New signage coming soon to Jersey City's waterfront walkway courtesy of EPA

New signage is coming soon to Jersey City's waterfront walkway courtesy of the Exchange Place Alliance, with the signs being designed by a company owned by a Heights resident.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

"These crafted in New Jersey historical markers are the latest installation in our vibrant community creating and interactive walk though the area for Jersey City residents and visitors," Exchange Place Alliance Executive Director Elizabeth Cain said in a statement.

"It is another step forward in the Alliance's commitment to make the Exchange Place neighborhood a place to live, play and work for Jersey City."

Patrick Longo, a Jersey City Heights native who is the project manager at Saddle Brook-based MS Signs, is taking on their project in tandem with their sister company: Direct Embed.

"The sign faces for this project are all Direct Embed decorated aluminum panels. The Direct Embed team is led by a project manager and consists of five members including a designer. The designer is responsible for shop drawings, color matching, and printing the final graphics. This sounds a lot easier than it is," Longo explained.

"The Direct Embed process is affected by changes in the environment including air moisture content, heat, etc. Each panel can react differently creating color shifts. This is where the team excels. They match colors to ensure they meet the client's desired result. Signs like the ones in this project will be handled daily by the public and the final product is built for that, plus the graphics look amazing."

A Hudson County resident since 1989 and former resident at 10 Exchange Place, he noticed that many signs were faded or falling apart during his bike rides, part of the reason he left his design and marketing career to start MS Signs in 2020.

"While sitting with the team and discussing their capabilities, and an explanation of the Direct Embed process I recognized the look of the signage we observed on the Exchange Place walkway. Turns out, those signs were fabricated at MS Signs utilizing Direct Embed," he added.

A spokesman for the EPA indicated that the prototype installation is scheduled for May 9th, while Longo said they are working on setting the formal installation date for some time this summer.