Title
Artist Design Contract for Eastlake Park Community Streetscape Arts Project (Ordinance S-48068)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into an agreement with artist Joshua Wiener to work with the Eastlake Park community and City departments to design up to two streetscape gateway art pieces celebrating the unique cultural heritage and identity of the Eastlake Park community as a thriving downtown Phoenix neighborhood. The agreement value will not exceed $19,000. Further request authorization for the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item.
Report
Summary
The Housing Department was awarded a $30 million Choice Neighborhoods (CN) Implementation Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in July 2018. The grant, Community Development Block Grant Funds (CDBG), and additional City and private funding will assist with the revitalization of public housing, the surrounding neighborhood, and parks in the Edison-Eastlake Community (EEC). As part of this revitalization, the City issued a call for artists to design streetscape gateway art pieces to celebrate the cultural heritage of the Eastlake Park community. The sites, which would be highly visible street locations near Eastlake Park, at 16th Street and Washington Street, will be determined during the design process.
On Sept. 17, 2021, a four-person artist selection panel recommended Joshua Wiener (CO) after interviewing him and four other finalists from a pool of 47 artists who had responded to a City-issued Request for Qualifications. The panel based its decision on Mr. Wiener's ability to work well with the community and City Departments, his expertise in creating exemplary works of public art with highly durable materials, and his potential to create designs that will suit the needs of the community and the potential sites.
The selection panel included Virgil Berry, president of the Eastlake Park Neighborhood Association; Donna Isaac, public art consultant; Rachel Johnson, former member of the Phoenix Arts and Culture Commission; and Spencer Self, Neighborhood Services Department Director.
Financial Impact
The proposed $19,000 design contract will cover all costs related to the artist working with City staff and the community to develop the design and construction documents for the streetscape gateway art pieces. Funds for project construction would be requested once the design phase is completed successfully. The funds for this project come from the Neighborhood Services Department Community Development Block Grants.
Location
Up to two street locations near Eastlake Park, at 16th Street and Washington Street.
Council District: 8
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Managers Gina Montes and Inger Erickson and the Housing and Neighborhood Services departments, and the Office of Arts and Culture.