Home > Our Man Downtown > Archives > 2009 > March > 16 > Entry
Downtown banner ideas
It’s been too long, really. Don’t worry, I wasn’t silenced by the powers that be for daring to criticize the secret cultic lamp logo. I’ve just been busy.
I got several, ahem, illuminating candidates for replacing the lamppost-on-lamppost logo for downtown. Lara led off by suggesting the flashy Art Deco “Waco” sign at the Hippodrome, which is better than any idea I had. It’s historical but flashy, iconic but not overexposed. Boffo.
I was intrigued by one defender of the current streetlight image, who said it symbolizes how downtown Waco is lighting the way into the future by, you know, putting up lamp posts. Heavy, man.
Doug suggested the bird from the west side of the courthouse. He called it a seagull; I concluded it’s a sentry goose, for reasons you will see in the comment threads. (The backstory involves dog crucifixion, be warned). I also wholeheartedly agree with Doug’s hatred of the molded plastic bus benches.
Continuing the avian theme, one suggested grackles. Given that grackles will probably perch on the banners, it may be as redundant as the lamppost graphic, but I like the idea.
Some suggested historical images, such as the old City Hall or 19th-century gunfights. That would be more interesting than what we have now. But really, aren’t firearms already a bit too closely associated with the name “Waco?” Besides, one of the guys who got gunned down was the editor of this newspaper, so I don’t want to plant thoughts in people’s heads.
Then there was this stylized Waco skyline, sent to me by my Trib colleague John Geary.
Well, I didn’t have any fancy design program, but I thought I’d try my hand at a banner. I sharpened my quill, put on my green eyeshade and fired up my kerosene-powered copier. Please excuse the rough-hewn results. My idea was to use a skyline (including St. Francis church and the old feed silos, if you’ll notice) and one of our beloved downtown red-tail hawks. I used a kind of early 20th-century Arts and Crafts font, suggesting the time period when a lot of our downtown was built. Herewith:
I think we could get a better hawk in there, but you get the idea. By the way, I’ve been seeing the hawks carrying materials for a nest to the fire escape of the Alico building. Maybe we’ll have some baby hawks this summer. There’s a slogan for you: “Downtown Waco: Where the chicks are.”
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Comments
By michael
March 16, 2009 1:45 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I think the hawks are watching city hall. If thats the case then they will be joined soon by a nest of buzzards.
By Don
March 17, 2009 2:05 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I think your Skyline looks pretty good. You may want to squeeze more buildings in there. Last count I made there are the ALICO, WISD, Liberty, Lloyds, Wells Fargo (or whatever they are going to call it), Texas Life? (Texas National), and Roosevelt. I know Waco’s skyline is hard to do because too many of the buildings are the same height and are too spread out. It all depends on the angle and your perception.
I’m hoping one day they will tear down those doggone grain silos. I don’t think they are used anymore. Either that, or they could remodel and open a twin round hotel with a rotating restaurant at the top of one and rotating nightclub at the top of the other. That is if you got a “billion” or two that you want to spend.
I also like the one John Geary did with the State to the left. Not real sure about using green for Waco though. I wonder what color the Huaco Indians would have used?
By Greene
March 17, 2009 6:47 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Why banners at all? Waco is trying to cut down on “eye clutter” with fewer billboards, and banners are just as intrusive. Also, banners make it hard for those in vehicles to see the names of businesses they are looking for. If you are downtown, you KNOW you’re downtown, and don’t need a banner to tell you so.
By michael
March 17, 2009 12:35 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
The Huaco Indians would cry with both eyes unlike the one eyed tear of the Indian in the 60’s commercial if they could see Waco today.
By Don
March 17, 2009 3:29 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Michael, I won’t disagree with you on that one.
By Waco. We do-do.
March 19, 2009 7:40 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
The yellow one sorta of has a ‘post-Great Chicago Fire’ look to it. :)
By mikey
April 12, 2009 10:08 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
The banners up and down Elm St. proclaim “Downtown Waco”. What has been done to that area to connect it with downtown Waco? Nothing! They might as well say “Downtown Mogadishu”. East Waco may as well be a third world country.