Posted: Jan. 13, 2010 |(0) Comments

Mequon — What's in a name?

That is a question Mequon officials are grappling with as they look to the future of the Town Center, a redevelopment area slated for completion by the end of 2010. For a decade, the city has been working with the village of Thiensville on the plan.

The project, which includes a mixture of residential, retail and office buildings, as well as green space improvements, has loosely been referred to as the Town Center from the get-go. But some city officials are looking to give the area a more unique name.

"If you Google the name, you'll see it's everywhere," 4th District Alderman John Wirth said at a Common Council meeting Tuesday night. "There's no identity to that term."

The council was discussing a proposal to hire a consultant to assist in creating a branding and identity for the area, which encompasses portions of Mequon and Cedarburg roads in both municipalities.

Kimberly Tollefson, director of community development, came before the council with a recommendation to hire marketing firms Machare & Associates and Hook LLC to perform the branding and identity study at a cost not to exceed $10,000.

Elected officials, however, opted to hold off on making a decision until several outstanding issues are resolved.

David Koziol, principal at Hook LLC, said the branding and identity decision will ultimately tell residents, business owners and potential developers what the Town Center area has to offer.

"It can send a message and give a reason for why people should come here," Koziol said. "It's about what makes this a unique place and sets it apart."

After hashing the issue out, the council and city staff agreed more work is necessary so there is a clear understanding of what services the city would like from a consultant.

Another issue that hangs in the balance is what role Thiensville officials will have in the branding efforts. City staff said they intend to dialog with the Thiensville officials on this issue.

The council offered myriad thoughts on how extensive the marketing efforts need to be.

First District Alderman Dan Abendroth said he felt it was unnecessary to have a name attached to the area. Abendroth pointed to North Port Washington Road, the busiest shopping area in Mequon, as an example of an area that does not have a name attached to it, yet is successful.

"I just think this is a waste of effort," Abendroth said.

But 8th District Alderwoman Pamela Fuhry Adams said she supports the proposal, so long as already conducted focus group research is not repeated by consulting firms.

"I'm in this for a really well-designed, artistic logo," Adams said.