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Project Riverway Coordinators: Danny Bivins (bivins@fanning.uga.edu), and Leigh Askew Elkins (laskew@fanning.uga.edu)
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Apalachicola | Table of Contents
Project Riverway, a service-learning initiative led by the University of Georgia’s Fanning Institute, works with communities in the lower Apalachicola – Chattahoochee – Flint River Basin to advance creative, sustainable, and economically viable development alternatives.
3 Fountain
7 Local Government
8 District Signage
9 Cannery District
10 Arts District
11 Banner Signs
Signage
Building
Signage
Leigh Askew Elkins
Project Riverway faculty Fanning Institute University of Georgia
13 Sidewalk Signage 2
15 Wall Wayfinding Signage
Apalachicola Fountain Stage One: Creeping Fig Landscaping Planting Creeping Fig along the fountain edges will allow it to become more of a landscape feature by softening its edges and blending its color into its surroundings.
Stage Two: Historical Sign and Liriope With the installation of the historical marker and Liriope, the entrance into the park becomes more inviting and visually engaging.
Stage Three: Street Furniture/ Benches Benches are added in phase three. Seating around the fountain makes it a destination for visitors and provides a more intimate setting.
Stage Four: Primary Landscaping Plantings of evergreen shrubs along the fountain plaza add visual impact to the landscape and further contribute to the park’s draw created by its location along the water’s edge.
Waterfront Revitalization
Stage Five: Trees Small deciduous trees added to the landscape aid in shading the area during the warmer season but also have minimal visual obstruction to the water during the winter months. Their vertical element, reminiscent of shrimp boat masts, also reinforces the history and intent of the park.
Stage Six: Perennials Finally, the addition of perennials to the planted beds brings seasonal color to the park and helps to create a sense of place within the fountain plaza.
Stage One: Creeping Fig Landscaping Stage Two: Historical Sign and Liriope Stage Three: Benches Stage Four: Landscaping Stage Five: Trees Stage Six: Perennials
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Final Renderings for the Waterfront Park
Option A
Through simple and easily interchanged phases, the additions to this site will greatly enhance its appeal and increase its impact on the community, drawing residents and visitors into the area.
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Option B
This final rendering has stage five omitted to allow one to visualize what the space would look like without tree cover. While the shade would no longer be available, the open view from downtown to the river would be completely preserved.
Planting Plan
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The Planting Plan incorporates plant material from surrounding beds and parks to create a unified theme, but also provides the site with a unique, colorful sense of place.
Fountain Pump Box
There are three recommended options for masking the fountain pump box: 1) plantings that lessen its impact; 2) benches designed to fit over it; or 3) an informational plaque designed to cover it. These options camouflage the pump box by varying degrees while still allowing access for maintenance purposes.
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Local Government Building
Housing City Hall and a welcome center in such a prominent and appropriate location increases the community’s ability to protect and preserve this magnificent historic structure and reflects the importance of adaptive reuse in the downtown area.
Local Government Building
Housing City Hall in such a prominent and appropriate location increases the community’s ability to protect and preserve this magnificent historic structure and reflects the importance of adaptive reuse in the downtown area.
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Apalachicola District Signage Apalachicola has four distinguishable districts: the Art District, the Cannery District, the Battery, and the Central Business District. Each of these has its own character in terms of retail, streetscape, and land use. Color-coding each district would assist visitors and residents in identifying segments of the community. The colorcoding could be expanded to include crosswalks, street signs, and street furniture.
