The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. board of directors met Monday and approved the design for new wayfinding signage at and around Canalside to help visitors navigate their way around the expanding waterfront destination. Canalside is a complex site with numerous and diverse events and programmed activities. It can be accessed by car, walking, biking, boating, etc.
"The 1.5 million visitors coming to Canalside each year will benefit from well-placed, well-designed signs that help them find their way to the wide variety of activities available on the waterfront," ECHDC Chairman Robert Gioia said. "All signs point to Gov. Cuomo's continued success with transforming the waterfront into a destination the entire region can be proud of for generations to come."
The project is made up of signs with various functions that are reflective of Canalside's fun and colorful brand. The signs include landmark totems, markers, beacons, vehicular directional, pedestrian directional, street and parking identification signs, and a gateway sign.
The signage program is tasked with many functions: wayfinding (both pedestrian and vehicular), disseminating the Canalside brand and graphic standards, identifying amenities, parking and street names, educating through historic interpretive panels and/or electronic displays, and providing major site or "gateway" elements.
The signs are designed to reflect Erie Canal's history. They will be made from durable materials that complement the Canalside brand. Historic interpretive panels will use the "Alto" system of applied digital graphics with the most durable exterior finish available. The resulting design could be described as a subtle blend of the historic and the contemporary. The project will be complete by the spring of 2018, but visitors will start seeing some of the new signage up this winter.
As a subsidiary of Empire State Development, the state's chief economic development agency, ECHDC supports and promotes the creation of infrastructure and public activities at Canalside, the Ohio Street corridor and the Outer Harbor to attract critical mass, private investment and enhance the enjoyment of the waterfront for residents and tourists in Western New York. Its vision is to revitalize Western New York's waterfront and restore economic growth to Buffalo, based on the region's legacy of pride, urban significance and natural beauty. For more information on ECHDC, visit
www.eriecanalharbor.com.
