UTICA — Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri announced that the city is going to light up downtown with color changing “UTICA” letters.

A new sign will be constructed on the north side of the Utica Place Garage, which is
adjacent to the old Boston Store and sits at the entrance to downtown Utica. It will be visible to visitors coming off of the NYS Thruway, and will serve as a source of civic pride for residents. It will feature 18-foot, LED letters that will be lit to serve as a memorable centerpiece for years to come.

“We’re looking for that wow-factor. People coming into our city take notice that this is unlike anywhere they have ever been,” Palmieri said. “Our residents are proud to be from Utica and this sign will display that Utica pride boldly with a custom sign unlike anything else anyone has ever seen.”

In addition to the letters, a perforated facade will be added to the garage to make the letters stand out, and to upgrade the look of this important gateway. Utica Place
underwent a substantial renovation in 2019, however, that renovation was focused on the structural integrity and viability of the garage and the city was unable to make substantial aesthetic improvements at the time.

The new sign and facade improvements are part of the city’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative award, which New York State announced in 2019. The letters were a part of the city’s application and winning plan.

The sign and façade were brought from concept to reality by March Associates Architects and Planners PC, which engineered the finalized plans. The city has put the construction of the project out to bid and the winning firm is expected to begin work in the spring and finish the sign sometime this summer.