cities

City revitalization, specifically in downtown and urban areas, has an affect on the economic growth of a city, its tourism, and its community. Signage plays a major role in helping cities revitalize their downtown areas and helps capitalize on those things that  make a city, even a region – authentic and unique. Signage for revitalization and redevelopment, therefore, is ideally incorporated early in the planning process.

Preservation and Rehabilitation

Preserving and rehabilitating a city’s history and identity is a major part of revitalizing and redeveloping its urban areas. Both preservation and rehabilitation of municipal buildings, historical sites, and retailers can help a downtown recapture and celebrate its unique past. Improving the facade of storefronts through quality rehabilitation of the city’s historic resources can help the city tell its unique story through a combination of historical architecture and modern design. Through branded signage and awnings, a city’s history can be preserved while complying with modern safety and design regulations.

At the same time, creative and experienced signage designers work with both preservationists, developers, and business owners to ensure each individual shop or business gets the advertising exposure it needs to thrive in the larger development.

Finding Authenticity Through Signage and Design

Much of a city’s identity is wrapped up its history, architecture, and landmark buildings. By bringing modern signage to a downtown, a unique and authentic branding can be brought to a city’s revitalization efforts. From local businesses, to banks, and corporations, investing in high quality and well-designed signage can mean investing in revitalizing a city. Whether it’s a storefront, identifying sign, or wayfinding signage, there is a way that signage and design can bring together a community’s identity and a city’s branding. Metro always designs its signs with both the business and their community in mind. A new sign can bring new life to a historical building or beloved piece of architecture. Melding the historic with the modern is a great way to instill authenticity into urban spaces.

Impact of a Downtown on Economic Development

A thriving downtown can have a huge impact on the economic success of the rest of a city. Downtown and urban areas are often one of the major factors in a city’s economic development. For example, in Ft. Worth, over $400 million of private investment has come downtown since the City began downtown revitalization just twenty years ago transforming downtown from an economically distressed crime ridden section of town to one of the biggest tourist attractions in the state. Signage can play a big role in the economic redevelopment of a downtown area. Signage has the ability to help business with better branding, visibility, and marketing techniques that can draw more business and increase revenue. Signage also creates an aesthetically pleasing environment that draws tourists, customers, and locals to a downtown area. When a downtown area has a cohesive visual identity, incorporates modern design with historical architectures, and maintains authenticity, the economic development of a city can grow exponentially.

Metro Sign & Awning has decades of experience working with cities on redevelopment projects and on the revitalization of downtown areas through signage and awnings. Investing in both the exterior and interior design of urban buildings can help revitalization and economic development efforts for cities large and small. Contact us today to learn more about our signage and awning services.