TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Mark Leyman, Parks and Recreation Director
Eilen Stewart, Acting Cultural Arts Manager
SUBJECT:Title
Consider Installation of a Mural and Living Wall and Allocate Public Art Trust Funds (Parks and Recreation Director Leyman).
a) DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
b) ALLOCATE PUBLIC ART TRUST FUNDS
c) AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AGREEMENTS
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council discuss and provide direction on the installation of a mural and a living wall, and if direction is given to install artwork, allocate Public Art Trust Funds in an amount not-to-exceed $288,500, and authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute the required agreements.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
If the City Council approves the mural locations, the cost for fabrication and installation of the mural and living wall are as follows:
1) Bo Bridges Mural on south side of City Hall - $150,000 (plus taxes and permitting fees)
2) Bo Bridges Mural on west side of Morningside Drive parking structure (Lot #3) - $38,500 (plus taxes and permitting fees)
3) Living Wall in the Civic Center Plaza -$30,000 to $100,000 (based upon design)
If approved, all projects can be funded through the Public Art Trust Fund.
The current allocated balance of the Public Art Trust Fund, including the original Mural Art Program funding, is $586,533. The unallocated balance is $1,533,722.
BACKGROUND:
At its June 18, 2019, meeting, the City Council approved mural installations for five locations. Three of the locations have been installed: Joanna Garel Mural on the outdoor elevator in the civic center parking lot, Kelly Montague on the Metlox courtyard south wall, and Kid Wiseman on the 13th Street parking lot walls. The fourth mural by Charles Bragg to be installed at the Joslyn Center is currently being evaluated for site installation options.
The fifth approved mural by Bo Bridges for the Civic Center underground parking garage was tabled, after further discussion, as the entrance has low visibility to the general public. Staff has worked closely with Bo Bridges and his team to develop additional location options in lieu of the parking garage location.
Staff reached out to the mural artists who were recommended to City Council to develop alternative art pieces at new locations. Staff continues to work with local artists Trek Kelly, Josh Barnes, and Charles Bragg, from prior approval. The Cultural Arts Commission is developing additional locations to return to City Council with recommendations.
DISCUSSION:
Staff met with Bo Bridges and his team to discuss new mural locations on City owned property and developed two additional locations for City Council consideration. In addition to the proposed murals (images attached), staff has provided an option of a “living wall” of plants to be installed in the Civic Center on the corrugated metal walls that are rusted and in need of repair. The walls were previously considered for murals, however, the living walls integrate well into the natural surrounding and provide a sustainable option.
Mural Option # 1:
Artist: Bo Bridges
Location: South City Hall Wall
Cost: $150,000 (includes installation, scaffolding, and smooth coat)
Artwork options:
A. Rolling Wave (Recommended)
B. Seagull Vision
C. The Bubble
D. Midnight Blues
Mural Option # 2:
Artist: Bo Bridges
Location: West Parking Structure Wall, 13th Street
Cost: $38,500 (includes installation, scaffolding, and smooth coat)
Artwork options:
A. Break the Silence (Recommended)
B. Dive
Living Wall Option:
Location: Civic Center Plaza Walls
Cost: $20,000 to $100,000 (cost varies based on design)
Living Wall Mural at the Civic Center Plaza.
Proposals:
A. Proposal from TrueVert
Staff met with a representative from TruVert, that specializes in commercial living walls in indoor and outdoor environments. They have a variety of product lines that use sustainable materials. The cork panel system was recommended, as it is the most environmental friendly material and provided a number of design options. The drawback to this proposal is the average price of $200 per square foot, which does not include improvements to the rusted metal structure. The initial cost estimates for this option is $100,000.
B. Proposal from Enviroscape (Recommended)
Staff met with Mike Garcia from Enviroscape, who is a founding Manhattan Beach Botanical board member and was integral in the design of the landscaping and installation of drought tolerant plants outside of City Hall. The proposal from Mr. Garcia includes using recycled pallets and attaching them to the existing walls. The artistic design proposal would be a collaboration with youth and seniors in the community and Mr. Garcia would lead the installation. The initial proposal included additional plantings of caliandra and apple trees at the location. In addition, after evaluating the site, Mr. Garcia provided a proposal to remove and rebuild the existing walls, replacing the rotted wood and rusted metal panels with wood and recycled pallets. The cost estimate for the plants and rebuilt walls is $19,000. Staff estimates an additional $10,000 in materials to completed the project for a total project estimate of $29,000. As this proposal was initiated prior to COVID-19, installation with community member assistance would only occur when permissible, following public health guidelines.
The Cultural Arts Commission discussed the proposed murals and living wall and had the following recommendations:
Bo Bridges Mural Commissioner Input:
Option # 1 City Hall Location
• The Commissioners liked the “Rolling Wave” artwork, but thought that the City Hall location was not an ideal fit due to the proximity to other prominent artworks such as the iconic Light Gate, the Kid Weisman mural across the street and sculpture garden pieces in the Civic Center Plaza.
• The brick finish at City Hall was not unsightly and did not need immediate attention, as opposed to other locations that might need to be addressed more urgently.
• If it were decided that a mural would be installed on or in close proximity to City Hall, it would need to be closely considered for content, medium, aesthetics, artist, and exact location and installation as it is such a prominent and impactful location.
Option # 2 West Parking Structure Wall, 13th Street
• The Commission agreed that the west facing wall of Lot 3 on 12th Street was a much better fit for the proposed mural.
• They expressed that this would greatly benefit from a beautification project.
• They also discussed the highly visible location, with more pedestrian and auto traffic, being more prominent for an artist of Bo Bridges’ merit.
Living Wall Commissioner Input:
• The Cultural Arts Commission recognized the need to address the corrugated wall panels in Civic Plaza and agreed that a living wall would be a good way of achieving that.
• They responded positively to the sustainability and water wise education components the succulent wall would subtly present, as well as the aesthetic improvement it would provide.
In addition to the proposed mural and living wall, staff has been in contact with local artists who are interested in pursuing additional locations, and will continue to evaluate additional mural locations based upon City Council direction.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council discuss and provide direction on the installation of murals and a living wall, and if direction is given to install artwork, allocate Public Art Trust Funds in an amount not-to-exceed $288,500, and authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute the required agreements.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
This item was discussed at the February 19, 2020, Cultural Arts Commission Meeting.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has determined that no additional legal analysis is needed.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Proposal for Bo Bridges Murals
2. TrueVert Product Guide
3. Civic Center Living Wall Design Options
4. Draft Artist Agreement for Bo Bridges Mural Program