TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Mark Leyman, Parks and Recreation Director
Eric Brinkman, Senior Recreation Supervisor
Linda Robb, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of RLA Conservation Art Assessment Recommendations from the Cultural Arts Commission, Allocation of Public Arts Funds, and Direction to the Cultural Arts Commission to Develop a Formal Deaccession Policy (Parks and Recreation Director Leyman).
(Estimated Time: 30 Mins.)
A) APPROVE
B) ALLOCATE PUBLIC ART FUNDS
C) PROVIDE DIRECTION TO THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the RLA Conservation art assessment recommendations from the Cultural Arts Commission, allocate Public Arts Funds accordingly, and direct the Cultural Arts Commission to develop a formal deaccession policy and return for City Council direction.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Costs of the conservation treatments and recommended maintenance for artwork within the City’s collection may be paid for from the Public Arts Fund (PAF), which currently has a total balance of about $1.6 million with approximately $883,000 in allocated funds and roughly $711,000 in unallocated funds. Approximately $73,000 needs to be allocated before funds expire on December 31, 2024. The total estimated cost of conservation/intervention treatments for the artworks below is $201,025.
The use of PAF funds for this project is congruent with the purpose of the PAF as detailed in the Manhattan Beach Municipal Code Section 10.90.050.
BACKGROUND:
On September 19, 2023, City Council approved a contract with RLA Conservation, LLC (RLA), to assess the condition of each piece in the City’s art collection and recommend conservation treatments and maintenance plans for each artwork.
The City of Manhattan Beach owns a collection of approximately 75 public artworks consisting of murals, sculptures, memorials, fountains, and other assets. RLA developed a survey of the City’s public art portfolio and categorized them into 3 priority ratings:
Priority 1:
• Objects with structural instability or severe surface damage risk, with imminent, irreversible damage to the artwork or public. Immediate treatment is recommended or deaccessioning if the damage is extensive.
Priority 2:
• Objects showing wear from the elements (e.g., corrosion, breakage, abrasion, paint loss) but not in immediate danger. Treatment is advised within 2-4 years if maintenance continues.
Priority 3:
• Objects requiring minor treatment (e.g., cleaning, corrosion removal, coating, fungal removal) with no urgency. Treatment can be deferred 3-5 years if maintenance is upheld.
RLA has prepared cost estimates and comprehensive plans for each of these contingencies, to be executed at a time determined by the City. The work may be carried out by RLA, other conservation professionals, or, where appropriate, our Public Works team.
DISCUSSION:
The Cultural Arts Commission, after reviewing the full RLA survey, was asked to score each artwork and make recommendations based on specific criteria. However, Priority 1 artworks were automatically recommended due to their poor condition or safety risks, requiring immediate attention.
For all other artworks, the Commission used the following criteria:
• Quick-Fix: Artworks needing minimal investment but likely to have a significant impact on preservation.
• Overall Aesthetics: Consider the artwork's visual condition. Even if significant repairs are needed, pieces that still look appealing should receive a lower score.
• Cultural Significance: Assess the artwork’s significance to the community. Artworks with greater cultural relevance should be prioritized over those of lesser significance.
RLA has identified Mankind’s Struggle for Eternal Peace and Beyond this Point Lies the Rest of the World as the piece most in need of conservation/intervention. This, and subsequent prioritization are outlined below:
Priority 1
Mankind’s Struggle for Eternal Peace (Roach) $16,350 + art handling costs
§ Safety concerns due to cracked welds $1,650 annual maintenance
§ Artist: Harold Roach
§ Date: 1982
§ Materials: Painted Ferrous Metal
§ Location: Manhattan Beach Post Office (15th Street & Valley)
Beyond this Point Lies the Rest of the World (Salas) $23,350 + general contractor costs.
§ Pipe condition poor, with corrosion and material loss
§ Safety concern - exposed jagged metal
§ Discoloration
§ Every 3-5 years maintenance $8,975
§ Artist: Roberto Salas
§ Date: 1993
§ Materials: Mild steel, paint, bronze, possibly aluminum
§ Location: North and south sides of pier at upper parking lot
Priority 2
9-11-01 Memorial (Yanofsky, Oliker, & Brush (Studio 9 One 2)) $14,225
§ Large amount of biological growth along bottom of horizontal slabs
§ Runoff corrosion
§ Cracks in planters
§ Every 2-3 years maintenance $2,925
§ Artist/Designers: Scott Yanofsky, Steve Oliker, Mark Brush - Studio 9 One 2
§ Date: 2007
§ Materials: Concrete, mild steel, stainless steel, bronze, stone
§ Location: Corner of Fifteenth St. & Valley Dr.
