The East Fremont district in Las Vegas underwent a makeover to bring back businesses and tourists that it lost during the Las Vegas Strip’s boom.

Before the days of Barry Manilow, Carrot Top, and Donnie and Marie, the East Fremont district in downtown Las Vegas was a Sin City hotspot for tourists and legendary entertainers with the likes of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. romping all over the trendy area. However, after the Las Vegas Strip’s hospitality boom, the East Fremont district suffered. Businesses, tourists and high-profile performers all left for the Strip, leaving the East Fremont district economically blighted and ridden with crime. After several decades of these deteriorating conditions, the city of Las Vegas was ready to change the East Fremont district’s perception and economy with a $5.5 million renovation.

But the East Fremont district wanted more than just a makeover – it wanted to tell a story. Returning to its decorated past, the East Fremont district turned a three-block section between Las Vegas Boulevard and 8th Street into a celebration of its colorful history. The East Fremont district now boasts a complete streetscape revival with signage pieces to capture that celebrated glamour.

Selbert Perkins Design and the city of Las Vegas worked with local businesses to develop guidelines for coordinating signage.

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN
The East Fremont district now features four neon sculptures, all conveying that nostalgic Las Vegas tone: a martini glass, a vintage “Vegas” sign, a showgirl and a rotating ruby stiletto. Each sculpture is an original creation by Selbert Perkins Design, a multidisciplinary design firm, and was engineered onsite by Fluoresco Lighting and Signs, an electric sign manufacturer.

After researching Las Vegas’ unique history, Selbert Perkins Design first sketched the sculptures by hand, says Perkins, partner at Selbert Perkins Design. Then, using photographs of the East Fremont district, computer drawings were created in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, simulating a realistic view of the street.

“A lot of people think we went to the sign graveyard and just dusted off some old signs, but that’s not the case. These are original designs, original sculptures that hearken back to some of the great signs and landmarks of old Las Vegas,” explains Perkins.

The sculptures are affixed to poles, ranging from 15 inches to 42 inches, and display refined elements and geometric shapes, which were included in the designs to enhance that classic feel. Neon, LED and incandescent lighting all were incorporated into the sculptures with surface-mounted lights, adding a dimensional element, says Robert Beard, vice president of sign services for Fluoresco Lighting and Signs.

“In the martini glass, the bands that make up the glass part of the sculpture animate separately from the neon in the main body of the glass, which gives the appearance of more dimension,” notes Beard.

Considering that dimensional factor, Beard says his team constructed the sculptures as thin as possible to maintain the design intent, and, in doing so, they had to change their manufacturing approach. Beard adds that the choice of substrates especially was considered. The rotating stiletto, for instance, was fabricated from fiberglass, instead of aluminum, for a more seamless look.

To complement these unique sculptures, six district-identity banners were affixed to existing light poles, and 11 custom street-name signs and 18 cast-bronze medallions were installed by Fluoresco Lighting and Signs. The medallions, which glitter along the sidewalks and crosswalks, not only add to the retro design but also enhance the story-telling experience by marking historical events, such as the featured “Sinatra plays at The Mint, 1951” and “First atomic blast, 1955.”

Perkins believes the sculptures particularly are unique because of their placement on the street. Rather than situating the sculptures to the sides of the street, they are directly placed in the median to establish a dominant presence.

“It really gives the street a very clear, bold identity and creates a landmark for the street,” remarks Perkins. “It’s become another icon and destination within Las Vegas.”

The gateways of the East Fremont district also feature nostalgic structures. Neon letters span over curved aluminum trusses, supported at the ends by a tapered stainless-steel pole. On top of the polls are 24-point starbursts, and just underneath those figures are boomerang-shaped arrows, illuminated with neon-tube lighting.

The rotating stiletto was fabricated out of fiberglass, instead of aluminum, for a seamless look.

A COMMUNITY BLESSING
As anyone in the electronic signage industry understands, many projects of this nature would be met with moans and groans by the local community, but the East Fremont district is different. After several community meetings, which Perkins acknowledges can be a challenge, she found the neighborhood was open to the makeover.

“Vegas is special. They’re not scared about big, bright, fun sculptures. It would be hard to put those sculptures anywhere else but Vegas. If we brought those designs to any other community, I’m sure there would be some big issues,” laughs Perkins. “But that’s why we did it – because we knew that’s what Vegas is about.”

Of course, it also helps that the community sees this project as an investment for the local economy. The East Fremont district faced such a devastated past that many businesses were not investing in the area, but now the revival is encouraging new ventures, says Perkins. And this can provide an economic boom that the community gladly will embrace.

“I think they really wanted to see the street enhanced and improved. The structures create a lot of positive energy and attract people to come and go to the local restaurants and casinos and bars. It’s really improved the entire street.”

After the influx of new establishments, Perkins and the city of Las Vegas partnered to develop storefront signage guidelines for a consistent look. Businesses now are required to incorporate similar design element and components into their own signage, whether that includes exposed neon, matching light bulbs or three-dimensional pieces.

With the renovation is complete, Perkins believes the area is experiencing an economic and tourist boost. She says the overall perception has changed, and the East Fremont district is even featured as an itinerary suggestion in travel magazines and Web sites.

“We think the designs have made a huge impact on the economic development of the area and attracting new tenants and tourists, where before they were afraid to go there. It’s really added to the overall character of downtown Las Vegas,” says Perkins.