According to a market research report by Grubb-Ellis, the industry vacancy rate is currently at 9.7 percent. This is a terrific opportunity for environmental designers.
Opportunity
A large number of vacancies in industrial parks and offices creates stiff competition among landlords to try and attract occupants. Just like selling residential houses, the most efficient and economical way of attracting occupants is by improving the properties curb appeal. And when it comes to commercial properties, this means wayfinding systems and signage.
Types of Directional Signs and Benefits
Directional signs are a vital component in the commercial success of an industrial park. A complex which is hard to get around is going to be very hard to rent out. Even the companies that are already there will not stay for too long if it fails to create a positive image. Let us now look at a few of the popular wayfinding signs which can help with this:
- Monument signs: These signs are like directories. The more the number of companies operating from the complex, the more important it is to list them out on these signs. An industrial park with just a couple of tenants can easily get away with a joint monument but a venue with more companies will certainly benefit from a comprehensive directory.
- Exterior wayfinding signs: At every entrance, a small panel and post sign which shows a map of the industrial park can prove to be beneficial. The companies in the complex should be identified clearly along with the delivery locations, business offices, and entrances.
- Floor graphics: Make the floor work for you. Arrows which direct consumers and deliverymen to the correct areas will help save a lot of time. Make this even easier for people by color coordinating the graphics on the floor.
Industrial Park Signs
Let us take an example of a park sign from the 1970s. These are the signs you see in most industrial parks and offices. They are usually accompanied by signs which indicate lease information or vacancies.
The best thing about these signs is that they always have phone numbers with them so you can call the property owner or the leasing company. These are the people you should call to get appointments where you can show off your environmental design work. You simply need to convince them that this is a small investment which will go a long way in improving the curb appeal and make it easier to attract tenants.
Downingtown Tech Center
Now let us look at the example of the Downingtown Tech Center. This is the perfect example of a complex which has a mix of retail, distribution, and commercial companies. It had earlier been a Pepperidge Farm factory and has since had numerous additions to it. The property owner recognized that the complex needed to be upgraded and selected a way finding system and signage in order to make the buildings stand out.
The tech center required more than simple monument signs. The industrial park is sort of difficult for visitors and deliverymen to get around. It has five distinct areas color coded with different identity signs. The identity signs on all the businesses referred to the complex’s schematic found on the monument sign. Apart from this, there were also a number of directional signs which were placed at important navigation points all over the complex.
Hopefully, this has been a good example of how you can grow a design business using a market which you might not have even considered before. Have you tried working on signage for industrial parks and offices before? If not then now’s the perfect time to begin.
