The City of Lenoir will be getting a new gateway sign at Smith Crossroads soon. The sign will incorporate the City brand, and will be lit up at night to welcome residents and visitors.

The sign will be located on the southwest corner of Smith Crossroads. Contractors have completed grading to prepare for construction. Workers should start building the sign in early December.

Mayor Joe Gibbons said, “I’m very excited that we’re getting this beautiful sign at Smith Crossroads, that intersection is our primary gateway in Lenoir. I think the sign will show that that we take pride in our community and that we want to make Lenoir a welcoming place.”

The sign includes the City’s new logo as well as a gear and square design elements based on the City of Lenoir brand. The piece will be lit up at night. The sign will be installed onsite starting in early December. The electrical components and lights will be cast in place, so it will take some time. Although it could be sooner, the contractor must finish the project by April 29, 2024.

The City adopted a new brand in January 2021. The brand includes a logo that incorporates arts, industry, and science. The tagline is “Create With Us.” The logo contains four elements: the city name, the tagline, the modified gear, and the star. The gear symbolizes the city’s industrial heritage. The brush strokes represent the artistic community. The atoms symbolize newer technology companies in Lenoir. The star is a nod to the star on the North Carolina State Flag, the City of Lenoir flag, and the famous star on Hibriten Mountain.

Since approving the brand, staff has been working to secure funding for the gateway sign and city-wide wayfinding signs.

City Council approved the gateway sign project and bid in September this year. The Lenoir Tourism Development Authority funded the majority of the project. The rest of the project was paid for with City money budgeted for wayfinding.

In addition to the gateway sign, the City plans to install wayfinding signs on major corridors and in Downtown Lenoir. The signs will direct people to local amenities such as City recreation centers, The Campus, Downtown Lenoir, City parks, the soccer complex, and more.

The City wayfinding plan includes 21 locations on major highways and the most-traveled streets in the city. The signs will feature a heavy, industrial beam as the main pole with the tagline written down the side. Some signs may feature an artistic flourish above and below the main text.