Request for Proposals City of Oberlin, Ohio Branding and Cultural Wayfinding Signage Plan
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Request for Proposals City of Oberlin, Ohio Branding and Cultural Wayfinding Signage Plan Introduction The City of Oberlin, Ohio, in association with the Firelands Association for the Visual Arts (FAVA), is seeking proposals from qualified professionals who have proven experience with branding and wayfinding projects. Through this request for proposals (“RFP”) process, a qualified consultant will be selected that will develop a brand identity for Oberlin; and develop and implement a cultural wayfinding system for the City. Ultimately, the wayfinding signage program will be incorporated throughout the main pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular corridors in and around the City. The purpose of this request for proposals (“RFP”) is to provide information to prospective consultants detailing the City’s desired services and deliverables, the expectations relative to consultant qualifications and the proposal content. This information is intended to enable consultants to develop branding for Oberlin as an arts destination and to design cultural wayfinding signage. Project Background The City of Oberlin With its small town sense of community, the services of a large city, and the music, art, and science of a cosmopolitan center—all situated in just under five square miles—the City of Oberlin has justifiably earned numerous accolades, including being named one of the “top 20 best small towns to visit” by Smithsonian Magazine. Founded concurrently with Oberlin College in 1833, the City is famous for its rich and diverse history of progressive thought, innovation, and social activism. The community was a beacon of freedom during the years of the Underground Railroad, and Oberlin College was the first in the country to admit men and women of all races. The City and the College are pioneers in the current environmental movement, and, with the development of a 2013 Climate Action Plan, are committed to becoming “carbon neutral” by 2050. In addition to the honor bestowed upon the City by Smithsonian Magazine, Oberlin also has the distinction of earning the following titles in the last several years: Ohio Magazine Most Livable College Community 1996 Ohio Magazine Best Hometown 2012 MetLife Foundation Best Intergenerational Community 2012 Geographic Location The City of Oberlin is located in Lorain County, Ohio, just south and west of the City of Cleveland. Oberlin has a population of 8,286 people (2010 U.S. Census) while Lorain County has a population of 301,356 people (2010 U.S. Census). Oberlin is strategically located within easy traveling distance of the Ohio Turnpike (I‐80), U.S. Route 20, Ohio Route 2/I‐90, Ohio Route 58, and Ohio Route 511 as well as Cleveland Hopkins Airport (a 30‐minute drive). I‐80 and I‐90 are two of the nation’s most traveled interstates: I‐80 runs east and west from New York City to Los Angeles and I‐90 runs east and west from Boston to Seattle. Ohio’s “Vacationland” Oberlin is located in the heart of Ohio’s “Vacationland,” the North Coast of Lake Erie. The area between Lorain County and its neighboring counties to the east and west, Ottawa, Erie, and Cuyahoga, draws more than seven million visitors each year to Lake Erie and its islands, Cedar Point Amusement Park, Kalahari Waterpark, natural areas, wineries, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Great Lakes Science Center, the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland’s cultural hub, University Circle, and many other attractions. Project Description The City of Oberlin is seeking to hire a consultant to develop branding for Oberlin as an arts destination and to design cultural wayfinding signage. Meetings with arts organizations and their constituents will be central to this work. A logo and taglines will be developed, as will marketing materials such as a brochure for print and online use. The consultant will create a comprehensive cultural wayfinding plan, inventorying arts and cultural assets; identifying key sites for signage for vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic; and developing a signage design and fabrication and installation budget for future plan implementation. The selected consultant will be expected to articulate a process for bid management and implementation. The wayfinding signage program should meet the needs of residents, students and parents as well as tourists/visitors from out‐of‐town. All transportation modes within the City and along major access thoroughfares (especially Main Street/State Route #58 and Lorain Street/State Route #511) should be considered. Street level vitality, legibility, safety, maintenance, aesthetic and replacement costs are all major concerns in creating an informational, user friendly, wayfinding signage program. The primary focus of the program is to increase and direct customer/visitor traffic to cultural assets in the City and on the Oberlin College Campus. Maps of the entire City of Oberlin, the Oberlin College Campus and of downtown Oberlin are attached to this document as Appendices A, B and C respectively. Below are some photographs of existing signage in the City of Oberlin: The wayfinding signage program should consider an array of sign types that are vandal proof, and easy to update as information changes. The design for the program should provide a branded and unified design that can be used for marketing materials for the downtown and the City. The signage program should take into account the following types of signs: General directional information and wayfinding for bicyclists and vehicular traffic General directional information and wayfinding for pedestrians, especially downtown Gateway signage Decorative banners for downtown Interpretive signage for historic sites Public art Municipal buildings and parks Future downtown destinations Project Goals The project goals for the City of Oberlin Branding and Cultural Wayfinding Signage Program are as follows: Reflect or strengthen a unique community identity and sense of place that capitalizes on existing local assets, thereby catalyzing a persuasive vision for enhancing the livability of the community; Incorporate the arts into a systemic approach to equitable civic development; Support artists, design professionals, and arts organizations by integrating the arts and design into the fabric of civic life; Expand residents’ awareness of Oberlin’s extensive arts and cultural offerings; Strengthen the community economically, by developing and promoting Oberlin as an arts destination Raise community and visitor awareness of downtown Oberlin and its contents and other historic sites and recreational opportunities; Direct visitors downtown from major transportation arteries including vehicular and bicycle. Enhance visitors’ and residents’ ability to easily navigate around Oberlin and in downtown. Enhance visitors’ ability to find available parking. Increase the success and market potential for retail, dining, arts and entertainment. Enhance the user’s experience. Enhance the public spaces in Oberlin. Visually integrate City wayfinding signage with Oberlin College signage. Scope of Work The project will consist of the design services outlined below, resulting in the completion of construction documents suitable to bid the project for fabrication and installation. The consultant may, based on previous experience with a similar project or projects, suggest changes or alternatives in their response to this request for proposals. The consultant may also engage a fabrication team and include their results in the proposal. All deliverables submitted for review should be submitted as specified below and must include a digital version of same in a format acceptable to the City. Materials submitted for this project become the property of the City of Oberlin for its use in presentations and/ or on the City’s website. Task 1: To formulate a brand identity for the City of Oberlin. Community Meeting Conduct at least one community meeting to allow residents, businesses and other stakeholders to participate in a group session that will reveal the ideas, themes, and personality that the Oberlin brand should embody. Conduct at least one additional meeting specific to the arts organizations to gather ideas and themes that represent the cultural personality of Oberlin. Brand/Identity Design Design new graphic elements for the City of Oberlin that will be used in the development of the wayfinding signage program. This should also include recommendations for and incorporation of a tagline or marketing concept based on information gathered at the community meeting. Present at least three design concepts to the City Wayfinding Signage Committee for review and consideration. The City will select one desired design concept. Artwork will be provided to the City in common file formats. Deliverables: Brand identity presentation and marketing strategy recommendations. Task 2: To develop a wayfinding signage plan for the City of Oberlin. Wayfinding Audit Conduct a one day site audit of the City to document the existing conditions (including boundaries, connections, travel paths, decision points, existing signage, and wayfinding challenges. Wayfinding Plan Develop a wayfinding plan that illustrates the recommended sign types, locations and types of messages for the new sign program. Wayfinding Framework Develop a project framework. This document presents the project mission and goals, programming and aesthetic philosophies, as well as illustrating information collected from the community meetings and wayfinding audit. This presentation will also focus on the