HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 04/16/2019 - RESOLUTION 2019-040 APPROVING AN ART PROJECT FOR TAgenda Item 15
Item # 15 Page 1
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY April 16, 2019
City Council
STAFF
Ellen Martin, Visual Arts Administrator
Jody Hurst, Legal
SUBJECT
Resolution 2019-040 Approving an Art Project for the Willow Street Project and Approving Expenditures from
the Art in Public Places Water Utility Account to Commission an Artist to Create the Art Project Pursuant to the
Art in Public Places Program
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is it to approve expenditures from the Art in Public Places (APP) Reserve Account
and APP Water Utility Account to commission an artist to create art for the Willow Street Project. The
expenditures of $343,365 will be for design, materials, signage, fabrication, delivery, and contingency for
Andrew Dufford of Chevo Studios to create the art for the Willow Street Project.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
Section 23-303 of City Code, which was added in 1995, established the Art in Public Places Reserve Account,
and designated it for use in acquiring or leasing works of art, maintenance, repair or display of works of art,
and administrative expenses related to the Art in Public Places (APP) Program, in accordance with the APP
Guidelines adopted by the Council in Ordinance No. 020, 1995. In 2012, City Council permanently adopted the
APP Program, and reenacted City Code Chapter 23, Article IX, with certain modifications.
APP Artist Andrew Dufford collaborated with the project team to integrate the art into the streetscape design
for the Willow Street Improvements Project. The artist was selected through an RFQ process.
Andrew Dufford worked with the Willow Street Project team to develop art concepts that create a “sense of
place” for the corridor and honors the culture and history of the site and the River District. The art placement
begins in the Willow Street Plaza with four iconic vertical granite sculptures that will evoke the essence of
water with shapes and textures. The sculptures will engage the public through touch and sight and will be
illuminated at night. The sculptures will be enhanced by perforated metal panels vertically along one side of the
columns that will have images that tell about the health of the River using imagery of native plants, animals,
and local geomorphology that relate to water quality.
The artwork continues from the plaza on Linden Street to the Northside Aztlan Community Center. The nature
of the River is explored through a series of three interactive stops, with seating, along the length of the new
streetscape. The three sculptural stone benches explore the ways that the Cache la Poudre River water is
conveyed from the mountain top down to the homes of residents in Fort Collins. Each of the three etched-
stone sculptural benches highlight the unseen, and sometimes underappreciated, importance of water in our
lives. These include the Canyon, Mill Race, and Pipe, which references the hidden Utility under our feet.
Agenda Item 15
Item # 15 Page 2
CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS
The funds for this item have been appropriated in the APP Reserve Account in the Cultural Services and
Facilities Fund and the APP Water Utility Account. The APP program also has available appropriated
maintenance funds for the long-term care of the subject artwork and the rest of the APP art collection.
The Willow Street Project art budget is $343,365 to be used for design, materials, fabrication, signage, delivery,
and contingency for these artworks.
BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
At its December 19, 2018 meeting, the Art in Public Places Board reviewed the design concept and budget for
the art project and recommended approval. (Attachment 2)
PUBLIC OUTREACH
The selected artist collaborates with the project team to develop concepts for the artwork based on the goals of
the project and input from the team. The final design and budget are reviewed and approved by the project
team and then the APP Board, who then recommends the project to City Council for approval.
The Willow Street Project conducted numerous property owner meetings and open houses to both gather input
and present project updates through the design process. Staff provides regular project updates to the DDA.
Staff also regularly attends Downtown River District Business Association meetings to provide project updates.
The APP Program will promote the project throughout the fabrication, installation, and completion of the
artwork.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Written Description and Images of Proposed Artwork (PDF)
2. Art in Public Places Board Minutes, December 19, 2018 (PDF)
Art in Public Places
Willow Street Project
The art will be between the Northside Aztlan Community
Center and Linden Street on Willow Street and includes
four vertical sculptures in the Willow Street pedestrian
plaza, which have illuminating features to provide
night-time interest, and a series of three sculptural
seating elements along the street.
Willow Street pedestrian plaza on the northeast corner of Willow and Linden Streets
The yellow arrows represent locations for the
sculptural seating.
The green arrow represents the location for
the sculptural columns in the Willow Street
pedestrian plaza at the corner of Willow and
Linden Streets.
Art in Public Places artist Andrew Dufford worked with the Willow Street Project team to develop art concepts that
create a “sense of place” for the corridor and honors the culture and history of this site and the River District.
The City of Fort Collins was founded and developed adjacent to the Cache la Poudre River, and the river’s influence
can be found in many aspects of our daily life. This project portrays the river from wild, to mill race, to its use as
drinking water.
The artwork’s water theme celebrates the importance of water and portrays the human uses of the Cache la Poudre
River (millrace, water pipes) and ecological functions (abiotic and biotic features including plants, wildlife, substrate,
and geomorphology).
Canyon
Mill Race
Pipe
ATTACHMENT 1
Example of metal (solid shapes/cutouts and perforation) with illumination
The four vertical granite sculptures in Willow Street pedestrian plaza will evoke the essence of water with their
shapes and textures. They will engage the public through touch and sight, and be reminiscent of the qualities of
water that draw people to the Cache la Poudre River. The sculptures will also relate to the health of the river using
imagery of native plants, animals, and local geomorphology, relating to water quality.
