Study Session - 11/28/2023 5:00:00 PM

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good evening everyone welcome to the
Gilbert Town Council study session for
November 28th 202 three I'll call this
meeting to order we have one item on our
agenda it's presentation and discussion
of the Heritage District way finding and
place marketing plan Place marketing
plan because I read it for the first
time and I thought it said Place making
because we've talked about it that way
um and we have some folks from Economic
Development joining us this evening
who's going to be speaking our
consultant our consultant thank you just
come to the podium and introduce
yourself thank
you
hello I am Nicole norren with multi
Studio the consultant on the Heritage
District Place marketing and wayfinding
project um I'm here today to kind of
give you an update and bring you along
in the process of of the project from
both a wayfinding and place marketing
perspective as I said I am with multi
Studio a multi disciplinary Design
Studio here in the valley um where we
believe that design collaboration in the
pursuit to possibility is in every
project that we kind of
touch just to give you an update on the
scope of the actual project we are
looking at the wayfinding and place
marketing plan for the Heritage District
um the goals for the project were to
capture the character of The Heritage
District while also building a flexible
and comprehensive wayfinding system that
complements and doesn't compete with the
vibrancy of the Heritage District itself
while also celebrating and balancing
both modern and historical
elements I'm going to take you through
the process to date um in this quick
little presentation here and open to
feedback and suggestions at the end um
to bring you along in the process we
went through an intake and integrate and
understanding phase where we looked at
various documents various plans all of
the good work that you guys have done in
the Heritage District to date we also
embarked on a series of community and
stakeholder surveys so we have a core
project group made up of Staff we also
have an external stakeholder group made
up of business owners residents and
people within the Heritage District as
well as the broader Community we did a
survey that had over 800 responses um to
questions that had everything to do from
what does the Heritage District feel
like what are attributes maybe what are
some challenges you experience in the
district knowing that this is again a
wayfinding plan to help people navigate
from place to place discover new things
and really learn about the district
itself um this was everything from
qualitative to quantitative so we asked
very specific questions around naming
conventions and things like that as well
as visuals uh we also compared this
against um historical research and
benchmarking from there we took all of
this information and since synthesized
it down into um core groups of things so
based on experience based on how this
should be organized how does uh what are
the landmarks and amenities that really
resonate with people in the area and
which should highlight and which tell
the story of the Heritage
district from there we boiled that down
into key takeaways from attributes and
experience as well as visual Reflections
um to really understand and be immersed
within the district itself
from there that led to us kind of
creating these big four takeaways which
we have here um the big four that this
system and this place marketing effort
needed to address where it needed to
communicate the character clearly it
needed to be robust and flexible as you
grow and as you change so does the
system need to need to expand and to
meet that need as well as visualizing
the historic stories in new ways we know
that there's a really rich and vibrant
history here how can we utilize that to
tell a story and bring people Along on
that Journey also there's a lot of
different patterns and colors and
vibrancy within the district so how can
we help to unify that and bring that
along in the
storytelling all of that kind of
culminated into a written statement a
design driving concept um called
cultivate character the Heritage
district has roots that run strong and
deep over the years its Rich history has
called cultivated Gilbert's unique
experience areas brimming with character
add texture to the patchwork of
historical Agriculture and celebrate the
diversity and complexity of the
community and its goals to bridge the
past and cross pollinate the
future this work then led us into a
visual exercise uh into what we call in
our process a visual mood board it
serves as more of our North Star in the
entire project that we can continually
keep checking back to to make sure we're
all on track this was uh one of the
original points of alignment between the
project team the external team the
community this board was actually built
out of all of that research uh through
dot polling and surveying um but again
it serves as at checkpoint we can get
far along in the process and always use
this as a reference back to make sure
we're still on
track a part of the wayf finding system
is a place marketing effort we are
utilizing the place marketing effort as
a wayfinding device to help aid in the
idea of the Heritage district and how do
we create those um not create the
boundaries but explain that the Heritage
district is more than just that small
strip on Gilbert Road that it does go
east and west it does go all the way up
to junur and a little bit past Elliot
right so how can we utilize the stories
within the district in the existing
landmarks to help tell that story a
little bit more so we're really leaning
on these three historical landmarks the
canal the Water Tower and the railway
those are each an anchor on the North in
the South and in the middle to help aid
in that way finding discussion they also
are tied very richly to the history of
