Water tower colors chosen to reflect the community

While the Cornell water tower is out of commission for repairs and a backup system is in place, the tank and legs will receive a much-needed paint job. With the new formulas of paint, it’s not necessary to try to hide mildew spots and the color scheme chosen should last 20 years, before needing a re-paint. Photo by Ginna Young

By Ginna Young

It was a tough decision, requiring multiple meetings and hours of deliberation, but the new color scheme for the Cornell water tower is finally ready for execution. Since the DNR insists the tower be repainted, it’s an optimal time to change the existing colors.

The current colors of the water tower, while once bright and merry, have now faded to a dull baby blue on the legs and tank, and almost invisible butter yellow lettering.

So, during a Finance Committee meeting May 31, Cornell City Council members went over choices one final time. Kevin Renslow, principal coatings consultant with TNEMEC, was on hand to answer any questions and help point the members in the right direction.

Renslow says municipalities used to choose paint colors so the tower blended into the sky, but that’s not the case any longer.

“The technology with the coatings has improved so much over the years, that now we got paints…that are going to last 20 years,” he said.

Instead of blending in like they did in the past, Renslow said the towers are now a matter of civic pride and advertising for tourists. “It’s a billboard for your town,” said Renslow.

He did recommend that the scheme avoid safety yellows, oranges and reds, as they will fade from the sun breaking down the nonnatural pigments. “Those would be colors to stay away from,” he said.

Since mold and mildew don’t stick to the coating with the new formulas, it was really anything goes to choose from. Members talked about going with just one color for the tank, with contrasting letters, then discussed multi-layers of color and letters interspersed throughout.

It was also a strong feeling, that the historical pulpwood stacker – the city’s logo – be on the tower, but it was understood that they might have to sacrifice the size of the tank letters to fit the stacker in. Those present agreed to ask JM Screen Printing to come up with some designs, featuring the stacker and CORNELL.

At a council meeting June 2, the designs created by JM were reviewed and while the members liked many of the designs, they felt the stacker would not stand out enough for people to tell what the structure is.

“What I’m worried about, is we’re going to put something on there that we’re not going to be able to tell what it is,” said council president Steve Turany.

It was decided to scrap the stacker logo and instead, go with a solid cadet blue up to the legs, then an off-white with a light blue tinge to the top, and dark lettering of the town name in varsity font around the middle part of the tank. The letters will be outlined in a dark color, with a thin line of safety yellow in between the outline and the block letters, which shouldn’t cause too much fading.

“I really think it would be cool to have some yellow on there, just to show the school’s colors,” said council member Aimee Korger. “It makes it pop.”