Example of perforated
metal panels that allow
nighttime illumination.
Metal can be cut,
perforated or layered.
Examples of finishing options on the granite
columns.
Willow Street Pedestrian Plaza Sculptures
Location of the four sculptures in Willow
Street pedestrian plaza.
Nighttime view of plaza looking northwest at the corner of Willow and Linden Streets intersection.
Perforated metal panels will run the length of one side of the columns
providing both daytime and night time interest.
Examples of illuminated metal panels
The perforations in the metal will be cut with images related to water and backlit for added dimension.
Willow Street Pedestrian Plaza Sculptures at Night
Integrated into the urban design and historic character of the district,
three sculptural benches explore the ways that the Cache la Poudre
River water is conveyed from the mountain top into the lives of the
Citizens of Fort Collins. The nature of the river are explored through a
series of interactive stops, with the benches, along the length of the
improved streetscape project.
The artist’s haiku poems will be etched in the stone and accompany
each sculptural bench to highlight the unseen and sometimes
underappreciated importance of water in our lives.
Canyon
Time etched by water
Spring, sun and snow flow downward
Life arrives in tow
Mill Race
We borrowed power.
River lifted in a box
transformed our harvest.
Pipe
Feel beneath your feet
a hidden river in tubes.
Blue gift at your tap
Artist sketch of the Canyon artwork,
inspired by snowfall and alpine wildflowers.
Artist sketch of the Mill Race artwork, inspired by the historic
river diversion and mill.
Artist sketch of the Pipe artwork, inspired by current building
patterns in the Northside Neighborhoods.
Sculptural Seating Elements
ATTACHMENT 2
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RESOLUTION 2019-040
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
APPROVING AN ART PROJECT FOR THE WILLOW STREET PROJECT
AND APPROVING EXPENDITURES FROM THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES
WATER UTILITY ACCOUNT TO COMMISSION AN ARTIST TO CREATE THE
ART PROJECT PURSUANT TO THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM
WHEREAS, the City is in the process of improving Willow Street (“the Project”); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Sections 23-303 and 23-304 of the City Code, one percent of the
funds appropriated for the Project was set aside in the Art in Public Places reserve account for
use in the acquisition, installation and maintenance of works of art in accordance with the Art in
Public Places Guidelines adopted by the City Council in Ordinance No. 047, 1998 (the
“Guidelines”); and
WHEREAS, artist Andrew Dufford was selected from a Request for Qualifications
process to complete an art project on Willow Street (“the Art Project”); and
WHEREAS, the Art Project will include four iconic vertical granite sculptures that will
evoke the essence of water with shapes and textures; and
WHEREAS, the sculptures will engage the public through touch and sight, and will be
enhanced by perforated metal panels along one side of columns that will have images that tell
about of the river using imagery of native plants, animals, and local geomorphology that relate to
water quality; and
WHEREAS, the Art Project will also include three interactive stops, with seating, along
the length of the new streetscape, and will explore the ways in which the Cache la Poudre River
water is conveyed from the mountain top down to the homes of residents of Fort Collins and will
highlight the unseen, and sometimes underappreciated, importance of water in our lives;
highlighting the hidden Utility under our feet; and
WHEREAS, the Art in Public Places Board (the “Board”) approved the design concept of
the Art Project and recommended Council approval at the Board’s December 19, 2018, regular
meeting; and
WHEREAS, the funds for this Art Project have been appropriated in the Art in Public
Places Reserve Account in the Cultural Services and Facilities Fund and the Art in Public Places
Water Utility Account; and
WHEREAS, the budget for this Art Project, including design, materials, fabrication,
delivery, contingency, and maintenance is $343,365 with the entire amount from the Art in
Public Places Water Utility Account; and
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WHEREAS, Section 23-308 of the City Code requires that the Board’s recommendation
concerning the use of funds for the Art Project be presented for Council review and approval as
the cost of the art exceeds $30,000; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Guidelines, a priority in selecting works of art to be acquired
with restricted Utilities’ Art in Public Places Funds is that the art relates to and logically connect
with the source of the funds used to acquire the artworks; and
WHEREAS, City Code Section 23-303(c) provides that Art in Public Places funds shall
only be expended for the acquisition or lease of works of art that provide a betterment to the
utility or are otherwise determined by the City Council to be for a specific utility purpose that is
beneficial to the rate payers of such utility; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that expending funds from the Utilities’ Art in Public
Places Funds for the selected Art Project relates to, logically connects with, and benefits the
utility rate payers by providing a visual interpretation of how water, though hidden and often
unappreciated, plays such a vital role to the citizens of Fort Collins, thereby providing education
to the public about such utility.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FORT COLLINS as follows:
Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes and adopts the determinations and
findings contained in the recitals above.
Section 2. That the City Council hereby approves the use of previously appropriated
funds in an amount not to exceed $343,365 from the Art in Public Places Water Utility Account
for the Art Project described herein for inclusion in the Poudre River Whitewater Park Project,
the conceptual design for which was reviewed and approved by the Art in Public Places Board
on December 19, 2018.
Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this
16th day of April, A.D. 2019.
_________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
City Clerk