Gilbert to utilize to kind of expand
upon that story a little bit in terms of
navigation we're looking at the canal
Water Tower and Railway they are not
meant to be external facing where birds
are not districts within districts again
it's more of that wayfinding device to
help Orient you within the district to
get from one place to the other and to
explore things that you maybe didn't
know were in the district so if we look
at the canal part of the story it's very
much rooted in the water the bike trails
that Mobility the walkways exploration
so we're taking cues from that from an
icon perspective or a pattern
perspective that speaks to that rich Now
history and using it as a wayfinding
device to help uh Orient you as to you
are at the North End of the Heritage
District the water tower we're looking
at is really tied to its agricultural
history the water tower itself the
farming the hay being an iconic part of
Gilbert is really an important piece to
the Heritage district and kind of marks
that midpoint within there the railway
which is a little bit more to the South
we're looking at those core stories of
the railroad itself it's also tied to
the HD South um it's also tied to the
residential housing connection so we're
starting to use these subtle
reinforcements to um to create place
within the district all three of these
are not distinct and they're not
separate they are all together they
create the Heritage District itself so
we're taking the canal which you see in
the crossbar of that offset h on the
left we're taking the water tower on the
right and we're taking the rail way on
the left and all three of those
landmarks all three of that pieces of
that history come to together to create
the entirety of the Heritage
District looking at the Heritage
District um we are trying to tell all of
those stories together we know that
there are uniqueness um unique
attributes of the district uh we are
looking at this as being an aid in
wayfinding and not a separate kind of
identity branding and piece like that
it's more so that wayf finding
destination and place marketing for this
particular District in
Gilbert how that then expanded into a
signage system we're looking at a robust
system again in flexible in nature this
is a modular system um that works with
various components um again thinking
back to that mood board in terms of
those more neutral colors by
complimenting the vibrancy that's what
you're starting to see here a system is
not just a single sign and not a single
sign type not a single scale we are
looking at everything from pedestrian to
Bicycle to vehicular to mass transit to
private all of that kind of comes into
the same system here um you'll see we're
looking at orientation signs which
happen at larger moments uh historic
signs that can help tell the story of
the Heritage District the arrival signs
which help reinforce destination and the
navigation signs which help aid in those
those kind of sticky points pin points
that we got from the survey out of the
survey from a challenge perspective
parking was the number one thing that
people cannot find um they don't know
where the lots are they don't know where
the garages are so utilizing this
wayfinding system to help aid in that is
what the goal of this particular piece
was um I already spoke about like the
neutral colors being balanced to with
the district itself we're subtly and
strategically using pops of color here
in these signs like the blue the green
the orange that you see to Aid in those
sticky points that people have the
navigation to parking the finding the
bike Lanes finding the bike repair
finding the ride share um using the
color strategically to highlight those
particular sticky
points this is a modular system like I
said you will not have to replace the
whole sign if messages change or get
updated um we know that certain lots are
potentially under development and may go
away in the future so instead of
replacing in an entire sign it's just a
change of a a panel uh we are looking at
a powdercoated uh water jet aluminum
sign with those subtle patterns in the
background um with a c0 look finish
we're not using a corten product due to
its kind of patina um from its wear and
tear all of that we are also
strategically using a lighter color on
the faces of these signs to address the
Sun and to address the long-term usage
within the district also if you replace
a sign after a year we're really looking
at so the the same color if the whole
sign is a color it doesn't look faded in
any way so definitely looking at that
and tamper proof and hidden hardware and
all of
that another large component of this is
the again the place marketing effort is
driving the wayf finding and is a key
component to the way finding design um
but we are looking at different ways
that we can bring that through Within in
these particular Banner signs so there
are currently banners all along Gilbert
Road um and to the east and west a
little bit uh looking at utilizing the
existing infrastructure and adding a
panel on to help reinforce that idea of
place uh using one as kind of a a
standard piece to speak to the Heritage
District while having one change out to
create those moments of Discovery those
moments of interest and those moments of
uh what makes the heritage unique uh
everything from holidays and promotions
all the way through perhaps it's a
little sliver of a mural that has like a
little icon or an address for you to be
able to go find that um and discover
more within the
area this is just a look at the signage
um in context a little bit there's a
blurred uh image of Gilbert Road in the
background again to kind of highlight
the vibrancy that is already there and
how this system can kind of fit in with
what is there again it's meant to Aid in
in the way finding and create sense of
place while complimenting the existing
character and not
competing we are looking at
