Louies Modern asked Gulf Coast Signs for assistance in designing a series of changeable style menu panel signs for their bar that would compliment the prominent wood ceiling and feature chalkboard inserts with bold white copy.

The 3’-5” x 2’-6” sign frames and stiles were fabricated from 1” yellow pine glued, tacked and stained. A high resolution photo of a dirty chalkboard was dissected into a series of rectangles that were combined with a bold typeface to create the menu item. The images were digitally printed and applied to each side of an acrylic insert substrate.

The completed menus were hung using screws through the tile back wall with key slots and secured at the bottom with 3M VHB tape. The trio of menu boards each displays six signature cocktails that can be easily reversed to display yet another signature cocktail.

Cheers to one and all!

Gulf Coast Signs project featured in national publication.

The November 2013 issue of Sign & Digital Graphics includes an article by J. Bryan Vincent, PhD., a noted expert in the field of Solid State Lighting entitled “Outside of the Box”. The article points out that the sign industry was among the earliest industries to embrace LED technology initially adopting this technology to illuminate channel letters and now expanding this use to replace fluorescent illumination in cabinet applications. But some of us in the industry see opportunities with LED lighting beyond the usual applications.

One such example featured in the article is the iconic tower grid Gulf Coast Signs produced for Rooms To Go in Miami Gardens, Florida. Working in conjunction with it’s brand management firm ISED, Gulf Coast Signs designer Mike Blunt assisted in developing a set of drawings for a sectional aluminum grid to mount over a steel grid ‘tower’ that was part of the renovation of this store. The tower was envisioned to serve two functions by the architect, first as an element of visual interest, and secondly as a means to increase the buildings elevation so that branding could be displayed to potential customers on the adjacent raised highway. Illuminating the upper grid at night would insure it would be a place that would be remembered.

Twenty aluminum channel sections were fabricated, painted and populated with Principal LED Fusion 3 modules and covered with translucent blue acrylic. These grid sections were then bolted over the steel framework and wired to a custom power source panel. The results are a new landmark element that met all of Rooms To Go’s expectations and yet another successful ‘out of the box’ project for Gulf Coast Signs.

A new dimensional sign panel welcomes people to the suite of offices of Data Masons in Sarasota. The sign, composed of  acrylics and aluminum feature thin dimensional blue acrylic laser cut copy bonded to a frosted acrylic panel set in a 2″ square brushed aluminum base designed to minimize wall mount penetrations  as well as maintain a sense of unity to the signs the landlord has used throughout the building.

The finishing touch on the design is the inclusion of a high resolution digital image overlay for the signature logo “o” in keeping with the corporate branding utilized on print and advertising media.

This clean modern sign fits well with the image of this software production company.

Rising Tide International, an organization offering spiritual training and wide variety of programs in an interfaith and inter-spiritual tradition approached Gulf Coast Signs for a new monument sign at their Sarasota Spiritual Center.

The monument sign was designed with the goals of:

• Effectively presenting an identity for the Spiritual Center’s location
• Reflect both their image and tradition through the design and
• Balance the need to communicate with the public in a manner that maintained harmony with the property in the best possible way.

The soft lines of the sign built for the client incorporate push through acrylic copy and a logo with a digitally printed high resolution graphic to identify the Spiritual Center and a manually changeable message area protected with a locking cover to announce events. The sign is lit with solid state LED’s utilizing Principle LED Spec-Element components to optimize energy cost while providing optimal illumination for the message center and graphics display.

The interior phase of the new USFSM Labs at Mote Marine has been completed with the installation of the signature Logo Wall. Having completed the finishing touches on the interior build out of  the approximately 4,000 square foot project with the installation of ADA signs for two teaching labs, a preparation lab and an additional mixed-use space earlier this summer, all that remained was the Logo Wall.

Designed by Fawley Bryant Architects as a focal point for the 6′-8″ x 18′-6″ northeast wall of the mixed-use space Gulf Coast Signs this week installed Bellagard Sculpted Wall panels manufactured by the Korogard Interior Products Group that invoke a rippling water feel and serves as a backdrop for a large truncated university seal and USFSM copy. We fabricated the seal and copy by laser cutting ½” Acriglas® Metallic Bronze acrylic. The seal was completed by bonding the many pieces to a ½” clear acrylic substrate. The seal and copy were then field installed with blind 1″ standoffs through the sculpted panels with construction adhesive.

The results are a prominent floating bronze seal and copy on a shimmering wall that immediately identifies this new facility to all who enter.

