Monday, July 29, 2013

 

Wayfinding sign project featured in article shows the importance of
good wayfinding signs throughout a community.

Forsite recently completed phase one of the Mt. Washington, PA wayfinding project that consists of decorative signs pointing to local points of interest.  Phase II will begin later this fall.  

Article from triblive.com
Read complete article here.

On most summer afternoons, dozens of tourists seek out Mt. Washington to snap photos of Downtown. People gaze at the vista, capturing it on digital cameras or smartphones, then ride the Monongahela Incline down to Station Square, unaware that dozens of neighborhood shops are located within walking distance of the scenic overlooks.

“The tourists don't know where to go,” said Joe Young, 51, of Mt. Washington. The Mt. Washington Community Development Corp. is trying to increase business among the 1.5 million tourists who ride the Duquesne and Monongahela inclines every year. The nonprofit organization added signs to three storefronts on Shiloh Street and plans to start an iPhone app business directory in the fall. “They can find something easily — a library, a church or a place to go to lunch,” said Christina Howell, outreach coordinator for the CDC.


The Local Initiatives Support Corp. and Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development awarded the CDC a $25,000 grant, financed by PNC Bank, to promote local businesses.


The CDC will collect data on how many people go to Mt. Washington on weekends, giving store owners an idea of prime opportunities for sales. Another goal is to attract business owners, Howell said.


“Those neighborhoods can only be strong if their business districts are also strong,” said Anika Goss-Foster, vice president of sustainable communities for Local Initiatives' Midwestern and Pennsylvania region.
Vickie Pisowicz, owner of Grandview Bakery & Sweet Shop on Shiloh Street, hopes her purple cupcake sign boosts sales. The signs contain images — such as cutlery, a cupcake, a ring — so tourists who can't read English know what the shops offer.

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