LFP - Large-Format-Printing

SGIA Canal Street Initiative Wraps Up Fantastic NOLA Project

Friday 11. April 2008 - Volunteers install "super graphics" on historic Audubon building

With more than 100 large-format graphic panels temporarily enhancing storefront facades along Canal Street, SGIA recently finished its community-building effort in New Orleans with the help of 42 volunteer member companies and affiliates.

“SGIA is proud of our volunteers for overcoming challenges and demonstrating the true ingenuity and potential specialty imaging can bring to an urban environment,” said SGIA President/CEO Michael Robertson.

The last installation phase involved multiple panel applications, including “super graphics,” over parts of the historic Audubon building on the corner of Canal and Burgundy Streets. The SGIA Canal Street Initiative has created and installed graphic panels on various parts of the street, from the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center to the French Quarter.

The combined graphic applications for the Audubon building were printed by Visual Imact Signs Inc. (Minneapolis, Minnesota) and Selecto-Flash (West Orange, New Jersey). They covered more than 224.8 square meters (2,420 square feet) of the building.

“People were so happy to see the panels and very thankful,” said Paul Olson, with Interstate Graphics & Installation Services LLC (Rosholt, Wisconsin). Olson, along with Kim Magraw (Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina) and Chris Lokker, with Snap Graphics (Atlanta, Georgia), installed the final panels.

“Canal Street is showing tremendous improvements,” Robertson said. “The large-format graphic panels support the progress and show other metropolitan cities how imaging can positively impact construction projects.”

New Orleans tourism officials said the panels have given Canal Street an image boost as the city rebuilds certain sections.

“There is a lot of business investment and renovation underway,” said Stephen Perry, President and CEO of the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau. “These beautifully produced panels show the immediate improvements, and they encourage more foot traffic along Canal Street,” he said.

SGIA would like to thank all of the initiative volunteers.