Downtown San Mateo rebranding: Business district association promotes new logo, identity

Elected officials, city staff and members of the DSMA gathered with Schwab at the San Mateo Main Library Monday to unveil the new logo and announce the organization’s revamped website.

“The DSMA, as well as the city of San Mateo, are facing a real opportunity at this time with all of the economic growth and the changes that are happening in the Bay Area. There’s a lot of challenges that come with that, but there’s also opportunities. So the city is trying to embrace those opportunities and part of that is for the downtown to raise its profile and get a more recognizable identity out there in our own city and beyond,” said DSMA Executive Director Ann Fienman. “To have this new, recognizable and iconic design, we think is really a valuable step forward for us.”

Schwab said he too grew up in a small town and working with the DSMA on the project was a pleasure. Taking inspiration from the surrounding architecture and nature, Schwab said he hopes the image is one the city can be proud of for years to come.

“I’m from a small town, so it was very comfortable, I felt like I understood the project and I really kind of fell in love with San Mateo, which I didn’t know that much about,” Schwab said. “It felt like I was working for my own hometown.”

Ryen Motzek, vice president of the DSMA Board of Directors and owner of Atlas skate shop, helped commission Schwab who he calls the Bay Area’s Andy Warhol.

“He’s a Bay Area icon and I think of San Mateo as a very important city in the Bay Area. So why not have Michael do the work? It seemed like the right fit,” Motzek said.

While the DSMA has had its fair share of challenges after its former executive director was caught embezzling from the organization, officials are hopeful this rebranding campaign will set the stage to continue promoting a prospering and vibrant downtown.

“It’s a new fresh start, I think out of any time, now’s the opportunity for San Mateo to shine,” Motzek said.

San Mateo like many others along the Peninsula, is faced with challenges and efforts to prepare for the future are underway as part of the city’s update of the Downtown Area Plan. Fienman said the DSMA is working in tandem with the city to ensure the business community is adequately represented while brainstorming how to utilize downtown to address a lack of affordable housing, population increases and transportation issues.

“Downtown gives us a vehicle for addressing some of that. The DSMA is going to be working closely with the city as they’re embarking in the downtown planning process to really take advantage of the assets that we have downtown and how to leverage those going forward to manage and absorb some of the growth that’s coming here, while still maintaining the overall quality of life. So we don’t have just haphazard development, you have a plan,” Fienman said.

Assistant City Manager Matt Bronson agreed, noting the DSMA has been heavily involved in events like the Future Forum Series — which gathered members of the community to discuss a range of issues like parking, transit-oriented development, creating gathering spaces and more.

“The city has an excellent relationship with the DSMA; they are our true partners in having a better downtown community,” Bronson said. “The rebranding is important because it helps to reposition the DSMA and more importantly downtown San Mateo, as a very vibrant, modern, yet classic destination.”

Visit downtownsanmateo.org to find out more about the DSMA.

samantha@smdailyjournal.com

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