After more than a year of working with local, county and state officials a resolution was reached allowing Gold Coast Eagle Distributing to finally move forward with a sign identifying the entrance to their facility in Lakewood Ranch at the intersection of Wireless Court and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.

The project began with an evaluation of the site to determine the optimal location and configuration needed to effectively communicate the entry drive to the public. Gulf Coast Signs proceeded with a design that addressed these needs while incorporating materials and architectural elements specifically requested by the client. The result was a three column stone and tile clad masonry wall set at a 45° viewing angle with the columns mimicking the estate markers surrounding the property and the walls reflecting the tiling & stonework of the building. The business identity is presented as reverse channel LED illuminated letters in a bronze patina finish stacked and centered on the wall. The final element is a non-illuminated HDU panel with incised copy directing deliveries to the buildings back entrance.

Once the project design was approved, Gold Coast proceeded with contracting the construction of the wall while Gulf Coast Signs resolved the final hurdle required to complete the project. The unimproved parcel of land where the sign sits is separated from the building by a dedicated preserve. It was determined that a solar power solution was the best and most economical means to bring a power source to the sign. We turned to a fellow Sarasota Chamber of Commerce member Blue Sky Solar Group to provide the solution to this portion of the project. Their panel and batteries tucked nicely between the sign walls minimizing the presence of this equipment and allowing the letters to emit their halo illumination from dusk to dawn.

Cheers to one and all involved with this project!

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) has completed construction of its new Dental Medicine facility just north of its existing Schools of Osteopathic Medicine and Pharmacy in Bradenton, Florida. The contractor, Willis Smith Construction, invited Gulf Coast Signs to provide a quote for an extensive interior sign package for the state-of-the-art 100,000 square foot facility utilizing Vista System products. After evaluating the various proposals received it was determined that Gulf Coast Signs was the most qualified vendor and was awarded the contract. As is typical with large scale construction projects, branding needs continued to evolve. In addition to the initial interior ADA compliant signs provided, proposals were accepted to provide for the full exterior branding of the property consisting of LED illuminated channel letters at the North and South building elevations, externally illuminated vehicular entry signs constructed of aluminum, blue spandrel glass, reverse pan letters and laser cut acrylic to identify student and patients parking lots and a large signature monument sign consisting of halo lit reverse pan LECOM letters and logo disks floating on a blue spandrel glass fields and laser cut acrylic letters identifying the building as the School of Dental Medicine all sitting on a custom aluminum fabricated base that mimics the building’s tilt wall panel design.

The final touches provided for the school included custom logo panels for the sponsored practice suites, custom No Smoking monoliths and interior directories for first and second floors at the patient entry using Slatz® extrusions.

Gulf Coast Signs has been proud to have provided all of Gateway Bank’s
branding needs at their Main office and two branches. During the many
meetings prior to the banks launch it became evident to Hidayet, our
president and CEO that this was an institution that understood the need
for the return of a strong local bank here on the Suncoast focused on the
needs of both the local populace and the business community. This vision
lead Gulf Coast Signs to entrust its banking business exclusively to Gateway.

This business partnership has continued to flourish so it was with no hesitation
we accepted the opportunity to provide a testimonial recently for them to use
in their marketing efforts. (View here)

  Gulf Coast Signs of Sarasota was pleased to be a part of the team involved in providing signature identity elements for The Florida Studio Theatre campus recently completed for the 2013 season. Working with conceptual elements created by noted Scenic Designer Jeffrey W. Dean, the design staff at Gulf Coast Sign turned his vision into working drawings used to fabricate two vertical “Theater” signs as well as two distinct marquee signs for the Court Cabaret and Gompertz theater entrances.

 The Court Cabaret Marquee measures 4’-0” x 10’-6” and projects 9’ from the building while The Gompertz Marquee measures 5’-5” x 11’-4” and projects 11’ from the building. Both feature wrapped light boxes around the perimeter, the end light boxes are tracked for changeable copy letters used to announce the productions being presented while the face features the Florida Studio Theatre name above which a push through copy that identifies the Court Cabaret and Gompertz theaters. Each marquee incorporates scroll work steel elements and incandescent globes to portray classic theatre entry marquees. Polished panels in the base of the marquees are nested in a grid work of incandescent globes to provide for a well illuminated entry area. A gutter system has been incorporated into each marquee to further provide for the comfort of the theater‘s patrons.

 The location of the theatre is achieved by two 15’ vertically oriented projecting signs with routed faces that carry the FST brand at the top and expose the central copy reading “Theater” and are accented by incandescent globes around the perimeter.

 The final identification to the campus is a set of halo illuminated reverse channel letters that designate the Hegner Theatre Wing