NYCEDC Waterfront Navigator

comprehensive branding program

The Waterfront Navigator website is the result of a year-long effort involving five city, state and federal agencies who engaged SOS to create an online resource to simplify the process of applying for a permit to develop along NYC's waterfront. Citing a complicated, often expensive process for applicants, the New York City Economic Development Corporation saw value in creating a "one-stop" resource, where all information relevant to waterfront permitting could reside in one easy-to-navigate website.

As this was a new and ground-breaking tool for the City, we sought to develop a name and visual identity that gave applicants an immediate understanding of the website's purpose and straightforward features. From the welcoming look and feel of the logo, to the site's iconic images of New York City's waterfront, an accessible tone is set for the technical nature of the content as well as the authority of the agencies behind the effort.

With a varied audience in mind, we created a user experience that is easy to navigate and highly organized, accommodating many pages of content that are often quite detailed. Working in close partnership with the agencies, we wrote all content within the site, condensing material from many sources and eliminating agency-specific jargon in favor of simple, direct language. We developed interactive tools to help applicants better understand the process and what a permit application for their project might require.

Launch Website