incorporating lighting but only to a few
select signs we're not looking at
lighting all of these signs the ones
that are not lit are going to be in
places that strategically are lit um by
ambient lighting but the two that are
lit internally are the large directory
sign and the small directory sign
looking at the large one to have the
color changing ability that could
manually be adjusted to Accent the Water
Tower or accent the Hearn lights again
having that flexibility uh for you all
to be able to
modify another key part to this project
a large part of this project is looking
at a Gateway or a Ral sign while we are
still working through the placement and
have talked through everything from um
something on the North something on the
south something in the middle we're
still working through that but those are
the three areas that we've looked looked
at um this was a round one of where we
were at with design looking at something
the historic Gilbert sign across the
road it was iconic and something we
wanted to kind of take reference to uh
looking at something that might be more
standard standing in the median that
comes out over the road something that
comes over the road completely uh again
these were all just um iterations of
what we had put together um this was
another the second round of signage
designs for the Gateway um really
looking at something that prominently
said Heritage District uh every place
has a downtown but Gilbert has a
Heritage district and that's special and
that's something that we really want to
pay homage to and respect in the signage
package in the place marketing
effort a quick look at project impact
like I said we're not just looking at
Gilbert Road between vau and Paige we
are looking at not the entirety of the
Heritage District so this is just a
quick snapshot of what that the project
impact can be in terms of sign placement
um this is not something that will all
roll out in a singular phase it will be
a phased
implementation um based upon addressing
those key needs first uh out of the
survey again it was those pinch points
of I can't find ride share I can't find
parking really wanting to address those
types of science first in a phase one
and then continually roll out in
additional phases some of more of those
um historic signs or more of that place
marketing
piece in terms of our next steps um like
I said we're very much in process and
wanting to bring you along in that
discussion uh we are creating a use
guidelines uh which will have all of the
place marketing fonts colors usage how
we're using it how we're applying it uh
we're also working through a phased
implementation like I said so there will
be phasing plan plans uh full design
intent drawings with locations uh mapped
out as well as signage specs that can be
readily handed to a fabricator for an
implementation and that is what I have
for you all today so I'll open it up for
discussion and
feedback thank you Nicole any questions
comments from the council vice mayor
thank you mayor um thank you very much
for the presentation um I really like
the direction we're going the one piece
I'm having a little issue with is the
colors against the Green of our poles it
looks like an afterthought to me instead
of being Incorporated so I'm not sure if
we can
use um I I like using our colors from
our logo that I like that but maybe we
could change maybe the the brightness of
it or something just so that it looks
like it we meant it to go with the green
instead of we're just placing signs
where we already have poles but I I I
like the direction you're going on the
um could you go back to the over the um
Gilbert Road that right there I I kind
of lean towards that one up in the
leftand corner because it it it pulls in
the design of the other um wave finding
signs where the other ones again it kind
of looked like we stuck it there
right and so I I kind of like that um I
think we're really on the right track
it's just that color combo and I get why
but if we can make it match a little
better I think that would be great good
work on this by the way thank you thank
you councilman bonani completely agree
with the vice mayor I I I love the
colors but after she said that and I
looked at it again it does look like an
afterthought thank
you
council member
Anderson looks like we are erased to the
button there yeah I was watching for
names to pop up
so um I agree with what what's been said
the the question I had was whether or
not we can consider some design elements
from around the town that aren't
specifically in the Heritage District
but they're part of our heritage they're
part of Gilbert and what Gilbert's known
for and I'm thinking of elements like
the repair and reserve and and at some
point the the bridge down on aao may
become an iconic feature we should be
bringing those I think into the downtown
into the Heritage District somehow into
the design elements and for instance the
the reparan would would work well along
the canal if we could do something with
that uh element to to bring it down to
the Heritage
District thank you very good
though council member torguson
am I on I'm on wow I'm on um having sat
through some of the meetings uh I just
want to say thank you for for involving
all those the stakeholders in that
because I think they were well reflected
in this their input was and staff
certainly worked hard to make sure that
happened because there were there was
attendance so I see it here and I do
agree with vice mayor tilki I I do like
that one in the upper left for what it's
worth thank you thank
you council member
Kowski thank you for your presentation
um I do agree with what others have
stated where I do really like the
direction this is going I I think you've
done a great job of
capturing um those elements the Heritage
but also the modern and kept it very
classy so I appreciate that um my
comment was regarding some of the colors
associated with the destinations uh the
