Signage is key to successful shopping center marketing.

Savvy shopping center owners and their managers recognize the importance of keeping property image up to date in today's competitive environment. And when it comes to attracting consumer interest at a particular shopping center, the old adage that touts the importance of first impressions remains tried and true.

To this end, signage -- the first shopping center component that meets the customer's eye -- is among the most critical tools in successful marketing. As such, it should be a priority when planning property upgrades on any scale. Even the most sophisticated modernizations fall short if the signage has not been updated adequately.

On the other hand, for low budget improvements, signage itself can play a central role in revitalizing a property.

For example, at the 70,000-SF Galloping Hill Center in Union Township, New Jersey, Levin Management Corporation and the owner recently dedicated a commemorative stainless steel sculpture of a galloping horse.

Designed by Washington D.C.-based artist Bobbie West, the 14-foot creation adorns a newly installed pylon sign.

The idea for the sculpture originated as we prepared to launch a modestly priced renovation at the property. The owner wanted to do something different from the norm.

The residents of Union have always taken a great deal of pride in their town's significance during the Revolutionary War (Galloping Hill Road served as a messenger route between Governor Livingston and General Washington). The horse celebrates this legacy while providing a striking artistic display.

The sculpture -- an abstract featuring a long neck and small head to balance with its tail -- was carefully designed to be maintenance-free. The seven-foot high, 14-foot long sculpture took six months to build.

A sign engineer welded two, 8 1/2-inch thick steel pipes to the inside for support that can withstand winds up to 80 miles per hour. In addition, dark blue, de-oxidized stainless steel was used to enclose open portions of the sculpture, to deter birds from nesting within recesses.

As part of the overall renovation project, Levin Management Corporation also oversaw the installation of a new, colonial-blue roof and soft-yellow standing-seam metal facade, updated the property's landscaping, and improved the parking lot. The color scheme is in keeping with the historical theme, and the resulting image enhances the surrounding neighborhood.

While the Galloping Hill Center sculpture was a hit with local officials and residents right from its conceptual stage, many municipalities have become much stricter about signage in recent years. It is important to be familiar with applicable ordinances before beginning any work.

We typically complete a careful analysis of the center's existing signage for comparison with current code. We also find that it is good practice to review signage and other systems informally with local government. The officials appreciate a pro-active approach and enjoy being consulted, which ultimately enhances future relations between the property owner and the municipality. At times, governmental input has helped us maximize signage size even when the code seems to be against us.

In cases where signage regulations are particularly strict, creativity can work to an owner's benefit. For example, Levin recently completed a renovation at Mayfair Shopping Center in Commack, New York, where local government would have required that any new pylon sign be substantially smaller and shorter than the existing one.

Rather than decrease the size of the property's landmark signage, the owner decided to retain the old, grandfathered pylon, and refurbish it completely. A small addition to the sign contains the word "NEW," so that the sign now reads New Mayfair Shopping Center. Fortunately, the existing sign was very attractive in a "50's" kind of way, and can accurately be called "retro" with its new coat of paint.

Levin's experience and observations lead us to believe that irregular, non-rectangular signage shapes attract the eye more quickly than the more traditional square or rectangle. ShopRite's circular logo and Burger King's recent shift to circular signage provide good examples. Similarly, bright colors against strongly contrasting backgrounds tend to draw the eye and enhance the legibility of the tenant's name and logo.

Font size is also key, and we prefer type set as wide and tall as the panel allows. Eliminating redundant words also works toward increasing legibility while drawing attention to the tenant roster. Levin recently reworked the signage at our Clinton Corner Shopping Center in Plainfield, New Jersey. Previously, it read "Clinton Corner" on one line and "Shopping Center" on the second.

Assuming that by the time passersby get close enough to read the sign they are also close enough to see the storefronts and recognize it as a retail property, we eliminated the words "Shopping Center." This enabled us to simply print "Clinton" and "Corner" on two lines, enhancing the sign's legibility and allowing it to be read from a greater distance. The sign also incorporates yellow type against a blue background, which is a strong, eye-catching color combination.

The same idea can be used on tenant panels. I have personally noticed one retailer that has at least two versions of a tenant panel in use at different centers. In the first, both words in the name of the store are given equal weight and size, appearing on one line. In the second version, the first part of the name, which is much better known, is alone on one line in large type, while the second part of the name appears smaller, on a second line. This "B" version of the tenant panel reads much more easily. In this particular case, I question whether the panel requires the second part of the name at all.

The bottom line is that a shopping center's signage must convey a message of modern, well-maintained retail space. Most consumers simply do not look beyond outdated design and peeling paint. For this reason, the property owners and managers that pay careful attention to making sure that their signage reflects the quality and care that they put into their buildings and tenant mix will maintain an advantage.

Levin recently completed a renovation at Mayfair Shooping Center in Commack, New York, including improvements to this sign.