Item No.
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
BY: VANIAH DE ROJAS, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
DATE: MARCH 25, 2025
SUBJECT: DISCUSSION REGARDING THE DOWNTOWN DOWNEY GATEWAY
SIGN CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Council will discuss design options for a gateway sign in Downtown Downey.
The intent of this report is to introduce the topic for discussion, and staff is seeking the City Council’s direction on which design option to move forward with.
RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council:
Discuss and provide direction to staff regarding the Downtown Downey Gateway Sign Conceptual Design.
BACKGROUND
At the May 23, 2023 City Council meeting, the City Council requested that staff procure design services for a gateway sign to be located in Downtown Downey, and return to the City Council with gateway sign designs for discussion. The gateway sign location discussed by City Council is generally located at the northerly intersection of Firestone Blvd. and Downey Avenue (as pictured below), which serves as a prominent Downtown Downey gateway. The intersection currently lacks any entry monument identifier indicating entry into Downey’s downtown area.
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In January 2024, City staff issued a Request for Proposals through the City’s open bids portal, Planet Bids, which contacts individual firms via email with information about the proposed work. Additionally, staff informed the Downtown Downey Improvement Association (DDIA) that this RFP had been released, and was available via the City’s open bids portal.
A total of 202 prospective firms received notification of the Request for Proposals, of which 40 indicated they were potential proposers. Moreover, three (3) of these firms, reached out with further questions regarding the RFP, to which the City responded via the Planet Bids’ portal. When the RFP process closed, one (1) proposal had been received from Graphic Solutions.
The proposal was evaluated by four (4) staff members from the City Manager’s Office, Community Development, and Public Works Departments. The evaluation team reviewed the firm’s technical experience, project management approach, and its understanding of the City's requirements, scope of work, and objectives. After completing this process, staff found Graphic Solutions to be a qualified firm to provide professional design services for a gateway sign. A Professional Services Agreement was entered into in April 2024.
ANALYSIS
Conceptual Design Process
City staff held a kick-off meeting in late April 2024 with Graphic Solutions to discuss the City’s vision for the downtown gateway sign design and shared feedback received by the Downtown Downey Improvement Association, which included a design that was “modern, techy, futuristic, and spacy.”
Graphic Solutions provided initial conceptual gateway sign designs for staff’s review in May 2024. After various discussions, Graphic Solutions subsequently revised the conceptual gateway sign designs, and submitted three (3) designs to be presented by staff to the City Council Downtown Subcommittee for review and feedback.
In June 2024, the Downtown Subcommittee, comprised of then Mayor Pro Tem Hector Sosa and Councilmember Horacio Ortiz, reviewed the three (3) conceptual gateway sign designs. After review of the designs and further internal deliberations, it was determined to solicit more design options from the consultant that were more modern and timeless.
From August – December 2024, City staff worked with Graphic Solutions to develop new designs for the Downtown Gateway Sign. A conceptual gateway sign was shared with the members of the Downtown Subcommittee in February 2025 and the design was approved by the Downtown Subcommittee and was recommended to proceed to the
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entire City Council for approval. Below is the recommended Downtown Downey gateway sign.
DOWNEY GATEWAY SIGN CONCEPT
NIGHTTIME DOWNEY GATEWAY SIGN CONCEPT
DOWNTOWN GATEWAY SIGN CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS
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Key Features of the Gateway Sign
• The updated gateway sign provides a traditional arch design, with contemporary lettering providing for a modern, clean, and elegant design. • The letters are encased in a silver metal material to align with the City’s contemporary entryway markers at key intersections, and the various wayfinding and artistic historical elements throughout the City.
• The gray color of the gateway sign was chosen to remain consistent with the City’s branding color scheme.
• Additionally, the color of the gateway sign matches the light posts along Downtown Avenue and Lakewood Boulevard to provide a holistic and interconnecting Citywide approach to the design used.
• The encased lettering is illuminated with low voltage LEDs.
Additionally, Attachment A includes additional renderings of the gateway sign with holiday decorations and a potential selfie concept/location.
Next Steps
Should the City Council approve a conceptual design to move forward, the following Phases would occur:
• Phase 2 - Continue with development of site study and construction documents for the selected sign design. This task would begin in April 2025 and conclude by June 2025, resulting in the preparation of full construction documents that would be used for the construction bid process.
• Phases 3 - Staff would then move forward with the construction bid process, which would tentatively begin in June 2025 and conclude by November 2025. It is projected that the City Council would award the construction contract at a City Council meeting in November 2025.
• Phase 4 – The construction of the gateway sign would begin immediately, in December 2025, and conclude by June 2026. This tentative construction timeframe is subject to change, depending on material lead-times and weather.
Costs
The costs related to the design, development, and construction of the Downtown Downey Gateway Sign will be expended from the City’s Art-in-Public-Places special project fund, not the City’s General Fund. It is estimated that the development of a site study and construction documents (Phase 2), will cost approximately $25,000. Furthermore, it is estimated that the fabrication and installation costs for the gateway sign (Phase 3 and 4) will run from $250,000 to $300,000. However, it could cost more depending on the design of the footings to accommodate underground utilities. There is enough funding in the Art in Public Fund to cover these estimated costs.
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CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Quality of Life, Safety & Infrastructure
Efficiency & Adaptability
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Design options with holiday decorations and selfie
Attachment A
4th of July Decorations Example
Winter Holiday Decorations Example
Selfie