Catalina Classic Memorial Statue (Barela) $35,100
§ Requires additional layers of lacquer coating due to the harsh environment and ambient salts.
§ Annual maintenance $5,500
§ Artist: Chris Barela
§ Date: 2023
§ Materials: Bronze, lacquer, pigmented concrete
§ Location: Manhattan Beach Pier, Lower South Parking Lot
Martin Ganz Memorial (Mikus) $14,225
§ Concrete seating elements displaying cracks, and/or exposed rebar
§ No coating on sculpture, lettering, seating or terrazzo elements
§ Annual maintenance $2,725
§ Artist: John Mikus
§ Date: 1994
§ Materials: bronze, terrazzo, reinforced concrete, granite
§ Location: Live Oak Park along Valley Drive
Remember When (Kraber) $11,765
§ Corrosion and corrosion staining
§ Annual maintenance $3,325
§ Artist: Kent Kraber
§ Date: 2011
§ Materials: Weathering steel, stainless steel, copper alloy, glass marbles (fish eyes)
§ Location: Manhattan Beach Civic Center Plaza
Metlox Kiln (Narduli) $24,300
§ Missing and damaged bricks
§ Corrosion
§ Every 3-5 years maintenance $7,150
§ Artist: Susan Narduli
§ Date: 2008
§ Materials: Brick, mortar, ferrous metal, galvanized steel, paint, lava rock, concrete
§ Location: Metlox Plaza, northwest corner by entrance to parking garage
Escobar Sculpture Bench (Hertz) $23,875
§ Safety concern - many cracked embedded glass fragments
§ Possible corrosion of internal rebar
§ Biennial maintenance $1,625
§ Artist: David Hertz
§ Date: 1992
§ Materials: Concrete, shell, glass, sealant
§ Location: Strand and 17th St
Priority 3
Light Gate $11,700 (Harries + Heder)
§ Corrosion
§ Missing bolt cover
§ Missing grout
§ Annual maintenance $3,000
§ Artist: Mags Harries and Lajos Heder
§ Date: 2015
§ Materials: Stainless steel (unknown alloy), glass, prismatic film, grout
§ Location: City Hall near intersection of Highland Ave. & 14th Street
Leadership MB Community Mural (Barnes) $26,135
§ Requires redirection of sprinkler heads or installation of drip irrigation
§ Cutting back of plantings and grass from mural surface, cleaning, repair
§ Application of protective clear coat.
§ Every 3-5 years maintenance $6,425
§ Artist: Josh Barnes
§ Date: 2022
§ Materials: Paint (unknown binder, likely acrylic latex)
§ Location: Manhattan Beach Art Center, Exterior Planter
The Commission will continue to evaluate the City’s public art inventory and make recommendations for City Council consideration.
Three additional art pieces were listed as Priority 1 projects; however, the costs to repair the artworks were significant. Therefore, the Commission recommends deaccession of the pieces. Staff recommends that City Council direct the Cultural Arts Commission to develop a formal deaccession policy and return for Council consideration.
The three art pieces are:
1) Strand Bench (J.W. Keever)
§ Artist: Stacy Dukes
§ Date: Unknown
§ Materials: GFRP, resin coating, bronze
§ Location: Strand and 30th Street
2) Strand Bench (McAfee)
§ Artist: Stacey Dukes
§ Date: Unknown
§ Materials: GFRP, resin coating, bronze
§ Location: Strand and 19th Street
3) Strand Bench (Condent)
§ Artist: Stacy Dukes
§ Date: Unknown
§ Materials: GFRP, resin coating, bronze Dimensions: 18” H x 36” W x 96” L
§ Location: Strand and 35th Street
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1) Approve the Cultural Arts Commission recommendations for conservation treatments;
2) Allocate $201,025 from the Public Art Fund for the estimated cost of conservation/intervention treatments for the identified artworks; and
3) Direct the Cultural Arts Commission to develop a formal deaccession policy and return for City Council direction.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The review of the RLA was discussed at the September 16, 2024 meeting of the Cultural Arts Commission and the prioritization of work was discussed at the October 21, 2024 meeting. Both meetings were open to the public.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the project qualifies for a Class 1 categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) of the State CEQA Guidelines because it consists of the repair and maintenance of existing public structures involving negligible or no expansion of the use. Thus, no further environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Prioritization Score Sheet
2. RLA Report
3. PowerPoint Presentation