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Poles as Wayfinding
Cannery District Signage
Color-coding telephone poles in each of the four districts would be a simple method of identifying each area of the town. The idea plays off of the existing color-coded hurricane level system. 9
Arts District Signage
Poles as Wayfinding
The name of the district would be unpainted in contrast to the painted pole, clearly denoting the district. This type of wayfinding is inexpensive, effective and virtually maintenance free. 10
Apalachicola Banner Signs
Apalachicola is a town with an artsy character whose uniqueness can be further expressed through creative signage on the less active streets in town. Cloth banners, which flutter in the wind, or more sturdy wooden banners can take the place of on-ground signage. Banners hung on telephone poles or existing street trees provide a means to reduce “clutter” on the sidewalks, and give Apalachicola a form of signage as individual as the area itself. This design illustrates how banners can decorate the streetscape and provide information about special events, public meetings, the history of the area or directional information. 11
Apalachicola Banner Signs
Sidewalk Signage
Sidewalk Signage
Artistic Sidewalks
Traditional signage can cause visual clutter on a streetscape and can take away from the character of the place. In an effort to avoid that and in seeking ways to emphasize the creative flair of Apalachicola, signage painted on the sidewalks would add a unique, artistic touch to the downtown area.
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Apalachicola currently hosts the annual Plein Air exhibition, so directional sidewalk paintings could be included and easily painted over each year. The sidewalk paintings could be used to provide directional information about attractions, shops, and restaurants.
Wall Wayfinding Signage
Painted Window Concept
Writing on the Wall Eclectic Signage
Another form of wayfinding that reduces visual clutter and requires little maintenance is painting signage directly on existing facades. Wall painting is clear, and it serves a dual purpose of directing and advertising. Similarly, hanging recycled windows or doors with business names etched or painted directly on the material is a unique way to advertise while giving directions.
Screen Door Concept
15
Corner Sign
City Seal on Post
This drawing illustrates how ground-level signage can be appropriately sited to become part of the landscape and not an interruption.
Traditional Corner Sign
Though ground signage can be beneficial when appropriately sited, Apalachicola should use it sparingly to avoid distracting visitors from its unique streetscapes and magnificent views. We suggest that the majority of signage be placed on existing features, such as blank walls, sidewalks, and telephone poles. Ground signage should be used only as a last options, as it can take up valuable space on the streetscape and interrupt sightlines.
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Marking City Property
Stamping the city seal on wooden posts around Apalachicola clearly and simply identifies city property. The posts also provide a physical barrier between sidewalks and roadways while clearly indicating the areas as belonging to the residents of Apalachicola.
Photo Top: College of Environment & Design Student Interns left to right Katlin McShea, Stephanie Nickell and Ansley White Photo Bottom: Betty Webb, Apalachicola City Manager with Danny Bivins and Leigh Askew Elkins.
Thank Yous Apalachicola: • The entire Apalachicola Community • Mayor and City Council • A special thanks to Betty Webb and Joe Taylor Riverway south: • A special thanks to Carole Rutland interns: • Stephanie Nickell • Kaitlin McShea • Ansley White THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA: • Dr. Joe Whorton, Director, Fanning Institute • Dr. Art Dunning, Vice President for Public Service and Outreach • Dr. Trish Kalivoda, Senior Associate Vice President for Public Service and Outreach • Dr. Shannon Wilder, Director, Office of Service-Learning
Contact Info: Danny Bivins Public Service Assistant
Leigh Askew Elkins Public Service Assistant
Office: 706.583.0856 Fax: 706.542.1744 bivins@fanning.uga.edu
Office: 706.542.6610 Fax: 706.542.1744 laskew@fanning.uga.edu
Fanning Institute 1240 S. Lumpkin Street Athens, Georgia 30602
Fanning Institute 1240 S. Lumpkin Street Athens, Georgia 30602
Riverway South: http://www.riverwaysouth.org/ To download an electronic copy of this report visit www.riverwaysouth.org College of Environment & Design: http://www.ced.uga.edu/ 609 Caldwell Hall, Athens, GA, 30602, 706.542.1816 The University of Georgia: http://www.uga.edu/
This report was produced and coordinated by the University of Georgia’s Fanning Institute and students from the UGA’s College of Environment and Design.
Graphic Design Assistance: UGA | CED | Center for Community Design and Preservation
Fanning Institute: http://www.fanning.uga.edu/ 1240 South Lumpkin St, Athens, GA, 30602, 706.542.1108
