LTC 013-2004 Wayfinding Signage Study Update
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Letter to Commission No. 013-2004
m
From:
Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez ~.A
City Manager a- V
Date: January 15, 2004
To:
Subject: WAYFINDING SIGNAGE STUDY UPDATE
On December 16, 2003, Hillier presented three different design options of a proposed
citywide coordinated signage system to the Design Review Board, Community Affairs
Committee and an open house community forum. The consensus from all three meetings
was a preference for Option B with certain elements of Option C that give individual identity
to South Beach, Middle Beach and North Beach.
Upcoming presentations will be made to the following groups to complete the public input
process on the three design options:
January 21, 2004 Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce I Executive Board
February 10, 2004 Historic Preservation Board
Based on the information oathered at each of the above mentioned presentations. the
consultant team will be revisino the desiqn and presentino the final schematic desiqn
option(s) to the City Commission on February 25.2004 (tentative).
Upon receiving feedback from the City Commission, the public and other interested groups,
including FDOT and Miami-Dade County, the design consultants will make a final design
presentation of the entire sign system, including all necessary, drawings, materials and
prototypes.
Proqrammino (Siqn Locations and Messaoes)
The consultant team has completed Preliminary programming of all gateways, vehicular
directional signs and destination arrival signs. The team has also completed an initial drive
of the proposed routes and sign locations. The next step is to review the sign locations
and messages with each of the destinations. This will take place in early March, 2004.
Budqets
The consultant team has received preliminary cost for the schematic design options.
Option A was identified as the most expensive, and B was the least expensive. The
consultants will be working with the Steering Committee to develop a phasing plan that will
allow for the implementation of the priority sign types. Hillier will present a draft plan at the
next Steering Committee meeting.
Wayfinding Signage Study Update
January 16, 2004
Page 2 of 3
Summary Next Steps and Upcomina Dates
January 21
February 10
February 25
February 26
Chamber of Commerce, Executive Board - Presentation
Historic Preservation Board
City Commission - Design Presentation
Steering Committee
Additional in Field Review of Sign Locations
Meetings with destinations to review sign locations
Final Design Development Presentations
March (tbd)
April/May
Background I Project Description
The signage system will include:
. Three new gateway signs to the City
. Signs directing visitors to major destinations
. Prototype neighborhood entrance signs
. Public parking directional signs
. Beach walk and trail markers
On April 30, 2003 the Mayor and City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2003-25182
authorizing execution of a professional services agreement with the firm of Hiller, pursuant
to RFP No. 48-01/02, for planning, design and construction administration services for this
project. The Notice to Proceed was issued on June 25, 2003.
The Administration has established two committees to work with the consultant throughout
this project. The Steering Committee is made up of senior staff members in the
departments of Planning, Public Works, CIP, Parking, Convention Center, Economic
Development, Tourism and Cultural Development, Finance, and the VCA. The Stakeholder
Group is made up of representatives from individual destinations and/or districts that will be
identified in the signage system. Examples of these stakeholders include the museums
and cultural facilities, business districts, public facilities, and visitor information centers.
The Process
The planning phase of this project consisted of two major efforts. One is the "wayfinding"
analysis, which is a technical analysis of the hierarchy of districts and destinations and the
optimum routes that visitors should be directed to follow. The consultant held numerous
meetings with the Steering Committee, the Stakeholders, the Police Department, and
representatives from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Miami-
Dade County Public Works Department to collect information for this analysis. The results
of this effort have been documented in a draft report. The consultant then proceeded with
the following step in the wayfinding analysis which is to program locations and the
messages that will be needed for each type of sign.
Wayfinding Signage Study Update
January 16, 2004
Page 3 of 3
The second major effort in the planning phase was the conceptual design of the signs. This
began with a series of meetings with the regulatory agencies to establish a common
understanding of the rules that must be followed versus the areas where flexibility and
creative design will be permitted. This process was extremely beneficial, and we found the
County and the State to be very cooperative and supportive of our project. On July 24,
2003, the consultant conducted an "Identity Forum" to elicit reactions to images, colors,
typography, pattern, materials, architecture, themes, words and historical references that
reflect (or don't reflect) the overall identity of Miami Beach. A total of thirty-two persons
participated in the Forum from an invitation list that included the Mayor and Commission,
the Design Review Board, the Historic Preservation Board, the Planning Board, the
Stakeholder Group and the Steering Committee. The consultant used the input from the
Identity Forum to provide design direction and inspiration.
Desion Reviews
On October 1, 2003, the consultant presented three alternative design concepts to the
Steering Committee and the regulatory agencies. The regulatory agencies stated that all
three concepts were generally acceptable, with minor refinements that could be made
during design development. The Steering Committee felt that the overall quality of the
consultant's design work is outstanding. They recommended that all three alternative
design concepts should be carried forward to allow the community, the design review
boards and the City Commission to make the choice of which of the alternatives is best
suited for Miami Beach.
Some of the key policy issues that will be involved in making a decision among the
alternative design concepts are:
a) The image/branding of Miami Beach (this will be coordinated with other marketing
efforts);
b) The degree to which the individual identities of South Beach, Mid Beach and North
Beach will be emphasized in the signage system; and
c) The effects of lib" on the complexity and variety of elements in the signage system
and the resulting long-term maintenance implications.
On December 16, 2003, Hillier presented the Design Review Board, Community Affairs
Committee and the community with three different design options of a proposed citywide
coordinated signage system. Consensus was reached to combine the design concepts of
Options Band C. Hillier will now prepare a design presentation that assimilates those
comments.
.u, .aY'<!~
JMG\CM'COO\JAM
F:\PLANI$ALL\Meyers\Signage System\l. TC Jan 2004.doc