parking and the ride share I believe are
both blue and I I would just say that
maybe the ride share color needs to be
its own distinct color and the ride
share spaces have been I believe very
successful but part of that success is
also um the pavement markings and the
general area so i' would like to see
that comprehensive refresh to match
these new design guidelines in those
areas um and in in regards to some of
the design of the signs over the roadway
as that Entry Way
um I like the incorporation of those
geometric elements so more as shown on
the screen the top right and then I
think it was option um one and four in
the previous
slide I think my my only concern with
some of the other options is I don't
want it to look look older dated the
minute it gets installed right I think
something that that's really nice about
the Hearn hoop lights is that it is very
modern but it still fits within the
district and so um I would lean more
towards something that is um looks very
distinctive and like it was installed
today for the future thank you thank
you council member
Buckley um Hello thank you thank you for
being here and uh I really appreciate
the tremendous amount of work that has
gone into planning this and bringing all
of this together I love the the three
elements that that tie everything in and
how you've managed to do that um I I'm
not sure about the overhead sign uh yeah
I want I'm going to have to think about
that a little bit but um I love the way
everything's tied in and all the effort
that you guys have have put in here I'm
I'm probably the lone one it sounds like
but I really I like the vibrant colors I
like the colors that are there um and
it's hard to tell for from this if you
know in the setting they might not look
as bright as they do in in just the
photos so uh anyway thank you very much
and uh I'm excited to see this Pro
continue to to move forward thank
you I have a question about the um the
overhead sign the one that goes across
Gilbert Road and is the location
intended to be where it is in the photo
currently we are showing it in place of
where the over the street Banner is so
we are looking at a variety of different
locations um again perhaps at the North
End perhaps at the South End perhaps
both ends and then one in the middle um
um perhaps there's a larger one on both
ends a smaller something that happens at
this location um that's still kind of
what we're working through as a team um
but right now we're showing where the
over the street Banner is and it's
will'll be high enough to accommodate
the trucks that down yep okay because
that is um and the parades thank you for
saying that too right yes because
that'll be an issue because there's a
lot of deliveries done in downtown
Gilbert I would and then if we put it in
the location that it's shown here I
would just be concerned that we would
lose that Banner effect and I think that
that Banner is something that people
appreciate having downtown so that they
can advertise different events that are
coming up that wouldn't be shown on any
of these signage down there because it's
special events holidays whatever the the
case may be um I'd love to see something
like that more at the at the start or
the end or both of the Heritage District
because I think we want to call
attention to where you're entering and
that's typically where you see them when
you're visiting other places um as far
as the design goes I'd really have to
look at these a little bit closer and
maybe a little bit larger so I could get
a better look at them they're kind of
small to to take a look at I what I have
in mind is I did a walking tour with a
group a few years ago and we got to the
building that is Heritage building and
the group said to me boy that building
is in beautiful shape for how old it is
and I said well it's actually a very new
building but it looks so old it looks
like it belongs in downtown Gilbert like
it looks like it's been there forever so
I think that if we can find a
combination of that because I agree with
what council member Kowski said but I
think that we can find a combination of
the old and the new to bring into the
Heritage District because I think that's
what we appreciate most about the
Heritage district is that we have the
old and the new mix together so
something that's a little bit older to
look at but then maybe a little bit
modern flare like the circles what do we
call
them hear the hear yeah the Hearn Loops
thank you I didn't know if it had an
official term I don't think I've heard
that before I saw it in the presentation
oh I didn't even notice that on the
loops thank you um otherwise I think
we're on the right track do we have any
idea when we'll start moving forward
with this Amanda knows I've been talking
about this for a long time we are um our
project schedule is to wrap up design
and attend and documentation by the end
of the year okay and then when would we
potentially start
seeing signage appearing in the Heritage
District that would depend on fabricator
selection and moving that forward um but
should be in q1 Q2 q1 Q2 could be as
soon as that and can you do me a favor
and go back to the page that you had all
the banners on um that one Monica top
right this see it the veteran Banner
because that's something that's very
close to our hearts and I noticed it as
you were going through and it was small
and I asked Monica if she had seen it so
we appreciate being able to incorporate
um the veteran banners for the short
time that we have them in the Heritage
district and I think it's just something
that we can continue to do when it comes
to special events like that and special
projects so appreciated that any other
comments or
questions seeing none thank you Nicole
thank you so much thanks for joining us
this evening well that is the only item
that we have on our agenda so um I will
adjourn this meeting and you all get a
few minutes to yourselves thank
you