A new entertainment district development called Kingston Yard in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, required a sizable parking garage. The goal was to make an impact on the downtown skyline. They used Kansas City Power & Light District and Seattle’s Pike Place Market as inspiration for elevating the structure into an iconic urban landmark.
The project required two massive architectural signs spelling out “KINGSTON YARD” and “CEDAR RAPIDS” mounted to the top level of a parking garage so both people traveling along the adjacent I-380 as well as people walking past on the sidewalk below could spot the letters. Installing monument-scale channel letters on top of a parking garage presented unique challenges that don’t come with standard wall-mounted channel letters or ground-level monument signs.
The client initially asked for neon letters for a classic look that would catch lots of attention. But if the letters were to sit on the edge of a multi-story parking garage, neon maintenance (which tends to require more upkeep than other sign types) would require specialized cranes and the closure of access to the streets and sidewalks below.
We recommended shifting from neon to push-through acrylic letter faces with concealed internal LED illumination to achieve that “neon look.” This way, maintenance on the electrical and illumination components could happen safely from the rear top-deck parking area without any need for a crane or road closures.
Cedar Rapids is no stranger to severe weather. The city suffered massive flooding in 2008 and was hit by a derecho (a massive windstorm) in 2020, with 140-mph winds that decimated trees and damaged buildings and homes. Any signs we built needed to withstand severe weather and extreme winds at the top of the parking garage, with no surrounding windbreaks.
Unlike traditional rectangular monument signs supported by simple straight vertical posts, these letters required structural engineering. Engineers designed internal steel framing that followed the contours of each letter, adding horizontal steel ribbing to withstand wind loads. We built the framework into the cabinet walls so that the external aesthetic matched the client’s expectations with no visible hardware.
Each letter was bottom-mounted on 18” custom steel columns attached to existing pillars on the parking structure. This eliminates the need for additional structural supports and saves space.
Because the letters are positioned on top of the parking garage, you can see each letter from all angles. In fact, the backs of each letter directly border parking spots on the top level of the garage. Standard channel letters leave raw or unpainted aluminum on the back, and while the client didn’t specify needing the letters enclosed on all sides, we recommended that route to keep the sign looking sleek and professional from all angles.
The fully enclosed letters also allowed us to hide wiring for the LED illumination within each sign cabinet. This not only looks cleaner but also prevents weather exposure and tampering risks. As an added bonus, a bird-deterrent system was routed internally in the sign cabinet to keep birds from nesting or making a mess on the letters.
The entire KINGSTON YARD sign is 97’8” long, while the CEDAR RAPIDS sign is an even 97’ long. Altogether, this sign project took 288 hours of fabrication time in our manufacturing facilities in Grinnell, Iowa.
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